Lindsay Williams /// Capable of Anything

To wake up every morning and feel fulfilled, head to a job that is both enjoyable and rewarding, return home to a loving and supportive family, and still have time to pursue one’s passions—many of us would describe this as ideal. Separately, each of these situations are often difficult to achieve, and simultaneously, even harder to maintain. Lindsay Williams found herself struggling to strike a healthy balance between working hard at a job she loved and that was exhausting her at the same time. Feeling like superwoman for far too long, she finally decided to remove her “cape” and take a step back. After making the financial sacrifice necessary to come home and put her family first, she wondered if it was possible to accomplish both personal and professional fulfillment. When she was presented with a business opportunity that provided just that, she knew she’d finally found a way to do it all, and her “can-do” attitude motivated her to jump in and work toward making her dreams come true.

Hoping for a change

Lindsay began nursing school while pregnant with her first child, and although she spent much of that time juggling a newborn, a heavy course load, and clinicals, she still managed to graduate on time. From there, she accepted a job as a Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse (R.N.) at a hospital in downtown Chicago. Her commute to work was lengthy, and she was working the night shift. While she loved her job and the feeling she got each time she helped bring a new life into the world or handled an emergency with professionalism and care, the schedule was extremely hard on her body, as well as mentally and emotionally taxing and difficult for her family. Not long after the birth of her second son, it became clear to her that she needed to make a change. “My husband would come home at 5 p.m. We’d have dinner, and he’d take over watching the kids so I could head to work—we barely saw each other. I was exhausted, and I hated leaving my two little boys at home each night. It broke my heart not to be able to tuck them in. It was not the quality of life we had hoped for.”

After five years of working nights, Lindsay just couldn’t do it anymore. Constantly drained, she began to feel that she was unable to give her all as a mother, wife, or nurse. In 2012, Lindsay left her job at the hospital and began looking for something with more flexibility. “I wanted full control of my life and to have the energy to give 100 percent to everything I was doing. I wanted to take my kids to the park, have spontaneous picnic lunches, and make homemade Play-Doh at the drop of the hat. I wanted to create memories with my kids while I still had the chance.”

In the meantime, Lindsay started a small daycare service out of her home, but found that having so many small children to care for was almost as exhausting as the night shift. A few months later, a friend from church reached out to her and shared the Rodan + Fields®business opportunity. “I got it immediately and knew this was the answer I had been looking for.”

Establishing objectives

With no business experience, Lindsay was hesitant, but she was even more worried that if she didn’t jump at the opportunity, she would regret it down the line. She enrolled as an Independent Consultant in February of 2013 and resolved to no longer need the income from her childcare business by June. “My husband was so supportive of my decision to leave nursing and continued to be throughout my entire career shift—I wanted to make him proud, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.”

Lindsay started working her business around her schedule, and after two months of working part-time hours, she earned a free iPad through a past R+F incentive program. Being acknowledged and rewarded for reaching a milestone in her business inspired her to push even harder. Five months into her business, Lindsay reached Level V, and by June—right on schedule with her goal—she no longer needed the daycare income and began working her R+F business exclusively. A month later, still working 10 to 15 hours a week, she matched her previous part-time RN salary, and currently, as an Elite Lexus Achiever, her income is triple what she used to make. “Earning a substantial income from home while soaking up every minute with my kids made me realize that this opportunity was bigger and grander than I ever imagined!”

Working with intent

Lindsay is amazed at how drastically her life has changed over the past two years. When she first started, her family had just donated to a fund they felt passionate about, trusting that, in their giving, they would be provided for. “We went from financially sacrificing to having the means to be more generous than we ever thought possible. Our hearts are filled knowing that we can honestly make a true difference in this world, thanks to the financial freedom this business has provided. For that, I am beyond grateful.” Not only can she donate more freely, but Lindsay and her husband are now able to take their kids to the movies or go on a vacation without stressing. “It’s so nice to be able to enjoy each other’s company and do things as a family, creating memories together.”

This past February, Lindsay and her family moved to Las Vegas for her husband’s job and are in the process of building their dream home. Rather than being apprehensive about the transition, Lindsay was excited to meet new people and explore a new area. Because her business fits so organically into her life and comes up naturally in conversations, it has been easy for her to adapt to her new surroundings and expand her network. “I like to get to know someone and establish a trust before sharing my business, so I know whether I have something to offer them in a way that is truly beneficial. But I always want to share because, while I can never say, ‘Yes’ for someone, I also don’t want to say, ‘No’ for them by not presenting them with the opportunity.”

Sharing ambition

As a nurse, Lindsay never had to take on a leadership role beyond providing direct one-on-one care to her patients, but her business has pushed her to develop coaching skills and has encouraged her to be a stronger leader. “I didn’t know I had that in me, but I really do like that aspect of my business. I love that I get to lead and celebrate my team as I watch how this business is melting the stress away for their families. I want to help them succeed, and my goals are now to lift up my teammates and watch each person’s ‘why’ become a reality.”

Lindsay’s business has also inspired her to build up the confidence of others and to encourage them to believe in themselves. “R+F has given us everything we need to make this opportunity a life-changing career, if we are only brave enough to take the leap. We can all hold a completely different future in our hands—all we have to do is say, ‘Yes!’ and believe that we can be successful.”