Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you were one of the FIRST people to join Paparazzi? Today, I chat with the first official Paparazzi consultant, Rachel Kirby. Come listen in!
Training:
Awnya: I am so excited today to welcome to the call Rachel Kirby.
Rachel is a Fashionista in Paparazzi. She is a stay at home mom so she does all of Paparazzi from her house with her kids around. I’m sure a lot of you guys are just like that, but it IS possible to make it work.
She wanted me to make sure and tell you that you can live off of just Paparazzi. They’ve been doing it now for several years and they have a great life. So it is possible.
Also, Rachel Kirby was THE FIRST Paparazzi consultant. There has to be a first one and Rachel Kirby was THE FIRST Paparazzi consultant when they opened it up to being a direct sales company.
A lot of the other awards and achievements that we hear about now in Paparazzi, like the Crown Club and the Life of the party, Rachel hit those before they were even actually a thing. So, she’s got them under her belt, but it’s not something you are going to see her name popping up on cuz its already done.
Rachel, did I leave anything out?
Rachel: That sounds great!
What got you started in Paparazzi in the first place?
Rachel: This is where my story will be different from anybody else’s. I met and got married to Taylor in December of 2008 and at that time, I just knew Trent and Misty. She did my wedding. She was the one that did my wedding. And, I’m a newlywed and we got pregnant right away and we just needed something to do on the side.
And we just kept hearing about how Trent and Misty kept making all this money by selling jewelry at these shows. So in February in 2009, we started selling jewelry as well. And that’s where it all started. I started just selling the jewelry in 2009 and a couple years later it was turned into a Direct Sales company.
Awnya: That is SO cool! It pays to know people in high places, right?!
Rachel: It does.
Awnya: And that is also a little tidbit that people usually don’t hear or don’t know about Misty Kirby is that she used to do weddings before she did Paparazzi.
Rachel: Yes, and she’s excellent at it!
Awnya: I think Misty is excellent at everything she does!
Rachel: She is, she is!
What is your Why?
Awnya: I know when you started, you said it was so you could have a little bit of extra money staying home with your pregnancy and your kids. Is that still the same today?
Rachel: It is! My family is my why. They are the reason that I keep going. In every Paparazzi journey, you’ll have hard time. I think in any journey in life, you’ll have hard times. But my family is what keeps me going and they are my why.
We’ve lived of off Paparazzi for several years and everything that we do is because of Paparazzi.
Awnya: I love that! I can’t wait until that is also our family’s story! We will get there.
So I’m sure that this next question is going to be a little different than some of the other’s we’ve heard too because you’ve been with Paparazzi before it was what it is today.
What is your worst Paparazzi moment?
Awnya: Draw us a picture, take us to that moment when it was like, sink or swim.
Rachel: There is a show that is in Colorado and it is a huge, massive show. The people that had done the show before me, said “it’s an amazing show. You’ll walk away with $15,000 without even trying. Just make sure you go there, bring enough inventory.” We always yell out into the aisle, “$5 jewelry, $5 jewelry.”
And you know, we lived in Utah, so it was just an expense for use to get there. The show was expensive. We had 2 10 x 20 booths. And when we went there that year, that year just happened to be a flop. We spent all this money to make sure we could make at least $15,000 and it was just a flop. The show was a flop.
We were suggested to hire people to help us sell because we had these 2 giant booths and one of those people ended up stealing from us. And then, you know, when you are out of town you have to pay for a place to sleep. You have to pay for all your food. And we just, we just lost so much.
It was just a fluke. It was just a freak show. Because the next year, it’s been great since then for the girl that does that show. It was so sad. It was so disheartening.
What do you want us to learn from this?
The lesson is, you just keep going. There is going to be hard times. There are going to be times when a party or a show is going to be a flop, but you just keep going. You just keep going and you overcome.
Awnya: I love that. And it’s so true! Because with anything in life, whether it’s with kids and they’re 2 and they are driving you crazy, and you basically have to get going just because you don’t have any other choice. Or with other things in life, you just can’t give up. That’s perfect.
Rachel: Exactly.
What is a habit you have that contributes to your success?
Rachel: I think a habit I have is just to always be letting people know that I sell Paparazzi. Every day, there’s somebody that I run into or that I talk to, and here in the heart of Utah, people say that it doesn’t happen in Utah. But, people just say, “What is Paparazzi?” and they don’t know what it is.
So I think that is what contributes to my success.
And then as a leader, I always try to do a challenge or something throughout the month that tries to get them excited about something. There are challenges that hit some people and there are challenges that hit others later on down the road.
Awnya: What a great point on both of those. I wish that I could add to that, but I can’t because it’s just perfect.
What advice would you give to a brand new Paparazzi consultant just starting out in their business?
Rachel: Don’t Quit. I would say, Don’t Quit, Don’t Quit. I’ll tell you, my first year, I was new to Utah and I invited people. I had several parties throughout the year, and I’ll tell you what. Not one person came. From the moment I started in February until probably like November, I didn’t ever have one person that ever came to a party. And I just kept doing it. And I just kept doing it and here I am. You can’t give up!
Awnya: Wow! And for a whole year! Some people after just 2 months of that would have just given up and quit but you kept with it and look at where you are now!
Rachel: Yes! Exactly!
If you could suggest 1 thing to a consultant who was feeling stuck in their business what would it be?
Rachel: you know, I went to an Elite leadership retreat and there was someone that had a great analogy for me. It was one of the Dorks. He had this car and it kept hitting the same wall. Like, you would just wind it up and it would just keep going. It just hit this wall over and over and over again.
And I felt like that’s exactly where I was.
Then he was able to flip a switch on the bottom of this car so when it hit the wall, it would back up and it would go another way.
So I would say- try something new. Try something you’ve never tried before. Try something that other people might think is dumb. But just try something new. And just keep trying to think of new things. There’s always something new that comes out. There is always something new that you can try.
Awnya: What a great analogy. I thought we were going to talk about Old Blue or one of the other trucks. But when you said, “kept hitting that wall”, I was like, “Oh!”
And sometimes I totally do that myself when I just feel like I’m trying the same thing over and over and over and getting the same results. So, take a step back and try something new. I love it!
Rachel: Sometimes things that used to work and times change and it’s not as hip or fashionable. That’s why there’s always something new. And something that didn’t work before could probably work now.
Awnya: I think that’s a good reason too, why it’s a good thing to be friends with other Paparazzi consultants and other leaders besides even your upline because you can always share ideas and bounce things off of each other. Oh I love that!
What is a quote that inspires you in your business?
Rachel: My life quote, my life motto is: You are more than you think you are. And sometimes I change it to..
Throughout my adult life, that’s what keeps me going. There’s always something that I think I’ve done and something I think I can’t handle. There have been times I’ve even been curled up in a ball crying and I just hear this little whisper, “You’re stronger than you think you are.” And that picks me right back up and carries me along until I feel strong enough to do it myself.
Awnya: What a beautiful quote. I really love that!
What is a book you’d say is a must read and why?
Rachel: I am currently reading a book. It’s an international best seller and it’s called “You Were Born Rich.” It’s by Bob Proctor.
I love it because it is a book that’s meant to be read slowly. He even says, “Read the first chapter and then read it again before you go on to the second one. And if it takes you one day to absorb everything on one page, then go that slowly.”
It’s all about changing your mental image of your life. And I loved that because I grew up super poor. My dad, I know, bless his heart, he was probably just trying to help me out, but he said, “You’re poor and you’ll always be poor so don’t expect much from life.”
And I grew up that way. I grew up thinking exactly that way. After my military experience, I had to go to counseling for the things that I had to go through. That was one of the things I learned, that you’re not that person. And that you can always be changing and that you can always be progressing in your own life. You can overcome those mental blocks that you grew up with or that you were taught or that maybe you just always felt about yourself.
There’s always a better you in there. And when you find that better you, there’s still a better you yet. There is always progression.
Awnya: I am going to have to check that one out. That’s not one I’ve heard of before but I am excited about it. Sounds like a great book.
Rachel: Yes! My only warning is it does, every once in a while, mention a higher power or your God, or Jesus Christ, so if some people get offended by that, then this book isn’t for you.
Awnya: Yeah, you’ve been warned!
Rachel: Just laying that out there.
Awnya: Here on the PapaRockStars Podcast, I like to give a weekly call challenge, so
What is 1 thing you would challenge the listeners to do in the next 7 days to take action in their Paparazzi business?
Rachel: I would say – try something new. Try something new that you haven’t done before.
Awnya: There is always something new and different out there. I think live videos are the thing that scares me right now, but they are HOT and consultants are having awesome success with that right there.
Rachel: Exactly!
Awnya: Well, Rachel, I sure appreciate you coming on the call today and all you listeners as well, we thank you for listening in today. Don’t forget to head on over to PapaRockStars.com/Rachel to listen in again, to share it with your team or your friends and to get all of the show notes. You can print them out! Thanks again for listening and we’ll catch you next time!
Show Notes
Rachel Kirby – Paparazzi Jewelry Elite Leader interview – printable show notes