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Home-based businesses offer extra money, perks

Jasmina Meyer/Highlands Today

Lavoria Hunter is an independent consultant for PartyLite and offers in-home decorating shows to create ambience.

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By BILL ROGERS

Highlands Today

Published: September 13, 2009

SEBRING - For someone who says she is not a sales person, Selia Garza has done quite well selling Mary Kay cosmetics.

Garza started working for Mary Kay in 2001 and met her production goal in the first four months working part time. Her reward was earning the use of her first Mary Kay car.

Garza recently took delivery of her second Mary Kay car, a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. Mary Kay covers the lease and insurance, and Garza is responsible for the gas. The car can be driven for personal use.

A loyal Mary Kay customer for years, Garza said she initially was not interested in part-time work for the company because she was not interested in sales, already had a full-time job and has children.

She learned from a Mary Kay consultant that she could receive products and get discounts. After talking with her husband about how much money she had been spending with Mary Kay, Garza decided to go to work for the company.

Garza works full time in the insurance business. She devotes two days a week to Mary Kay.

"I love to meet new people and like women to feel good about themselves from the outside to the inside," she said.

Mary Kay also offers skin care products for men. Garza said the colognes are "very inexpensive."

Garza is apparently among a growing number of people involved in home-based businesses. Some may be having difficulty finding employment, while others are seeking ways to supplement their income.

Home-based businesses have been on the upswing in the last decade, according to Bill McKown, counselor with the Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida. McKown said more than half of the business starts in the United States are home-based.

Due to the emergence of technology, McKown said with a printer, FAX machine, computer and telephone a person can start many businesses in their home.

Lavoria Hunter of Avon Park is an independent consultant for Party Lite Gifts. The company's products include candles, which come in 50 different scents, Hunter said, decorative items and home accessories.

Hunter, who has a full-time job as an accountant with Management Experts Inc., has been associated with Party Lite for about six months. However, she is familiar with the company and has been buying its products for 15 years.

A friend of hers had a party in April and Hunter learned about becoming a consultant there. Hunter said she thought she could handle it and decided to take it on as a challenge.

She puts in five hours a week with Party Lite, working on commission. Her commission is 25 percent of compensable sales.

In addition to being able to supplement her income, Hunter said she has benefited in another way from working for Party Lite. It has helped her become more outgoing.

"It helped me come out of my shell," she said. "I never had sold anything."

Hunter said she loves the company's products and that is important because it is the product that does the selling.

She noted that it doesn't cost anything to start with Party Lite.

Maricela Del Valle of Sebring is one of at least four people who sell Shaklee products locally.

Founded in 1956, Shaklee is a provider of natural nutrition, personal care and environmentally friendly home care products.

Del Valle said her father sold Shaklee products in Philadelphia during the 1970s and "did quite well." She said it is one of the best nutrition companies around.

"When I began my business it was on a very part-time basis," Del Valle said. "Since I started I've increased the amount of time I spend working with it."

She added that it is easy and inexpensive to get started. There is also no need to make space in her home for any inventory since the company ships directly to customers.

Bill Rogers may be reached at 863-386-5825 or wrogers@highlandstoday.com

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