A True Inspiration!

I have to warn you ahead of time…this is not a funny story! I'm going to tell you a story that I think will move you as much as I was moved!
This morning I went on an appointment to sign up a visually impaired young woman as a New Avon Representative. I was nervous about going to her house alone so I took Michael. I wasn't nervous about the fact she was blind...I was nervous about the fact that she might really be a serial killer luring me into a trap. (OK...sometimes I'm psycho!)
When we arrived I called her cell number so she could buzz the locked gate to let us into the units. As we waited (by the wrong gate) a little girl came out (probably about 8 years old). She looked at us then went back behind the locked gate on the other side of the building. Michael and I walked over to the gate she had disappeared behind. Soon she came running back out and asked if I was looking for Kristen. I told her I was; so she opened the gate and let us in. The whole way to the apartment, she kept calling out, "Mom...Mom...the lady is here!"
We entered a small apartment that was filled with mouth watering smells! A man was in the kitchen cooking. He had his back to me as I said, "Hi. I’m Rosie with Avon and this is my son Michael." Focusing on his task at hand (cooking a delicious meal) he said "Nice to meet you. I'm Shel", with his back still turned. Michael and I were in the living room and the little girl ran over to move her doll and blanket off the couch so I could sit down. In a few minutes a lovely young lady walked into the room. I went up to her and introduced myself and asked her if she wanted to sit by me on the couch. She sat down and we began talking about Avon. I asked her "What brought you to Avon?" She told me she had sold Mary Kay years ago and done pretty well with it. She had heard the commercials for Avon and felt it was something she should try.
I began my appointment by pulling "the folder" out of her new Avon bag. As I began talking to her I realized I had to change the way I conducted her appointment. Instead of pointing at a picture (like I did with all of you) and saying "This is Sue etc. etc. etc."; I had to conduct her appointment with absolutely no visuals. As I got to the point in the appointment where I talk about your brochure being your store...I realized she had never seen an Avon book before! I opened the brochure and told her what her customers would see on certain pages and some of the specials Avon was running. She would interject a "wow!" every now and then. As I got to the jewelry section, I took her hand and let her feel my necklace as I described it to her. I told her what color the stones were and let her touch my matching earrings. "Wow, they're pretty!" she said. I opened the book to a scented page so she could rub her wrist and smell what her customers would smell. She was really impressed with the brochures.
Shel had finished cleaning the kitchen and came in to sit on the living room floor facing me. He listened as I began to fill out Kristen's contract. When I got to the section for the social security number; I asked Kristen, "Do you feel comfortable telling me your social security number for the contract?" (As you already know, I usually give the contract back to the new rep at that point and let them fill in their own information.)
"Are you sure you're really with Avon?", she asked as she smiled. At that point, I shoved the book towards Shel. "Will you please tell her I'm really Avon. Look...Avon is written everywhere!" Shel smiled but said nothing.
"Shel, she doesn't realize you’re blind too! She was talking to you!" Kristen said. Oh MY God! I could not believe it! Both Kristen and Shel were blind. I had thought when I first walked in that he would be the one to key in her orders on the computer. We talked about ways that we could make accommodations for her to be successful in Avon. She will be calling in her orders by phone. She has a voice recorder that she can talk into to record the information.
Now was the point where I'm supposed to show her what's in her bag. I pulled out a brochure and turned it over. I took her hand and placed it on the bottom right hand side of the book, explaining this was where her name, phone number and date would go. "Selena", I called. The little girl came running out of the bedroom adjusting her hearing aids. “I want to show you where your mom's information will go on the book.” I showed her the bright green delivery schedule and explained to her if she was going to help her Mom date the books to date them one day before the order was due. I showed her where the campaign number was on the front of the book. I then took the contract and showed Selena her mom's account number. "Any time she calls Avon to place an order, she'll need to put this number in."
I took out my cell phone and put it on speaker phone. "I'm going to call Avon so you can hear what it's going to sound like when you call." Kristen, Shel and Selena listened as Avon prompted me for what they needed next.
Kristen seemed a little overwhelmed with all the information I had just shared, but also excited to give Avon a try! I took her hand and guided her to the line on the contract for her to sign. I explained to her where I had put all of her materials and told her about the sales meeting this Thursday.
"Shel, get the recorder and put the address and time in so I can call Handi Van". I gave Shel the information and he entered it into her recorder.
Kristen will be at the sales meeting this week and I can't wait for all of you to meet her! What an inspiration! What an incredible family. Two visually impaired adults and a hearing impaired child who has had to become "grown up" at such an early age.
I know there will be many things that Kristen will need to become successful with Avon. I know we're all willing to do what we can to help her meet her goals.
I came home and ordered a free rubber stamp for her from Vista Print, so Selena will only have to write the date.
There are times where all of us have probably made excuses for why we didn't do so great in a certain campaign. I've done it myself but I also realize that's exactly what they are...excuses. Close your eyes...put your hands over your ears and try to do your business. This is what Kristen will face; but I guarantee you she will do her very best and not make any excuses.
Talk to you soon.
Rosie