Mel Whittle /// Making Room for the Things That Matter

Mel Whittle has always found it essential to prioritize her responsibilities and passions. Growing up, her parents did everything they could to ensure a better life for their family. After moving to the United States from India, they worked hard to provide the best they could, and encouraged Mel to do the same. Although they couldn’t afford to send her to pharmacy school, that didn’t stop Mel from paying her own tuition and earning her Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

For the last 13 years, Mel has worked as a pharmacist, now currently in a leadership role that oversees 22 pharmacies. She enjoys her work and loves being able to help people, but her schedule is demanding and often requires her to work 50 to 60 hours a week. “It is challenging to balance a full-time job, being a mother, and everything else. Especially after my first child was born, I noticed I’d fallen into a routine of just going to work and coming home—day in and day out. I needed something for myself.”

In 2010, Mel’s friend introduced her to the Rodan + Fields® business opportunity. “Initially, I wanted to say no because I wasn’t interested in sales and I didn’t think I had enough time to add anything else to my schedule, but there were a few things that stood out to me. I recognized the ingredients in the products and could see that it was just the right formulation and order to really make a change. That was very exciting to me.” Mel also liked that everything could be done on her own time. “I was impressed by the Doctors’ presence and their involvement with the Company. I saw a low-cost opportunity that I didn’t want to miss out on.” Mel decided not to overthink it and, in December of 2010, she enrolled as an Independent Consultant.

A new recipe

Familiar with the brand and confident in the products’ ingredients, Mel was excited to start her business even before she’d tried a Regimen. Having suffered from cystic acne for much of her life, she knew how one’s self-esteem could be affected by problematic skin and a skincare product that truly worked could have a huge impact on someone’s life. She is passionate about using her business to help others improve their skin and regain confidence in themselves. “My reason for going into pharmacy was to help people, and that desire coincides with the Doctors’ vision. By sharing this opportunity, we’re empowering a larger network of people to change their skin and their lives. I love that I get to incorporate the aspect of pharmacy that I’m drawn to into my business.”

Mel’s business has also given her a way to face her fear of public speaking. “I still get nervous about it, but the more I do it at Business Presentation Events, and push myself to get out of my comfort zone and overcome my fears, the easier it gets. But, that was only possible when I felt comfortable in my own skin again.”

Add to taste

At first, Mel focused mostly on sharing the products because that was within her comfort level as a pharmacist. But, two years ago, she decided to challenge herself and started sharing the business opportunity with more of her network. Her business began to grow even more as she continued to build her team. “I’d been thinking of it as a side gig, but as I started to look at it in a different light, I saw the potential for what my business could do for us financially, and realized that it could provide us with security in the event that my husband or I ever lost our jobs. I started to see that my business was my vehicle to pay off my student loans, and save for my children’s education as well. I knew that, despite other obligations, R+F was a priority I wanted to make time for because I knew it had the potential to relieve some of that financial stress.”

In July of 2013, working her business 5 to 10 hours a week around her full-time job, Mel achieved Level V Executive Consultant and earned her Lexus from the Road to RFX Car Program that following November. Currently, working part-time hours, Mel’s R+F income exceeds her pharmacy salary. “Now that I realize what this opportunity can provide, I enjoy helping others see past their initial reservations, so they can be open to something they may have held preconceived notions about. I love encouraging them to look at it differently—perhaps as a catalyst to change their lives.”

The perfect plateful

Mel’s business has also become a positive outlet for her to add some variety to the daily routine she’d fallen into. She’s gained a network of supportive people and is proud of the collaborative team environment she’s created. “It’s a community that cheers one another on and everyone celebrates each other’s achievements. When you have like-minded people around you to pour into and feed off of, you can tap into that positive team energy and it inspires you to go distances you didn’t think you could—that’s when you see success. The camaraderie we share makes it feel more like a family.” Mel’s Upline has also been a significant source of encouragement along the way, always believing in Mel’s potential, even when Mel didn’t see that in herself. “Her belief in me encouraged me to stretch beyond what I thought was possible—I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support.”

Working her business around such a busy schedule has shown Mel that if you really want something, you can always figure out how to fit it into your life. “I know that if I work hard, everything will happen how it’s supposed to. You are never too busy for something you’re passionate about, and if you have a strong ‘why,’ you’re even more motivated to make it work. I’m inspired to push through any obstacle that comes up because I want to show my kids that I can juggle family, a full-time job and run my business—and, despite a full plate, I can be successful at it all.”