Lexi Sidener - Pursuing the Passions that Hold Her Heart
Goosebumps ran up and down Lexi Sidener’s arms and tears filled her eyes as she read an email from a friend expressing her gratitude. Lexi had shared some skincare products with her that had completely transformed the appearance of her skin and restored her self-confidence, something that had been missing for her friend for quite some time. Her passion for helping others feel more comfortable in their skin had led her to pursue a career as a dietician. Looking for a way to balance family with her career, Lexi considered a business opportunity that seemed to be the perfect combination of everything she wanted—the chance to create a successful career doing something she found challenging and rewarding, while putting her family first. When she discovered that her business also gave her the ability to empower others to pursue their passions, she knew she’d found everything she’d been looking for.
Lexi wants to show her daughter that she really can have it all.
Evaluating long-term goals
As a dietician, Lexi loved her career and always pictured herself returning to work after having kids. “It’s such an empowering field to work in. I really enjoy helping people live healthier lives and feel more confident about themselves and their bodies.” After her daughter was born in 2013, though, she had a change of heart. “Having kids really made me realize how precious life is, and I decided it was important to me that I was there for all of those special moments and ‘firsts’ with my baby.”
While Lexi loved being home full-time, she missed the challenge of working. “I enjoyed the social aspect as well as getting to help others, and the opportunity to develop myself professionally. I wanted that back.” While home with her baby, Lexi had been following her friend’s Facebook posts about her Rodan + Fields® business. “I saw all of her pictures from various trips she’d earned and her Lexus® party—she was doing all sorts of fun things, with a high caliber group of people, and fitting it in around a very full life. I started to wonder if the business was something I could do too.”
Lexi and her husband, Randy, at R+F Convention.
Developing a plan
Lexi and her husband looked into the Company a little further. “We loved the idea of starting a business and saw the benefit of leveraging an established brand. I knew if I loved the products, I wouldn’t be able to help but share them with my friends and family. The opportunity seemed to be the perfect fit.” Lexi tried a mini facial sample that her friend gave her and was blown away by how great it made her skin feel. At that point, she decided it was worth a try and, in June of 2014, she enrolled as an Independent Consultant.
Having recently moved to a new city, Lexi was concerned about growing her business at first. “I thought I needed a huge local network, but I quickly realized that it doesn’t matter where you live or where your network is. You can grow this business anywhere. The fact that it’s completely virtual makes it easy to connect and share with people regardless of where they live. It has also pushed me to get out and make new friends and connections in our community that I may not have made otherwise, and that has been very fun. I truly have the ability to expand my business everywhere I go, even while at the playground with my daughter. It’s perfect.” Lexi was also impressed by the network she gained within the R+F community. “I was immediately welcomed into this supportive group of people who are all invested in each other’s success. I love how positive the entire experience is.”
Lexi with her daughter.
Signs of improvement
At first, Lexi thought her business would just be something fun for her to do on the side to give her more social interaction. “I saw how the business was impacting people’s lives on a much bigger scale, and I knew this could be the way to give our family more time together.” Lexi’s husband travels about 90 days out of the year and, once their daughter was born, they hoped to lessen the time he had to be away from Lexi and the baby. After nine months of working her business 10 to 20 hours a week, she achieved Level V status and replaced for former full-time dietician salary. “I mostly worked while my daughter was napping in my arms—what an incredible way to earn an income.”
Now, when Lexi’s husband needs to travel for work, they all travel together as a family. “We couldn’t have afforded that without my R+F income and, with our second baby on the way, I’m so grateful that my husband doesn’t have to miss out on any more time with our kids than necessary.” The time and financial flexibility are also enabling their family to take a three-week vacation to Florida to visit Lexi’s parents. “Last year, we were even able to go for five weeks. I would never have been able to take that much time off from my corporate job, but now I have the luxury of working wherever we go. It’s so important to me that my daughter gets to know her grandparents, and I love that my business allows me to put my family first. And now that she is getting bigger, I love that I am showing her that you can have your cake and eat it too. I can have a successful career, help others, and truly make a difference while still keeping my family first. To me, that is everything.”
Lexi, Randy, and Finley.
Creating positive change
Lexi spent a lot of time in the sun growing up, so she started using the REVERSE Regimen to help with her sun damage. “I’ve always bought good skincare products, and I’d used many different kinds, but I felt like I was always looking for something better. It was an endless pursuit because I never loved the results from anything I was using.” After six months, Lexi saw significant changes in the appearance of her skin. “I felt a difference immediately and, before long, I was seeing them too! I was so amazed at how my sun damage disappeared, and loved the amazing glow my skin had to it. Now, you’d never even know that I used to be covered in freckles!”
By sharing R+F products with others, Lexi is once again helping people feel better in their skin. “This has been so fulfilling because it not only gave me the professional outlet I was looking for, but it also gave me back the aspect of my former career that I was most passionate about. I’ve had people tell me that, after years, they are finally excited to look in the mirror again because of these products. Helping people feel like that is what it’s all about—it’s the best feeling ever.”
Lexi and her daughter playing on the beach with baby number two on the way.
Encouraging happy and healthy lifestyles
Lexi is driven to help people develop successful businesses so they can live a life they love. “This business empowers people to pursue whatever it is they’re passionate about. It’s so rewarding to see the ways my teammates have grown and achieved their goals—whether that’s earning an additional income so they can travel more or pay off their debt, or replace an income so they can stay home with their kids. Seeing how many lives are affected makes it so worthwhile.”
Lexi’s business has taught her that, sometimes, we have to get out of our own way and keep an open mind about things that scare us. “Too often, pre-judgments and fear prevent us from taking that first step, but what’s on the other side of that can be the most incredible, life-changing experience. My business certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone, and the result was an immense amount of personal growth. This experience has helped me dream so much bigger than I ever thought I would. I know there are people out there who don’t think there is a way to make a living while pursuing your passions. But, life is too short to waste on things you aren’t passionate about. Whatever you want your life to be, this can be your vehicle to achieve those dreams—and it’s possible to fit it in around everything else. It just requires keeping an open mind and never letting go of the passions that hold your heart.”
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