Okay friends! We're kicking off a series of interviews because I want you to know the amazing humans with amazing stories who make up our amazing team. ;) Yep, totally amazed by them.
I want to dive into this first one - Sydney Hardin! Sydney and I were actually cheerleaders at rival high schools, but we didn't let the competition get to us too badly because here we are! After seeing a few of my posts about oils, we started chatting and she decided to jump in, even though she had already been using oils from another company ::gasp!::
Today, she is one of my "top leaders" and I have the privilege of also calling her a close friend. I love this woman and her (really, really, ridiculously good looking) family. And she has the craziest, cutest dance parties with her little guys. I just had to share ;)
Without further ado... Meet The Hardins!
Thanks for joining us Sydney!! Let's do this. Tell us about some things that bring you joy?
-My Family-DUH ;) But truly! My two little boys are the best and I love that I get to spend every day with them!
-Along those lines, the amount of time I get to spend with my husband! He has been hard core dedicated to school ever since I met him, and he just recently graduated dental school in july and I FINALLY get him back! :) So much fun!
-My Young living career… jeez this is really all about family again, but I really cherish that I have a career where I get to choose if I have time or not! I don’t have to submit a request for time off for family vacays or anything like that! I can work from wherever and if it comes down to it and my children are just being complete psychopaths, I can check out and care for them.
-Living in Bend, Oregon! We have ALWAYS dreamed of living in Bend, and here we are! Just moved here after Josh graduated, and we are having SO much fun! There are so many sunny days, so many activities, hardly ANY rain, and I’m so excited to experience the snow!!
Tell us about you & Josh, you little lovebirds.
My husband and I grew up in Sandy, Oregon and met in high school. I was a junior, he was a senior. I had always known who he was just from seeing him around school and totally crushing on him, but he didn’t know who I was at all… haha Like I knew where his locker was every year and he… didn’t even know my name! So embarrassing.. Anyways! We had an anatomy class together in 2007 and had seats next to each other! (I was of course freaking out) and after a few study sessions and some Assassins Creed on Xbox, BAM the rest is history! ;)
We have been through lots and lots and LOTS together, but I’ve never felt more in love with him than I do today! We have the cutest little boys together (Emmett 3, and Rory 4 months) and I am so proud of everything Josh has accomplished! If you REALLY want to know someone and test a marriage, go through dental school! haha
How long have you been using Young Living, and why did you get started? What rank are you now?
So I started using *oils* when we lived at Josh’s parents house in 2013. I used a… different brand, but really liked the idea of using essential oils to support our body. I don't like going straight to certain medications and creams! Especially because I had just had our first boy and he had the most sensitive skin in the west! Everything I used on him made him break out.
Then one day, we moved out of their house. I had been using Josh’s mom’s oils and didn’t want to have to borrow them, so I went on the hunt for my very own kit! That’s when I came across one of Kari’s posts about how fantastic Young Living was and was like, “uhhh there are MORE companies out there??” Little did I know, YL had been around the longest out of ALL the companies! I read about their Seed to Seal promise, loved what came in their kit, and loved Kari so I was SOLD! That was in October 2014. I didn't even tell Josh I bought the kit. Shortly after, Kari kind of talked me into giving the business a try. I didn’t think I actually would, but after I started using the oils, I started just blabbing to everyone about them! It was natural! I was also working at a spa at the time doing facials and waxing and started using the oils during those services. People totally digged it, and it just BLEW UP! I was telling them, they were telling their friends, it was a lot of fun! (STILL IS!) Then after that first month, I had made a paycheck of $100 and I showed Josh! So naughty of me not to tell, but he was surprised and it was cool to show him what I did just in my first month!
I am now the rank of Gold and and hustling for PLATINUM by the end of the month! (Kari here: Sydney is being totally humble but I want you to know that the average income of Golds in Young Living is $6,042 per month, and when she hits Platinum so soon, the monthly check is over $14,000. Yes, per month. Check out all the deets HERE.)
So, you are running a rockin’ business. Did you see this coming? What has surprised you the most?
Did I see this coming...NO! NEVER EVER EVER EVVVEEERRR!!! I’m still in shock! This business has been an insane blessing for our family, especially coming out of dental school in more debt than you would evvver believe! I had some very personal things happen about a year ago and it really rocked my commitment I had to my business. I felt so bad for the team I lead that I had to take that step back, but family came first. What surprised me the most was that when I had to take that step back, my check just kept growing and my leaders just kept rocking it! I am so so so proud of my team and am lucky to have them! I love each of them!
What is something you’ve learned about yourself along the way?
I love strategizing with people. I am so excited for them to hit their goal, that I can’t turn my brain off sometimes! I’ve also learned to just be myself. People like you, because you are YOU and that’s what you know how to be.
If you could go back and talk to your pre-oils self, what would you say?
YOU CAN USE OILS FOR EVERYTHING! Don’t limit the possibilities! So many times I have totally spaced that I could have totally used oils for that! That and stay educated on the oils! It’s always fun to answer someone's oily question with the exact oil they might need!
What YL product could you NEVER live without? And what’s one that just makes you really stinkin’ happy?
Ningxia Red! It's an antioxidant beverage full of super fruits and oils that is powerful for keeping us healthy. I have been taking that every single morning and this last month, I forgot to put it on our order and we didn't have it that whooole month! I (STUPIDLY) just thought, “ohh it’s fine! I’ll just get it on my next order,” and we all got strep and now are sick AGAIN with some nose sniffles and coughs! WHHHATTT?? I want to slap myself!
The one that makes me so very happy is Release! But not for me.. Josh is not the best at spilling his feelings. He keeps all his woes in and then SNAPS! So I started diffusing Release when he got home from school and now work when I can just tell he’s in a mood, and I kid you not, every time he starts letting out all this stress he’s been carrying around like i’m some kind of counselor. The funny thing is, he has no clue I did it! :D
When you have time for yourself, what could we find you doing?
Shopping. I love cruising boutiques and finding fun fashions that not many people are wearing. I could spend all day long downtown! Either that or if I’m super lucky, at a spa! Mmmmm… That sounds fantastic right now!
What has been the highlight of your career?
Seeing so many people on my team be successful! Hands down! I honestly didn’t think this was a real job in the beginning, and now seeing people 'under me' do amazing things and reaching all kinds of crazy goals is SO fun to see! It’s always fun to celebrate!!
The Silver retreat (an all-expenses paid trip to Utah to visit the YL lavender farm, headquarters, and to be completely spoiled) was also the most incredible time and a BIG game changer for me! It made me wake up a little more to all the possibilities in this business and just really got me even more excited for the future!
To somebody who is just starting their wellness journey with Young Living, what advice would you give?
Don’t give up if a certain oil doesn’t work at first. Everybody is different and there is always more than one option for anything you want oils for. And don’t be afraid to ask!
To somebody who is inspired and also wants to check out the business side of Young Living, what advice would you give?
Use your oils! Use them for everything! And when you feel like “WOW! Those essential oils seriously worked!” SHARE! Share it from the rooftops! You aren’t making this up and because you had an experience that was personal to YOU, you will be able to tell the world about it in a way that comes across as interesting. Then see what happens! After that, have personal conversations with people that show interest and keep it exciting and fun! Make sure they know you love talking oils and that they can come to you anytime!
For the people that come to me just because they want to give the business a try, I always tell them to first use and fall in love with your oils. People know when you’re in it for the money and it neeeeevvvver works! You have to love essential oils and truly care about other people and their well being. That’s the secret recipe! ;)
Sydney, thank you so much for your time! Where can we connect with and follow you? And for those who are reading this and want to dive into essential oils with you, how should they do it?
You can follow me on Instagram: @sydnihar
My website is www.HardinSeek.com
And to get started with oils, the best way is to grab yourself a Premium Starter Kit (how I got started!). My personal signup link is HERE.
Click the link, choose Wholesale Member so you get your own account and 24% off all future orders. Then choose a Premium Starter Kit with the diffuser of your choice! I recommend the Dewdrop or Home Diffuser to start. Then connect with me so I can plug you into our Facebook groups! I can't wait to get you started!
Kari here: Thank you, Sydney!!! Even after knowing you and living life beside you for the last couple of years, it's still fun to get to know you more. I adore you, friend!