Hi, my name is Joanne, and my story starts a few years ago when I became completely disillusioned and frustrated with the corporate world, despite having quite a successful job in industrial software, I decided life was too short, too short to do things you don’t really enjoy, I didn’t feel like I had purpose. I just got completely fed up with it. Now, for decades, my passion had been wildlife and photography, specifically African wildlife. So, I took the plunge, I left the business world, and I spent my life savings, stupidly, on a one year training course to become a safari guide in Africa, and I had the time of my life, it was incredible, I made so many friends, I didn’t want it to end, but I knew that my savings would run out, the rainy season would come, camp would close. I’d be forced to come back to the U.K., and I’d be forced to get a job again. So, I was gutted, I was living my dream and I just didn’t want it to end. So, I coured the internet and I looked for all kinds of things, and all of them required you to do a lot of work, a lot of effort, they required time or money or all sort of things that for six months of the year I wouldn’t have. I would be in Africa.
And then, I stumbled across Sophie’s video. Something about the way she spoke, her utter belief that anyone can do it, her enthusiasm was infectious. What can I say? It just felt right. So, I arranged an initial call, and I got started on the training modules that very same week, and within four months, I think it was four months, three or four months, I had my first private label up and selling in America. I had never even sold anything on eBay. I knew nothing about e-commerce. It was daunting, I’m not gonna lie. It was exhilarating, but it was such a buzz. And I’m now coming up to my one year anniversary of that very first call. I’ve got six products launched and five ideas on the way. Low enough volume that I don’t feel overwhelmed, but high enough volume that I am paying the bills, and it’s making sufficient profit to do whatever I want to do. More importantly, I don’t have to go back to the rat race. I don’t have to get another job, which is fantastic. I work for myself, sometimes I work in my pj’s, and for four months in the year I work from a luxury safari lodge in Africa, because all I need is wifi. So, I could not be happier. I feel totally free, and I can’t find a single reason not to continue following Sophie’s advice. She’s unlike all other Amazon sellers I’ve seen. She’s no nonsense, she’s determined, she’s honest, and I love that about her. And I’m so glad I made the leap before it’s too late. The thought of being back in the rat race and working all hours for fixed pay for someone else just makes me cringe.