It's Interview Day!!! And this one is from a Silver leader on our team who makes me SO proud.
Oh, Tracy Pilch. What a gem! I met Tracy through Instagram when she grabbed her Starter Kit of oils from me. And WOW, I am so glad she did. This woman is powerful, strong, brave, vulnerable, and so relatable. If I were to give her an award, it would be for "Most Growth" as she will never shy away from growing herself. It's been crazy cool to watch.
Dear World, meet the lovely Tracy Pilch!
What are five things that bring you joy?
My daughter’s laughter. Is there anything sweeter than the full-on belly laugh of your child? It’s pure JOY.
Really good coffee. I know, I know, that’s probably laughable. But there’s something about a really AWESOME cup of coffee, right? It’s an experience! I know you’re laughing, but really - think for a second how you feel with your favorite coffee. Pure joy, am I right?
Photography. Getting lost behind the lense is one of my favorite things to do. The world looks so different when you’re seeing it through the lense! We’re going into winter here which is one of my favorite times to just venture out right after it’s freshly snowed and take photos.
Horseback riding. Anyone who has ever been around horses will tell you that the smell of that barn is therapeutic. It’s such a release from all the worries of the world to just ride a top such a huge, peaceful, gentle animal. Definitely something that brings me so much joy.
Giving. Part of my personality (color personalities if you’re familiar with those) is being generous. I absolutely LOVE giving to people. I get so excited giving little surprise gifts, surprise visits, or offering help. That feeling of receiving gratitude from someone is amazing. Totally a high, and super addicting, giving is..
Tell us about you family!
I’m engaged to my HS sweetheart, Eric, who I have known for almost 15 years.
Together we have our 3 year old daughter, Kacey Jo. She’s a spirited, wild, sweet and loving, sassy little thing and our world revolves around her. She’s an only child for now but we’re hoping to expand our family in the near future!
We have one furchild, a cat named Paisley (lovingly nicknamed Roodle).
My husband is a logger and has been for more than 10 years. He works for a company that practices sustainable forestry. I’m a stay at home mom while working my oil business. I used to be a 911 dispatcher, for more than 8 years, so staying home was an adjustment but it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
How long have you been using Young Living, and why did you get started? What rank are you now?
I’ve been using Young Living for just shy of 2 years. I jumped in to oils out of pure desperation to help Kacey (then a year old) sleep through the night. I was drowning in stress, nervous energy and worry. I had no energy, could not focus, and found little joy in day to day things.
After 3 months of researching essential oils and other companies, I grabbed my Young Living Premium Starter Kit in February 2015, and started building a business with in March 2015. I’m currently a Silver and so close to Gold (I will be Gold by February 2017, just watch me!).
Where do you store your oils?
I have a wall-mounted nail polish rack where the majority of them go. Then I have 2 aroma completes, so one case stores only unopened oils, and the other is my travel case for my team and friends to sniff oils. My goal is to have a bottle of every single oil, and one of every single product that Young Living carries. You could say I’m obsessed ;)
You are running a rockin' business. Did you see this coming? What has surprised you the most?
I never, ever saw this coming. I never thought I would be the type of person to ever have my own business, nevermind run a thriving business. I was an introverted stay at home mom, who was such a hermit. I had no contact with friends, not much of social life, and was not the most outgoing person. That’s probably what has surprised me the most. I have continually pushed myself out of my comfort zone and have grown from it SO much. I feel more confident in public, interacting with people, and being comfortable in my own skin. I’ve met some incredible humans along the way, and created relationships that have changed every aspect of my life.
What is something you've learned about yourself along the way?
I have learned that I am more brave than I thought I could be and that I am deserving of good things. Prior to Young Living and having my daughter, I was in a dark place, headed down a disastrous path. I hated myself, I never would have thought I was deserving of anything good. I’m a completely different person now. The ability to let myself be vulnerable and grow has shocked me.
A bigger lesson I’ve learned is that we are not the season we’re currently in, and we are not our past mistakes. Sometimes all it takes is us forgiving ourselves (truly) and changing our own thinking. Every single person (you reading this included) is worthy of SO MUCH and it’s true that “if you can dream it, you can do it” (thanks, Walt).
If you could go back and talk to your pre-oils self, what would you say?
Oh these questions are making me weepy! I would tell myself to have faith and lean on that faith. I would tell myself that the trajectory of my life was about to change and to hang in there and to believe in myself because I AM capable and worthy of what will be put in front of me. The path that will be quite literally dropped into my lap is one I want to run down, never looking back, and be comfortable knowing it’s the right thing.
What YL product could you NEVER live without? And what's one that just makes you really stinkin' happy?
One YL product I could never live without is Valor essential oil. Which is sad because they’re having such difficulty harvesting it right now. That oil has helped with some paralyzing fears that prevented me from doing many things. And one that makes me really stinking happy is the blend Live Your Passion. I smelled this oil at convention and it just gave me goosebumps. I swear it makes me feel like I can do anything. I wear it as perfume, and diffuse it all the time!
Another one (because I don’t follow the rules all the time) is NingXia Red! This drink has made profound improvements in my energy, ability to focus and overall wellness. In the last 2 years I’ve only been “unwell” once and it lasted a mere 3 days! This drink has more antioxidants than any other on the market. If you’re like me, I used to roll my eyes at the word antioxidant. But, seriously. Do some googling about free radicals (the freddy krueger of molecules) and how important antioxidants are! Plus, it’s delish and my 3 year old loves it.
How much emphasis do you put on yourself to continue learning and growing?
SO MUCH. It’s one of the most important things that I focus on. Every time I’ve gone through something, or come through a situation, or learned something that made me uncomfortable - I have grown and it was so worth it. I am constantly trying to be a sponge with information both with regards to the oils, and to leadership. I am trying to stretch myself out of my comfort zone, and absorb all the talents, skills and information everyone around me has to offer. This journey so far has been filled with learning and growth and it’s my absolute favorite part. Go into this with a student mindset at all points in your journey and you can’t go wrong.
What have you always found to be easy within your business?
Connecting with my people and cheering them on has always come easy to me. I wasn’t always that way - but this business has allowed me to see that part of my personality (the yellow part) and use it to make people feel better about themselves, their situation, and what they’re facing. I love to shower my team with love, help them set goals, pump them up and help them believe that they are amazing and worthy of all of this. I like to be a problem solver and focus on team unity.
What have you found to be hard within your business?
I struggle with feeling as though I am enough for my team. That I lead them with everything they deserve. I strive to provide them with the best tools, systems and help them with their mindset. Some days I feel like I’m doing a good job, and other days I think I’m doing it all wrong. It’s a challenge (the best kind) to learn to be a leader while people are relying on you to lead. This entire process has been an incredible personal growth journey.
When you have time for yourself, what could we find you doing?
You can find me either at the barn riding, or wandering around with my camera taking photos, or huddled up painting, drawing, or doing some hand-lettering or calligraphy. The smell of the barn and riding a horse is so good for the soul. Photography just gives me so much joy. And being cozy and creative (with a coffee and pajamas) is my idea of a good time.
What has been the highlight of your career?
Seeing my people succeed. This team is so important to me and these humans who I love so deeply have changed my life. Every success they see makes my heart just burst. I get so excited as they get close to goals they never thought could be a reality.. And then when they crush them I celebrate more than my own. I just LOVE seeing women take charge of their dreams and the moment they realize their future is about to change is so incredibly fulfilling.
To somebody who is just starting their wellness journey with Young Living, what advice would you give?
Be consistent in your use of the oils and other products. Be self-directed and chase after information like you’re hungry for it. The more you learn the more empowered you will be to make better decisions. Be open minded and always search for a better way, and healthier alternatives.
To somebody who is inspired and also wants to check out the business side of Young Living, what advice would you give?
Just do it. Put your whole heart into it and dive in. Any doubts you have you can figure out later. Be a student of the product and of the journey. Absorb as much information as you can. Let your passion for the oils be your guide and don’t let fear stop you from doing anything! The moment fear creeps in, tell it “thanks, but no thanks” and keep moving forward. Always keep a positive mindset and know that you are deserving of this opportunity that has been placed in front of you.
So now that we all adore Tracy, I want to tell you how to stay connected to her:
FB: Tracy Pilch
Blog: https://thehappylittleoiler.wordpress.com/
To get started with oils and have Tracy as a rockstar leader, head HERE.
Tracy, thank you for sharing yourself with us! You're fantastic.