Jen Griswold /// RFx Circle + Lexus Achiever

Jen Griswold is a mother, a wife, and a friend to many. She is equally a woman who gave up her own very successful career to be with her children, and to accommodate the hectic nature of her husband’s job as a military pilot.

Jen met her husband while attending the Air Force Academy. He became a pilot and she went on to become an Aircraft Maintenance Officer, which meant that, like him, she was often deployed. When the couple decided to have children it made sense for Jen to join the reserves and stay at home, at least for a while.  After three years, she began to look for part-time work. She was unable to find suitable work for part-time hours and decided to go into business for herself as an interior designer. Her business was a success, but it ended for her when the call of duty sent her family to a new location, and Jen prepared to start all over once again.

Fortunately, a friend introduced her to Rodan + Fields. Jen was immediately impressed by the business model, but not so taken with the idea of selling skincare products. It seemed like a big stretch, especially since skincare wasn’t something she would typically think about.  What she really wanted to do with her life was to help other military spouses. She just wasn’t sure how to go about it. Then one day, she had an epiphany.

“After a few sleepless nights, it came to me that I could combine my work with Rodan + Fields and my dream of helping military spouses, and that I could help people through this business. I like to call it my Jerry Maguire moment,” she laughs.

That realization is what lit a fire underneath her, as Jen describes it. She decided at that moment that she would give half her earnings to a nonprofit micro loan organization, and asked them to earmark her money for loans that go to military spouses. And that is only the beginning of her story. Over two years later, she continues to give generously every month to a cause she believes in. “The desire to help these people has always been in the forefront of my mind,” she says. “And I know it’s the reason I have succeeded in my business.”

Jen’s passion to help military spouses achieve success and her desire to educate people about their lives comes from experience. She knows very well how hard it is to move every three years and to struggle to find work.

“So many of these women are educated people who have given up their careers. And they don’t always want to move around all the time, but they do, and they do it without complaining. It’s a big sacrifice, and I feel like the least we can do is help them a little.”

At Rodan + Fields, Jen’s spirit of generosity has been contagious. Her team, which she calls team GIVE (Genuine Inspired Vibrant Entrepreneurs) all give in some way, whether it be money or their time, and it is the overarching drive behind the team’s success.

Jen’s main focus is teaching women leadership and entrepreneurial skills. The sense of empowerment that comes with owning your own business is something she feels very strongly about sharing. Confident that there are many women out there who have it in them to do this, she encourages those who feel intimidated by being their own boss.  And she freely admits that when she got into this business, she didn’t always know what she was doing herself.

“This is going to sound funny,” she confides, “but I’m a terrible salesperson. I don’t like pushing things on people. But I realized that in this business, I’m not just selling things, I’m sharing an opportunity.” And even though Jen didn’t know much about direct sales, she went with what she did know, until piece by piece she built not only her own confidence, but the confidence of those around her. Today, Jen has reinvented life for herself and her family. She embraces the change that has come with working with women, where there is a spirit of collaboration. She loves that the people she works with now are always helping each other, and nurturing each other’s growth. In a society where the business world can be cruel, Jen has created a business based on support and sharing. Further, she has built a group of people who can be proud of their achievements, in whatever measure they choose. When asked how she measures her own success, her answer came easily.

“Watching leaders grow. The more people I empower and the more leaders I build – that’s how I measure my success.”