Founded in 2008, doTERRA’S mission has been to share the highest-quality essential oils with the world. The company’s products are sold through independent distributors called Wellness Advocates, using a multi-level marketing model to sell its products. Individuals receive commissions based on their own sales and the sales of others in their organization.
One such individual is Dez Gibbs! Dez is a doTERRA distributor/business owner and health coach who will be honored by doTERRA and IMPACT Magazine at the IMPACT Black Women Experience in Utah May 26-27.
Dez shared some words with us on how she became a business owner and distributor of doTERRA:
I always knew I would be a business owner. I just wasn’t sure what kind of business. All that changed when I became a personal trainer and fell in love with it. After some time working at our local college rec center, I recognized it was time to move one. By then, most of the clientele were professionals and didn’t care for the “Large Gym” atmosphere. I thought, how cool would it be to have a private facility where only personal training clients have access. I told my husband about my dream, thinking maybe it would happen way down the road. But he had other ideas. Just 2 weeks later, he told me he found the perfect building for my personal training boutique, now called The Studio.
Now I had a dilemma. I invest a lot of time into my ministry work and also enjoy traveling. So, I wanted to make sure this business venture wouldn’t tie me down too much. I decided having a partner would alleviate some stress and the workload could be shared. Well, that partnership had the opposite effect. At first things went pretty smoothly. But it became abundantly clear within the first year that this partnership arrangement could not continue. I was torn between the flexibility of having a partner and not fully enjoying my workplace environment. After seeking advice from other successful women in business I decided it was time for us to part ways. There was an adjustment period but things began to flow so much smoother and I was able to hire additional personal trainers.
Then Covid hit. Gyms shut down. Everything shut down. Everything came to a screeching halt.
So we shifted to online training and classes. Of course it wasn’t the same. But it was better than nothing and we learned throughout the process. As things began to open back up the clients came back slowly, then faster and faster.
I think the pandemic created a change in people. Many realized that this was their chance to take time for themselves and truly get healthy. And not just what I call “surface” healthy. Deep down, true health, inside and out. I had begun my dōTERRA business just 6 months or so before covid and was still learning the basics when everything changed. But that time period helped me realize even more than I did before, our health should be a priority.
We never know when our health can be taken from us. Whether it is a personal illness we deal with, a global pandemic or anything else we can imagine. We have to be as prepared as possible and one way to be prepared is to take the best care of our bodies now. That is why I’m passionate about helping people feel their best.
Another side of my business is about a crazy random illness I had just a year after getting married. In short, I woke up one morning and made breakfast and throughout the next few hours it became increasingly difficult to walk. Started with tingling in my feet, then progressed through my whole body until I could barely step out of the shower. I went to the hospital by wheelchair, was admitted, and they ran test after test with no answers. At this point I couldn’t even walk down the hallway.
When I was released they still had no answers, but because I could shuffle down the hallway with a walker they expected me to continue to improve and hopefully whatever this was never happened again. I was devastated. I had just ran 6 miles the day before and was already in school to become a personal trainer. How was I going to do that when I couldn’t even walk?! After 3 months of physical therapy I was finally able to run close to my old pace. Although I still have some residual issues like neuropathy, I have not had any recurrences.
When I think back on the whole experience, the only thing I had done differently right before this happened was some deep cleaning and spray painting in our basement. I even took all the precautions, mask, open windows, take breaks, etc. But apparently that toxic overload was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Before this, I knew I wanted people to become healthier. But with this illness my desire deepened. And I was more determined than ever to TRULY help people become healthy inside and out. Fast forward into me owning The Studio and I was finally introduced to DoTERRA and natural wellness solutions. I knew this was the missing piece to helping people feel empowered to live their healthiest lives.We never know when our health can be taken from us. Whether it is a personal illness we deal with, a global pandemic or anything else we can imagine. We have to be as prepared as possible and one way to be prepared is to take the best care of our bodies now. That is why I’m passionate about helping people feel their best.
IMPACT Magazine is excited to be partnering with doTERRA to honor Dez! To attend this amazing weekend, purchase your tickets from www.theimpactmagazine.com.
