Something had to change. I was working 12 and 16-hour shifts as an Emergency Room nurse, while trying to take care of my husband and three children. My husband’s work schedule was constantly changing, so we’d have to scramble to find childcare for the kids. It was scary, taxing and stressful. I was exhausted and felt there had to be more to life than all of this work. I’d even fall asleep while trying to watch a movie with my kids for family time. One day, my son asked me if I was tired from taking care of him. That was the straw that broke this camel’s back. I couldn’t let him think for another day that I didn’t have time for him.

I went to bed that night and prayed for a miracle. The next morning, I told my husband that I couldn’t work 12-hour shifts anymore, and we agreed that if it meant we’d have to sell our house and move into a trailer, that was what we’d do. We prayed together and put it in God’s hands. Shortly afterward, we put our house on the market.

Less than two weeks later, I was invited to a Cookie Lee Consultant’s "thank you" dinner via a friend who had been a Cookie Lee hostess. Because of my schedule, I had not gone to my friend’s Cookie Lee show, so when she asked me to attend this event with her, I said, "yes", knowing that something would be on my calendar and I wouldn’t be able to go anyway. Turns out, I didn’t have anything on my schedule that night! So off I went, thinking I’d just enjoy a free dinner and get a necklace for an upcoming wedding. I couldn’t believe the way that guests fawned over the jewelry—they loved it! What really caught my attention was when the hosting Consultant, Donna Heindel (now a Senior Director!), shared that she had just quit her job as a preschool director so she could sell Cookie Lee jewelry and stay home with her kids. When she shared that Consultants can profit approximately $200 per two-hour show, my mind was racing. I was thinking, "Maybe I can do this once or twice a week and save my house!" So, that night, I read all the information that Donna gave me (an entire Cookie Connection, Recruiting Brochure, flyers, etc.) and after sharing the info with my husband, we were confident that this would be a way for me to have more time with the kids. So again, I went to bed with a prayer that night, and the next morning, I felt at peace about starting this business.

Once I decided to become a Consultant, I cut back on my nursing schedule, attended trainings/meetings and read all the resources for Consultants at www.cookielee.com. I studied all the incentive program rules and had my first recruit before I even held my kick-off show, where I booked seven more shows! Before I knew it, I was recruiting Consultants, having fun and meeting new friends. Even though I was "working" and bringing money home for the family, it actually felt like ME time! In my first month of doing this business, I wrote down all the goals I wanted to achieve, starting with promoting to Senior Consultant, to earning the Dream Drive-away Mercedes-Benz. I worked, stayed focused and had so much fun learning and growing. The best part was that seven months after starting Cookie Lee, I was no longer working as a nurse at the hospital! I was doing Cookie Lee full time and had total control over my schedule! Since joining this company, I have been able to earn the Dream Getaway Trips for me and my husband each year—Jamaica, Hawaii, Punta Cana and now the European Cruise, and because of my awesome Team, I’ve just earned my free Dream Drive-away Mercedes-Benz! What’s more, my family has also been able to keep our house!

What started off as a prayer has brought my family so much. I now get to enjoy being at home with my children, home schooling and caring for them. Our relationships are growing stronger and our home is more family-oriented. We get to share meals and my husband and I no longer pass each other on our ways in and out of work. I even have time to work just six hours as an ER nurse each week so that I can fulfill my future goal of becoming a medical missionary. With a positive attitude and dedication to your goals, you can make your own plan that will lead you to success—no sales background required!

Donna Heindel's Story:
I had no idea that sharing my "I" story at the "thank you" dinner for my hostesses and customers would trigger the tremendous changes that have occurred in Bobbi Jo’s life. I only knew that I was going to make this business work so that I could stay home with my three boys, Graham, Kellan and Connor. My job as a preschool director had worked out fine while the kids were in preschool, but it was frustrating for me once they entered elementary school and I couldn’t attend their events. I wanted to be there with them and participate in their schools.

When I went to Cookie Lee’s Regional Launch in Baltimore that spring, I went by myself and saw that people who had only been working their businesses for just a year or so were able to earn major awards! I decided that I was going to be next. The following week, I returned to work and let them know that when my contract was up in May, I would not return for the next school year.

With my husband’s support, I set out to make my Cookie Lee business a success. At the time, I had no one in my Downline and only one show booked. I wasn’t sure how to get more, so after reading about doing a Hostess Appreciation Show in the Cookie Connection, I invited everyone I knew to a "thank you" dinner and invited them to bring their friends. It was that show that Bobbi Jo attended, and the rest is history. Because of Cookie Lee, Bobbi Jo and I have created a great friendship—we love working our businesses together, traveling to trainings and celebrating both big and small successes. Since quitting my job and doing Cookie Lee full time, I, too, have earned my Dream Drive-away Mercedes-Benz, Dream Getaway Trips for me and my husband, and most important—I am home with my children, enjoying a flexible schedule that allows me to be wherever I want to be!

After losing the love of my life, I joined Cookie Lee last February, during the lowest point in my life. I had recently lost my husband Clark to cancer and had little motivation to get out of bed and an even lesser desire to live. Each morning I would wake up to the same nightmare—he was gone. I knew that Clark would want me to go on living, but I just couldn’t see how. I had been involved in direct sales with another company, and felt that I needed to try something new. I wanted a reason to get out of bed—something that would force me to leave my home. I pondered the idea of selling Cookie Lee for several weeks and finally made the decision to join, but with a purpose, passion and a goal. My husband became the inspiration behind my Cookie Lee business and is the reason why every show I hold, is a show with a purpose. I donate a portion of my sales from each show to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America, so that I can help educate people that lung cancer is NOT just a “smoker’s disease”. My husband Clark was an athlete who never smoked a single cigarette in his life.

Clark had snapped his hip and was in the hospital when we found out that he had stage four lung cancer. We were shocked—so little funding is available for lung cancer research; no one could explain how he had gotten this deadly disease. One year later, Clark passed away. My husband was the most extraordinary person I've ever known and I feel honored and blessed to have spent six exceptionally loving years of marriage to my best friend, soul mate, idol and superman. It is now my goal to spread awareness to everyone I meet, that lung cancer can affect anyone, and that its causes are as yet undetermined, because so many people assume that it is just something one gets when they’ve smoked too many cigarettes. November is Lung Cancer Awareness month, and as a result of my Cookie Lee business, I was able to donate $1,000 of my own money last year, to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America in memory of Clark. I plan to do the same thing this year, and hope that I can increase the donation.

At each of my shows, I set up a 10x12” foldout display near my checkout station. It has pictures of my husband, his name, date of birth and information about him, his life and his disease. I have a sign that thanks my customers for their business and lets them know that they’ve helped me raise funds for lung cancer research. People usually ask about the display and I willingly tell them my story. I am not afraid to do so—it actually helps me feel better. Unfortunately, when you tell someone that your husband died of lung cancer, they automatically assume he was a smoker, or that he must have been exposed to radon, asbestos, or some other foreign matter. The scary thing is, we just don’t know yet, the true cause of lung cancer. There aren’t any early detection screenings because lung cancer is one of the least-funded and least-researched cancers, despite the growing number of younger victims. For this reason, I have made it a mission with my business to keep spreading the word and donating to its research. It’s the least that I can do, and I want to make Clark proud.

Another way I spread information about my fundraising for lung cancer research is by adding a message to the invitation postcards I send out for my hostesses’ shows. I let them know that a portion of the sales from that show will be donated to lung cancer research, and that when they shop the show, they are supporting the cause.

Besides supporting the Lung Cancer Foundation of America in memory of Clark, I have a major goal of keeping our home. When Clark and I built our dream home three years ago, we had no idea that we would be facing cancer just one year later. Although we did not have children together, we created a home together and picked out every last detail. I will do everything in my power to keep our home, and if I don’t have shows booked out on my calendar for the next two months ahead, I will get on the phone and start asking for the bookings!

There are so many reasons I love my Cookie Lee business. Not only does it get me out of bed each morning, but I love sharing the beautiful jewelry and the business opportunity with others. I’ve found so much happiness in helping other Consultants realize their dreams and goals with this business. Being surrounded by so many strong, beautiful and positive women has given me the courage to live. My journey of grief will be a long and difficult one, but I believe that I can fight through it one day at a time with all their prayers and support. I thank my Upline Cindy Bankert and all my Cookie sisters for their love and support within the past year. I don’t know how I would have survived without my faith in God, my family and friends and my Cookie Lee business. Sharing my story with everyone I meet is therapeutic and I really hope that it touches and inspires many lives.

For more information on lung cancer, please visit the Lung Cancer Foundation of America at www.lcfamerica.org. 

I was the only one who didn't raise my hand when my Upline asked all of us at a Team Meeting if we had joined Cookie Lee to make new friends. At the time, I really didn't join the company to make friends—I wanted to earn extra money so that my husband and I could donate more of our income to charitable causes. I didn’t figure that I’d find friends along the way. I found out quickly, however; Cookie Lee is so much more than extra money. Through my business, I have found a family of friends who have shared their time, knowledge, tips and friendship, and it is these relationships that have helped provide me with financial success.

I first met my best friend, Team Director Connie Allred during a shopping trip at the old Irvine Showroom with my Upline and a new recruit. My Upline pointed her out to us and said Connie was one of the company’s top selling Consultants. Hearing that, I introduced myself to Connie, asked her advice on which pieces to purchase and we became fast friends. She was so helpful—she provided me with her contact information and invited me to attend her Team Meetings! I wasn’t even in her Downline and here she was, offering to help me with my business. I accepted her offer and started attending her Team Meetings. As our friendship grew, my business took off and within three months, Connie, one of Cookie Lee’s top sellers, was calling ME, her best friend!

"Cookie Lee friendships are the glue that keeps you going when you have a down day. Our hearts are open for each other, and we’d do anything to help another Cookie sister in need. We constantly bless each other’s lives just by sharing a nice email and even our jewelry!"
—Team Director Connie Allred

Cookie Lee Consultants become your Cookie sisters. They understand what you go through and want to celebrate success with you. They don’t crush your dreams—instead, they help motivate and inspire you to keep going no matter what. Cookie Lee is so positive; sometimes you just want to talk non-stop about all the exciting things going on with your business and your Cookie sisters never grow tired of hearing about it! They cheer you on and when you develop that trust, you can let down your guard and ask for help. It’s in times like those, that your business is really poised for growth. By opening up to your Cookie Lee friends, you can find a wealth of tips that will make doing your business easier and more successful than you thought!

Business aside, the friends I’ve made through Cookie Lee have been here for me through thick and thin. Although we call each other with good news about being able to write big checks for fundraisers, or having lots of people attend our shows, we also count on each other when things in life outside of Cookie Lee aren’t so good. We call on each other for support and validation, and it is so amazing for me to have established connections with other Cookie Lee Consultants. Finding these friendships have been one of the best experiences in my life.