By: C. Michelle Bryant, as told by Allison Salmon
When she walks in the room you notice her. Not because she is a tall woman but because she radiates confidence. Allison Salmon is an executive director for Nerium International, an antiaging company with breakthrough patented products for brain and skin health. It is also one of the fastest-growing companies in America and is the third-fastest company in US history to hit one billion in cumulative sales. When asked to sum herself up in a few words, Allison said, “I am a focused wife, mother and entrepreneur that leads a passionate and abundant life helping others find success.” But as I spoke with Allison I discovered she is much more.
Allison explained how her best friend introduced her to Nerium at a bachelorette party in 2014, offered her a sample and encouraged her to look at the company’s business model. Uninterested and skeptical, Allison accepted the sample anyway since it was from a friend. She was not attracted to any MLM or direct-marketing networks due to unsuccessful ventures from herself and others with various companies in the past. However, intrigued by the product itself she became, as she calls it, “a Facebook stalker” and observed her friend and others from their social media interactions. Eventually Allison came to realize these individuals were not just making gas money but were becoming huge successes, and about a year later she decided to take control of her skin and treat herself to Nerium’s skincare line. Her friend reiterated that she should take a look at the business itself as well.
Although not living paycheck to paycheck, the Air Force wife living solely on her husband’s income knew there was seldom additional money for extras like vacations and fun stuff, and Allison began to feel that perhaps this outlet could provide that for her family.
At that point in her life Allison felt she led a very negative lifestyle and was, in general, an unhealthy person—in health and attitude. At this dark point of financial debt, with stress in her marriage, and the devastating betrayal of someone very close to her, Allison realized she was tired and angry and did not know how to pull herself out.
Still skeptical, Allison delved into the company and found the data on Nerium intriguing, researched the science behind the company and did her own exploration on the product ingredients and the CEO Jeff Olson. She learned how he has contributed to the success of others and is dubbed as “the millionaire maker.” Allison decided then that, worse case, she had the skincare line and knew that it worked. It is for that reason that she will tell anyone she truly believes a Greater Power placed the culture and the people of Nerium in the lives of herself and her family, as it was a mere three years ago, this month, that Allison took steps to allow herself to be coachable and get out of her own way to making things happen in her life.
After only seven months with the company, Allison earned her company-paid Lexus, a benefit that requires her to help 12 other people find success in the business. To date, she has qualified for multiple five-star trips to places like a private, five-day, all-expense-paid cruise to the Bahamas, and she is going to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in October. Unlike most companies, Nerium’s trip qualifications are not allocated only for top earners but are based on consistency to the business over a 12-month time period.
Sharing the business comes easy for Allison. When sharing her business with others, Allison says, “I run into people all the time that are living the life I was.” She says this scenario allows her to have sympathy and empathy, but she can also be a vessel and an example. “If I’m not walking the walk myself, how can I expect that of them? I don’t want to be a life coach. I want to help people make themselves better.”
Although she hasn’t always felt this way, Allison now believes in focusing on personal development and becoming a better version of herself. In fact, that passion is reiterated in the Nerium mission statement: Make people better.
Only 10 months into becoming a part-time Nerium representative, Allison found out that she was in heart failure. She was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. “At that time, I didn’t know what my life expectancy was,” Allison said. “I did not know if I would ever be able to walk to the end of my street again, let alone work. I was terrified! I turned that fear into passion and knew I had the key to changing everything using Nerium as the vehicle. I didn’t care if people told me no or that they were not interested. I knew what this opportunity could do, and I was going to make sure that my family was taken care of even if I wasn’t here to do it. I needed to make sure that their future was secure with the limited time I had.” At that point, Allison made the decision to go full force and full time into Nerium, and that attitude has transferred into her two daughters and husband, as they contribute and sacrifice every day for the joy and excitement of the upcoming. They know that Mom may be busy today making contacts and working hard, but when she qualifies for a vacation to Mexico, her husband gets to go also. It makes doing dishes today and helping with laundry a small price to pay for a ticket to take a couple’s trip to Mexico or someplace else exciting.
In addition to having a team of about 100 all over the world and in various time zones like Japan and Hong Kong, Allison manages time to wear her mom hat, wife hat and even allocates daily time for her personal development. She is determined to not make things set in stone and to allow for flexibility in her life. Her typical weekday begins at 5:30 in the morning when she takes the dog out, gets the kids up, gets them ready and is out the door and to their school by 6:45. It is then that Allison will return home to reheat her cold cup of coffee and take about 15 minutes for the personal development time that she sets aside for herself by reading or listening to something inspirational, and that includes about five minutes with her, as she calls it, “in the scroll hole” catching up on social media.
By 8 a.m. Allison is making phone calls, answering emails with her team, in addition to laundry, dishes, picking things up around the house and so forth. If possible, Allison prefers to not add the stress of the morning commute to her day, and so by 9 a.m. she is showered and dressed and ready to venture into the world to begin meetings, appointments and networking. She typically schedules her appointments in 90-minute increments to allow for flexibility. Any breaks or extra time she will follow up with clients, phone calls, upcoming appointments and so forth. Allison dedicates her day to being purposeful and intentional and allows time for that. She dotes on Mel Robbins’ “five-seconds rule” Five, four, three, two, one, go! No time to talk yourself out of anything or second-guess yourself. Just leap!
By 2 in the afternoon Allison puts back on her mom hat and picks up her children from school and helps with homework from about 2 to 4 p.m. Once homework is completed the battle of “I don’t want to do my chores” begins. After chores are done the children play and have their own personal free time. Of course, while the children are occupied Allison takes advantage of some extra time and distant time zones and makes more phone calls until her husband, an Air Force aircraft mechanic, comes home from work around 4. It is then that Allison takes her “me time.” She said, “I do absolutely nothing! I zone out in front of the TV, take a nap, soak in a tub, read, whatever I want. I give myself half an hour to an hour just for me.”
Most days, about 5 p.m., Allison puts on her taxi driver hat and takes her children to their various activities. Of course, it is during those activities that Allison is able to make more phone calls, follow up, make deliveries and pick up samples. Three nights a week her Nerium team has events, and she supports them in some manner even if she is unable to attend. While Allison is away with the kids, her husband makes dinner, walks the dog and enjoys a quiet house. Once home the family has dinner together. They’re sometimes gathered around the ottoman watching a movie, but they’re always together. Once finished and dishes are done it is “showers and get ready for bedtime for the kids.” With the children, usually in bed by 8:30 or 9, this allows Allison and her husband their daily couple time to communicate and connect. It is when her husband goes to bed about 10 p.m. that Allison will post what she calls her “purposeful posts” on Facebook and is ready for bed herself by 11 where she will grab a book and end the day on a relaxing note.
In addition to the various hats Allison wears with grace and style, she also manages to volunteer at her children’s school, is involved with a spouses group on base, is a Live Happy Happiness Ambassador and volunteers on the Air Force base. She has also helped with Girl Scouts, has been involved on the school board and taught Sunday school. After hearing that list, I was overwhelmed just writing it, but Allison told us that she had to learn the power of the word “no” and that she doesn’t have to do it all. “I learned that I can still be involved without being in charge and the world won’t fall apart,” she said. Personally, I think we can all take note of that. As we wrapped up, Allison told us that she tries to stay in peace and gratitude and that whatever she has she is abundant with it. “I’m not in business just looking to make money,” she said. “I’m looking to change lives and help others find a purpose-driven life. I don’t want to see anyone as competition. I see brilliant people and I view them as inspiration.”
In closing, Allison told us, “I will do today what others won’t so I can have tomorrow what others don’t.” As you can tell, Allison is justly outstanding in her field. She truly is a focused wife, mother and entrepreneur who leads a passionate and abundant life helping others find success. But as you have discovered now, she is so much more.
For more information you can call Allison’s direct line at 321-626-9266 or visit her website http://www.asalmon.nerium.com