VIEW FROM THE TOP
Southern Living at Home!
Reprinted with permission of Women's Edition, Inc. ©Copyright 2003

If there are three things most women enjoy, it's shopping, entertaining and spending time with friends. All three are satisfying on their own, but when you put them all together at once, the combi-nation is just about perfect.

That is exactly what Tammy Degenhart, an independent consultant for Southern Living at Home, is started by giving you a launch party, which is where you gain your first party bookings by having your friends offer to hostess a party.

"You tend to average one or two additional parties from every party you have," she said, which is how you build your business. Another perk is that as a consultant you can earn points towards trips. Tammy has already gone on one trip to St. Thomas in just three months and has earned a second trip that she is taking with her entire family.

Even if you've never been involved in sales, Tammy said not to worry because the company provides the training. "It's a great way for stay-at-home moms to work out of the house, or even for professional women who want greater control over their careers. It's not high pressure, and you get wonderful rewards. The ground floor has so many opportunities," she said.

If you don't feel you're ready to make the commitment as a consultant, there are many benefits to being a hostess for a party. Tammy said she treats her parties as a true "ladies night out" and encourages a hostess to invite her friends and family. "It's not a typical party," she said. "I only talk for 15 minutes, and then reserve the rest of the evening for the guests to talk, look at the products and the catalog and just socialize."

The hostess can earn $150-$250 in free products, which is a nice perk. Tammy also does bridal showers where the bride can register for Southern Living at Home products, and said fund raisers are another popular avenue.

Tammy said what really makes Southern Living at Home so successful are the products themselves. She said 65% of all the products are $25 or less. The catalog features a line of wrought iron items, an exclusive line of Gail Pittman pottery, 100% aluminum bake ware by Doughmakers, soybean candles, other accessories and the Southern Living ® and Cooking Light ® cookbooks. The catalog comes out twice a year, in January and July, and you can order Southern Living ® magazine through the catalog as well. "Once you see the quality of the products you can see why they're so popular," Tammy added.

Some of Tammy's favorite items include the Dress-Me-Up series, which are accent pieces such as a plate, mirror or wastepaper basket that have spaces where you can weave colored ribbon through them. "They are so creative and fun, and I've found it's a great way to get kids involved in decorating," Tammy said.

There is also a series of cookbooks for kids that make cooking with your children fun and practical. "Because the name is Southern Living people might think it's very southern oriented, but the products really do fit anyone's décor," she added.

Whether you're interested in pursuing a new career, having a night to spend with your closest friends, or just shopping for some new decorative ideas, Southern Living at Home has something to offer everyone. "If you had told me three years ago I would be doing this, I wouldn't have believed you. But it's wonderful and something I think a lot of people would enjoy," Tammy said.

If you'd like a catalog, information on hosting a party or about becoming a consultant, call Tammy at 877-733-SLAH or visit www.southernlivingathome.com/tammyd.

Southern Living at Home is a two-year- old company financially backed by AOL Time/Warner, and affiliated with the publisher of Southern Living ® , Sunset ® and Cooking Light ® magazines. According to Tammy, the idea for a party planning company began as a result of readers of Southern Living ® magazine asking about the home décor products featured each month in the publication.

Tammy entered the business seven months ago when a friend of hers invited her to a Southern Living at Home party. As a stay-at-home mom, Tammy thought becoming a consultant would be a good way to earn extra income and meet new people. "I had worked in direct sales before, but was never much of a party person," she said. "But this was unlike any party planning company I was familiar with, and the people associated with it were amazing."

After Tammy's first few parties she found her business taking off, and soon became a director. She now has over 100 people in her group. Tammy's success is an indication of how the company as a whole has been progressing. She said Southern Living at Home projected earnings of $1 million in its first year. "The company actually sold $27 million in its first year and over $100 million in its second year," she said. "We're actually considered the fastest growing party planning company in America."

It's this ground-floor opportunity and potential for growth that Tammy said is so exciting about being a consultant with Southern Living at Home. "This is a true ground-floor opportunity with a solid company behind it." She added, "It's exciting seeing what people can accomplish, watching people grow and the feeling of pride that goes along with that."

Tammy said Southern Living at Home has something to offer everyone, whether you're a consultant, a hostess or just interested in the products. Tammy is always looking for new consultants, in Colorado and in other states. About half her team is in California, and she'd like to expand to other states.

To become a consultant, there is a small investment, $199, which includes $600 worth of products and office supplies. Tammy said you make 25% on all sales and up to 8% in royalties, and the company provides the training. Additionally, you get a 40% discount on products and up to 80% off retired items from old catalogs. She said there are no quotas or requirements for the number of parties you must have as a consultant. "You can do as many or as few parties a month as you want," Tammy said. "Some people do just one party a month, others do three a week. The average retail sales from a party is $500. That's a nice opportunity to make some extra money each month."

By Kathy S. Rygg
Tammy Degenhart - independent consultant
30 JUNE 2003/WOMEN'S EDITION