Building a Thriving Business

Maria Juarez staked out a successful life path, by building a lucrative Avon business one Customer at a time.

María Juárez
When Maria Juarez came to the United States from Mexico in 1965, she was just 16 years old, newly married and didn’t speak English. By the time her fourth child, Raymond, was born seven years later, Maria knew that she had to find work to help with the expenses of her growing family, which eventually numbered six. She heard about Avon and thought that having her own Avon business would give her the income she needed and allow her to be home with her young children. But, at first, her business was slow to take off.

“I didn’t know anyone when I started out, so it was difficult,” admits Maria. Determined to make her business a success, Maria took the advice of her District Sales Manager—who had a lot of faith in her ability to sell Avon products—to use the Avon brochure as a sales tool to attract new Customers. Maria put her name and telephone number on all her brochures, placed them in plastic bags and went door-to-door throughout her neighborhood in Houston, Texas. Gradually, as her English improved, so did her Customer base.

Within seven years of launching her Avon business, Maria achieved President’s Club and quickly made Honor Society. President’s Club trips to New York and Hawaii and a growing income followed. Looking to increase her sales and Customer base, Maria enlisted the aid of Avon helpers, giving them $30 worth of Avon products for each new Customer they brought in.

Today, Maria is an Inner Circle member with sales topping $290,000 a year, and she has a personal Customer base of 125. She stays in constant contact with her stable of helpers, which has grown to 25, some of whom have been with her for over 24 years, and makes sure they always have plenty of brochures and flyers on hand to give to new Customers. To increase her Customer base, she also hosts Open House events every two months, asking Customers to bring friends and family along. During the busy holiday season, Maria orders as many as 40 packs of brochures (10 brochures each pack) to give to both loyal and potential Customers. “Every time I talk to my friends or relatives, I give them a brochure,” says Maria.

And Maria makes sure that the products come to life for Customers by having beauty products, accessories and Avon attire on display whenever they stop by her house to place an order or to pick one up.

One Simple Rule
Maria says she’s able to keep her business growing year after year by adhering to one simple rule: Be a friend to your Customers, listen to what they’re trying to achieve with their skin care products and give them what they need. “You have to take the time to listen to your Customers because it impacts your success,” says Maria. The last 34 years have been proof positive that having one simple rule can pay off in big earnings.

“Having an Avon business has allowed me and my family to have a better life,” says Maria. “One daughter is a Marine and another daughter studied law, but my business has not only paid for my children’s education, it has also paid for the remodeling of my home. Avon is the best thing to happen to me.”