How it all began

When I started Rodan + Fields there were three things I wanted in my life.

I had everything else. I had a loving family, we made enough that we had a roof over our head and food to eat, we just started our family and had a young daughter, and moved out into the country which was always our dream. I felt really good.

Yet, I still felt there were only three things left that I really needed to feel complete. To be home with my kids, have personal success, and to make an impact.

I just started to stay home with our then only daughter but I knew that wasn’t sustainable as we continued to grow our family and expenses grew, college came, etc. I wanted to ALWAYS be able to be home with them, forever. But, while staying home was so wonderful it came with a feeling of lack in the area of personal success. I was always a very success driven person. I thrive on personal achievement, hitting goals, being the best I can at something. I was missing that sense of accomplishment that was just my own.

I also felt I was missing impact. I wanted to do more for others and for my family. I wanted to make not just a quick impact financially now but a long term impact on us, and especially on others in my community and beyond. I wanted, needed to truly help more than I was doing.

I felt stuck because I didn’t know how to do any of those things. I was caught in the day to day of diapers and ABC’s and emptying the dishwasher and doing it all with a very lean family budget. For me to get one of those three things I would have to sacrifice the others.

Then Rodan + Fields was introduced to me. I, like most, said no at first. It just wasn’t me. But it stayed on my brain and I knew that I needed to do something. Success, impact, and staying at home wasn’t just going to come to fall into my lap. So, I took the leap of faith.

I loved that the company was run by super reputable doctors and business women. The products were absolutely the top of the top. And the business model didn’t make me have parties, be all hokey silly sales mommish like the stereotype I had in my head, or make me work tons of hours a week.

Now, after almost four years in this business I am still staying home with my now 3 kids and our financial plan for the rest of our lives involves me continuing to stay home with them! Ahhh! I’m so happy! It is even allowing us to begin creating a plan for my husband to be able to be home more with us too.

I have also found the success I desire. I get to set goals and achieve them and be recognized for the hard work I have put in.

But, what excites me the most is the impact I am starting to make beyond just me. Impact on the lives of my daughters who see me getting to put them first yet still be a goal oriented career woman. Impact on so many men and women and families on my team, helping them achieve the dreams they desire for themselves. That is so rewarding to be a part of. And an impact on my community and philanthropy I love. This year is the first year we have been able to set up a giving goal where we can do more than a little $20 in an envelope here and there, but truly give gifts that can make a huge impact on some very important organizations for us.

A business that I at one time thought “just wasn’t me” is now the reason I am able to be exactly who I have always wanted to be… a successful career woman making a big impact on others all while getting to spend the days with my kids and family at my side.

Thank you for being on this journey with me. I’m so blessed to be able to share it with others. So, message me. I’m all ears. I want to know what you want, and if sharing my story and experience and failures and successes can help get you there, I’m all yours!

~Michaela

PS: If you want to hear this in my voice, I made a little video sharing my story too.