WANT TO
BECOME A BETTER LEADER ?
“ Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence .”
— SHERYL SANDBERG , COO of Facebook
Leading an international team is never easy . You can ’ t be everywhere at once ! Although , Natalie Aston , international trainer at FarmHouse Fresh , makes it look like a piece of cake .
After running her own spa out of her home in Texas , Aston knew she wanted more . She went to the Arlington Spa Show with a stack of resumes only to fall in love with the team and mission at FarmHouse Fresh . “ Unbeknownst to me , I handed my resume to the owner [ Shannon McLinden ] and said briefly , ‘ I love and use your products , so I just wanted to give you my resume to see if you need any help on a part-time basis for conventions .’ I took 10 resumes with me and came home with nine . I only saw happiness with FarmHouse Fresh .” That happiness came to fruition as she was hired to work conventions for the skincare company part-time . She enjoyed that role for almost a year until she was offered a full-time position creating the
NATALIE ASTON , International Trainer , FarmHouse Fresh , McKinney , Texas
FarmHouse Fresh training program .
“ I am beyond elated , as to what has happened with my career in the last six years ,” says Aston . “ We now have a flourishing training program with stellar people who not only love their jobs , but are also a voice within the program .”
Listening to the opinions of her team is a huge component of her leadership philosophy . “ When my team tells me they passionately love what they do , are thankful for their position , see longevity with our company and enjoy having me as their leader , to me that is my biggest accomplishment so far .”
Aston has found that preparation and research allow her to be taken seriously as a leader , despite her young age . “ I arrive fully prepared , very organized and having done my research ,” she notes . “ Through stories of experience I can relate to the groups of people and be a credible , trustworthy partner .”
As a trainer , Aston comes across a lot of young people who feel unhappy in their chosen career . The training program she developed helps her team feel more prepared for anything that might come up , but she notes that sometimes it won ’ t work out , and that ’ s OK . “ I think a lot of young people initially take a job for the salary or commission , but find that they are not happy on a daily basis . Make sure you are truly passionate about what you do .”
WANT TO
BECOME A BETTER LEADER ?
B . Williams Enterprise , LLC . will host its next BW Leadership Academy on May 4-5 in Phoenix , Arizona . During the two-day event , participants will be given access to the Gallup StrengthsFinder online assessment and will complete a customized leadership action plan . A certified leadership coach will also work with each participant before and after the Academy . For more on how to take part of this event , visit bwleadershipacademy . com .
40 PULSE ■ March / April 2017