We've Come a Long Way, Baby!

The Fourth of July is approaching faster than a speeding bullet. With that at hand, I couldn't help but think about the amount we've accomplished since kicking off this year's tour.

 

We have been on a mission from sea to shining sea - literally. Somewhere along that beaten path, I was thinking about how blessed we have been to meet such amazing people along the way. The amount of encuoragement and support we receive from city to city has been overwhelming. Our message of optimal health has been well received by thousands. Reflecting back on those who have shared their personal story and health struggles with me is simply inspiring.

 

Beyond the marvelous people, each city we visit has its own charm and unique vibe. Our last two events wrapped up our stay in California in a spectacular way. First, it was off to San Francisco for the San Jose Earthquakes pregame event. Immediately, within a blink of an eye, we made our return to Los Angeles for the LA Sol's pregame event. A whirlwind of excited IBOs and consumer swarmed both the ARTISTRY and NUTRILITE Mobile Brand Experiences. The day was complimented by games and "goody bag" treats. The events were full of smiles and belly laughs. We always have a good time no matter where we go! 

 

All work and no play is NOT behind the mission of optimal health. Thus, for the sake of proper balance, the team hit the steep streets of San Francisco, where Freshman's Wharf was the first stop of the day. We chowed down on some of the freshest seafood around! I had the best clam chowder in the world there. While dining, we checked out the sea lions that spend their days lounging around, soaking up the sun on Pier 39. They would bob in and out of the crashing waves along the bay, making barking noises and posing for pictures. That seems to be the life for the lazy sea lions. They knew they were charming, too! They captured a piece of my heart without a struggle.

 

After the team peeled me away from my newly-found marine friends, the crew hit up the double-decker bus in true tourist style. We explored the town from top to bottom. From Chinatown to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, we experienced it all! It was chilly and windy on top of the bus. The sights were breathtaking and made my temporary numbness seem worthwhile. I now knew that Frank Sinatra had it right all along!

 

Currently, we are headed to the "Sleepless" city of Seattle. Another Rock 'n' Roll Marathon awaits us there. As for this very moment, I am ready for a much-needed nap (sleepless, I will not be!). Spreading the word about NUTRILITE is an endless mission - so I better be well rested. Seattle, LOOK OUT! We're on our way!

 

- Heather

  

From California to Oregon, from elite athletes to weekend warriors. We've seen it all these past few weeks!

On May 31st, 2009, runners hit the streets of Balboa Park in San Diego. Be very aware that the Nutrilite MoBE team was there to leave our mark! This wildly popular event has had approximately 20,000 runners participate each year. The Rock'n'Roll Marathon in San Diego was amazing from the registration to the finish line.
 
This incredibly fun and challenging event surely makes a mess of traffic downtown. The race started at 6:30 am in Balboa Park. While most of us were just brewing our daily coffee, others were lining up to run a marathon. Loads of people turned out, despite starting at the crack of dawn. Visitors and spectators watched as elite athletes, weekend warriors, family and friends took part in the swarm of festivities that graced the day. The runners gave it their all! Blood, sweat and tears of joy were just a glimpse of the efforts that were put forth for the day. The Nutrilite MoBE was there at the finish line welcoming all those who braved the full 26.2 miles. Our iced foot baths were once again a major hit! Runners were delighted to have the chance to take a load off and ice their aching feet.
 
The team's bags were packed and we once again hit the pavement running. Before I knew it, we were on our way to our next destination. This time Eugene, Oregon (A.K.A. TrackTown, USA), which became our home away from home. On June 7th, historic Hayward Field hosted the the Nike Prefontaine Classic. The Prefontaine Classic is known as one of the nation's premiere track & field meets. Thirty-four (yes, 34!) 2008 Olympic medalists entered in this Track & Field event! That goes to show you how elite this event truly is. These athletes are the fastest of the fast and the best of the best! Since Nutrilite is the best of the best, we just had to be there too!
 
The 2008 world No. 1 and Olympic bronze medalist Sanya Richards was there to win and be the Nutrilite MoBE's featured guest. She was such a gracious and warm person to each and every fan that lined up and waited patiently to have their chance to meet her at our mobile experience. It was just as exciting to watch her during the event as it was to meet her in person. Nutrilite sure is keeping her healthy and on top of her game. Check out the pictures for yourself!
 
As always keep watching closely for our updated blogs. Chad and I are working hard on spreading the Optimal Health Word!

Sanya signing autographs at the Nike Prefontaine Classic.

The crowd in TrackTown, USA, and below, a shot of Nutrilite's presence there:

  

Did you miss me?

Dear Opportunity Zone readers,

You probably wonder where did I go! Don’t worry; I am still here, traveling the country, spreading the news about the world’s best-kept secret—Artistry!!! Sometimes I experience writers block, and sometimes my computer does not want to cooperate, so I have not been posting any blogs in a while! I hope you missed me, and I have a few entrees from my journal to share with you!

April13, 2009.

As I am writing this we are on our way to Tennessee from Richmond, Virginia. We are about 142 miles away from Nashville, and even though the scenery is magnificent, we cannot wait to get to Nashville for the Health and Fitness Expo.

Nashville is the Music City, and people call me Miss Luba there, so how can we not like it? However, I am getting ahead of myself. First, I am going to tell y’all about our adventures in the last few weeks of March. Here they go in the chronological order:

We were everywhere! In March we were in Miami, Florida for ROCK Fashion Week, in Ohio, for bus maintenance, in Nashville, Tennessee, and Richmond, Virginia for the Southern Women’s Shows. In the middle of all that we went home to be with our families and friends for the Easter Holiday. It was nice to be home and see friends and family, get haircuts (me mentioning my hair, again! Imagine that!), and share all of our adventures on the road with anyone who was willing to listen!

By now you probably have read the blogs about ROCK Fashion Week in Miami. I am going to share my personal impressions with you. All I can say is that it was an event filled with excitement, beautiful people and sunshine! ROCK Fashion Week, at the Fontainebleau resort,  consisted of a four-day event that celebrated the fusion of fashion and music into one event, and Artistry was the official makeup of the fashion week! I went to my first fashion show, and saw a celebrity in real life! But all that glitz could not compare with me doing makeup for a group of regular women. The women, who I am writing about, are involved with Easter Seals. I cannot tell you how pleased I was to highlight the individual beauty of every one of them! A few of the ladies never wore makeup! After I applied Artistry Essentials makeup, and talked them through the application process, they could not wait to go home and order the kits ! They loved it all; Mobil SPA, the hand treatments with our deliciously smelling Crème Caramel Hand Crème, the makeup, and our new Tinted Moisturizer with SPF15.

I am in love with our Tinted Moisturizer! Not only it helps to hydrate and make my skin look more even, but it also protects it from the sun with the SPF of 15! I call it a lazy day foundation, and without it my coworkers would run and hide away from me, when I get on the bus at 5 o’clock in the morning on our travel days! I think  Tinted Moisturizer could bring Peace on Earth. If not alone, together with lip gloss for sure!!

After Miami we went to Ohio, where we had a WiFi system installed on the bus. If I did not get so sleepy, while riding the bus, I am pretty sure I could find the end of the Internet! Instead I take a lot of naps!

Nashville met us with warm spring weather, and blooming trees. My spring  this year was the longest and the most beautiful spring I have ever experienced. We traveled through many states, and were able to see the nature transforming itself after the winter. Anywhere we looked we saw  new leaves on the trees and the most delicately colored first blooms.

In the Music City, Heather Smith from Nutrilite and I, had our 10 minutes of fame! We made an appearance on the local news! It was taped live! We were on for about 5 minutes each, but it felt like hours in TV time! We were nervous, but exited to spread the news about the  participation of Nutrilite and Artistry in the Southern Women’s show.

First weekend of May, 2009.

At the Southern Women’s Show in Novi, MI,  SPA on wheels got a first place for the best beauty and cosmetics display at the show!!! We have a blue ribbon to prove it! It is displayed proudly on the bus, where people can see it.  Leave it to Artistry to be the best!

Second weekend of May 2009.

Nutrilite and Artistry participated in Cinco De Mayo festival in Denver, Co.  It was the busiest event so far. We had almost a thousand people come through in only two days! In our spare time we went up to see the mountains. It was amazing to see snow and people skiing only an hour away from Down Town Denver!

May 20th through the 24th we were in Grand Rapids for the 50th Anniversary of Amway. It was a great party with fireworks, IBOs from all over the world, and even a private performance by Sting himself! It was really cool to see Amway’s logos all over Grand Rapids. I must admit that for me the main attraction of that all was my own house! It was nice to be home and wake up in my own bed for a few days, cook my own meals, and go to work like most people do –driving my car! It’s all about little things in life that make a huge difference! There is nothing like being a couch potato on your own couch, if you know what I mean!!! 

Beginning of June 2009.

June started out for us with the Rock n Roll Marathon in San Diego, CA. We participated in the Health And Fitness expo, and we were parked right by the end of the race on the race day. We were trying to ease the discomfort of the participants of the marathon by passing out ice-cold towels and providing refreshing sprays with our Hydrating Toner. The biggest success was the small sample tubes of lip shine that we were passing out to women. It is amazing what lip-gloss can do for a girl! The runners were extremely tired; some of them were limping and were leaning on their friends for support.. Never less they got a huge smile on their faces when they got the samples of the lip shine! And that’s, ladies and gentlemen, is a power of makeup at work!!!

Our trip is going well. We are enjoying this journey and we are learning to adapt to the life on the road.  Sometimes I feel like I am on a long camping trip. I am a city girl, and do not do the whole out in the nature in a tent type of camping. It is not my thing. I just don’t camp, so this is my type of camping! Another thing that I don’t do is eat at the fast food restaurants.  On this trip I became quite fond of salads from Wendy’s. I get a baked potato and a salad, and I am a happy camper! I will tell you a little secret: I bring my own extra virgin olive oil for my baked potato! That helps me to keep my girly figure on the road. Our driver, Jeff, also known as Mr. Jefferson, is keeping his girly figure up by riding his newly purchased trikke. I cannot explain to you what it is, but you can check it out at trikke.com for yourself. It is a cool piece of exercise equipment.

We are heading to San Francisco, CA. I am exited to see that city, and check it on my map of places that I have been to. I promise to keep in touch soon.

Always yours,
Luba Samrick.

 

  

Three Cities in Three Days: And Other Exciting MoBE Tales

Hi! This is Chad back again in the blogging seat. 

I have the pleasure to report on a weekend of events that took place in sunny California.  The whole MoBE crew was excited to hit the warm weather and enjoy some sun for once.  Mother Nature finally gave us a break and blessed us with some awesome weather for the weekend. I think she was testing us for the first few months, the cold and rain seemed to be following us everywhere we went.

Our first event took place on Friday night at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. The Home Depot Center is the home of the L.A. Sol (Amway Global-sponsored women’s professional soccer team), the L.A. Galaxy, tennis, track and field, and several athlete training facilities. It’s an amazing facility, but if you ask our GPS system, you can also find a Home Depot hardware store there as well. (Not the first wild goose chase our GPS has sent us on, and I’m sure not the last!) 

Our first event was an IBO Open House that brought a few hundred through the experience on a beautiful Friday night. Flashes were popping all night long as the excited IBO’s couldn’t get enough of our beautiful trailer. Heather and I are beginning to feel like rock stars lately as we are getting our picture taken several times each event. We’ll have to start doing Google alerts on ourselves to see where in cyber space these pictures are ending up.

On Saturday night, one of the events I have been waiting for took place, the Adidas Track Classic. Being a former track athlete myself, I was excited that Nutrilite is a sponsor of such a high profile event. Our name was plastered all around the track, featured on the big screen, and dispersed throughout the crowd with Nutrilite noise makers. Our presence was also felt around the country as friends and family flooded our Blackberries with texts about how they can see us next to our MoBE on ESPN. (Sorry mom, I couldn’t wave to you like you wanted; I didn’t know when the cameras were on me.)

The event brought IBO’s, track and field fans, and several of the professional track and field athletes through our trailer. It was a good mix of people who were all interested in what Nutrilite had to offer. To top off an awesome event, our Nutrilite athletes Jenn and Sanya stopped by to sign autographs.  This was a great experience for all those who got to spend time with them.       
 
To show all of you how dedicated our Nutrilite MoBE team is, we packed up after the Adidas Classic and drove all night to San Francisco for the ING Bay to Breakers 12k. Although we had not slept, we were fueled by the energy of this exciting and crazy event. We were positioned at the after party site where the 62,000 runners got together to drink, listen to music, and show off some of their costumes. We had a lot of runners enjoying our energy bars, sports drinks, and of course our free massages. 

This ended our exciting 3 different events in 3 days schedule. Til next time!

  

Grounded in Optimal Health in the Mile High City

The Nutrilite MoBE crew traveled to Denver, Colorado for the famous Cinco de Mayo festival.  The 22nd-annual celebration in the “mile high” city hosted the larger than life cultural unity. The traditional Mexican food, artwork, crafts and music brought huge crowds to Civic Central Park.  In fact, this festival boasts the largest Cinco de Mayo festival in the United States.  We were ecstatic to be a part of it!

 Cinco de Mayo celebrates the tradition of freedom and acknowledges the beauty of Latino culture. The weekend festivities were full of with food, fun, culture and the optimal health message.  More than 300,000 people attended this event. Anyone who strolled through Civic Center Park couldn’t miss our exhibit.  (Success!)

As the crowds flooded our booth, they were blown away by the Nutrilite MoBE exhibit. They stood in awe as they listened to how much work, dedication and passion goes into each and every product.  Whether it was in Spanish or English, the message was heard by thousands! 

The Nutrilite MoBE crew is dedicated in our mission to be part of the Optimal Health Revolution.  As we travel coast-to-coast, we are changing lives for the better (one person at a time).  Looking back, I can’t believe how many people we’ve reached already.  The best part is that this is only the beginning! 

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to visit us.  You’re the reason why we’re on the road!  Make sure you stay tuned to see what the latest adventures bring our way next week! 

Inside the Nutrilite MoBe in Denver.

Denver has the nation's largest park system - which we think makes it a great city to practice the tenets of Optimal Health in!

 

The view from the road. Gorgeous!

  

A family affair

The Nutrilite MoBE headed to Novi, Michigan this past week. The International Women's Expo brought us North to the great mitten state.  This expo drew large crowds of highly excited IBOs and consumers alike.  I mustn't forget to mention that our sister brand, Artistry, was there to only enhance the enthusiasm in the air.


Check out these happy customers on the Nutrilite kiosk!

To add to the excitement of the hustle and bustle, Gabrielle Reece made her second scheduled appearance on our tour.  Upon her arrival, Gabby created a stir of consumers to start lining up by the dozens!   She gracefully shared tips on keeping families healthy and fit as our featured speaker at the event.  In addition, Reece also signed copies of a book she co-wrote about her life as a pro-athlete entitled Big Girl in the Middle.  It was a treat to have her there with us!


Gabby hanging with a few of our Nutrilite crew!

Even though Gabby was the guest of honor, per se, we were host to some other consumers that are very dear to my heart.  Two of those important guests were my parents.  Since the tour swung close enough to South Bend, my hometown, my parents and some other close friends of mine made a special road trip to Novi. They wanted to see the reason why I have been "MIA."

My parents have been always been my number one fan. Especially, since I've hit the road with the MoBE team. They have faithfully been following our blogs and facebook posts from the' git-go.'  They have been my own personal cheerleaders encouraging the whole team along the way.  I call them regularly to update them on our latest adventures during our travels.  Just as they are faithfully following the tour, I am always updating them with numerous pictures of ‘sights to be seen' while I am on the road.

Nutrilite has become a ‘family affair' at the Smith household. They are loyally devoted not only the team, but to Nutrilite products!  My Dad, being a fan of Double X, now has enough energy to keep up with his active lifestyle. Mom relies on the Ocean Essentials to get her Omega-3s (since they are critical for good heart and brain health).  I always knew that Nutrilite has something for everyone.  With such a diversified line of health products, there is simply something to fit anybody's taste. What I didn't know is how practicing healthy lifestyle habits could bring a family closer together.  

It is such a wonderful thing to grow up and appreciate your parents for everything they've done for you.  I wouldn't be where I am at today without their unconditional love and support. I was honored to have them witness the Nutrilite experience firsthand.  Their eyes lit up while smiles of amazement shed a warm glow. The MoBE brought the product to life for them, just as it does for everyone.  I couldn't have been happier.

  

A big yee-haw from Nashville!

Yee-haw!  I'm pleased you heard our past update from my partner in crime, Chad. He truly is a riot! It's Heather this time around.  I'm happy to be back in on the ‘blogging' action. The Nutrilite MoBE crew is back to knock your socks off with the latest update on our travels and latest adventures.

We truly experienced the "deep south" at its finest. Cowboy boots, spurs, down home southern cooking and fiddles are all things that keep this city's heart beating. I can't even begin to describe the top notch southern hospitality that welcomed the MoBE crew to Nashville this past weekend. The Country Music Marathon was hosted in the city that rocks country music around the clock.  Lucky for us, we were part of this awesome experience.    

As we moseyed on over to Tennessee we never would have imagined we would be the center stage entertainment at the health and fitness expo!  Thousands (no kidding) past through our Nutrilite Mobile Experience as runners completed their race registration.  We really were the talk of the town.  Our sports drink helped the consumers wash down their energy bars for sampling. Once the word was spread about how amazing our booth was, the lines were endless. The trailer and our products were a home run! Yippee!

Two special consumers walked through that I'd like to mention. Have you heard of the show The Biggest Loser? Anyone who knows me we tell you I'm not one for watching too much television. However, being in the fitness world I have come to fall in love, well fall addicted to watching this show.  The show takes regular individuals who are struggling with their weight and waistlines and whips them into shape through brutal workouts and various fitness challenges. Trainer Jillian Michael's black team had a combined weight of 755 pounds at the start of the show. Blaine and Dane are very close cousins and friends who get their kicks from poking fun at one another.  I had the pleasure of welcoming them to our MoBE experience and introducing them to Nutrilite and our products.

As I listened to them talk about their experience on The Biggest Loser, I was blown away by their optimism and new appreciation for living a life that includes a commitment to a lifestyle of fitness. They were in Nashville preparing to run in the Country Music Marathon. (Did you hear me?!  M*A*R*A*T*H*O*N) While only a few short months ago they would never have dreamed they'd be here getting ready for such a challenge.  All I can say is.... Wow.  Very few things can leave me speechless. This was one of them.

Being active not only helps one look good on the outside. Being active and involved with fitness also changes your outlook on life. When you workout you start to feel good about yourself. You start to realize that you can accomplish goals you set for yourself.  It can be done. Look at Dane and Blaine.  Leave the excuses behind and start living the life you were intended to live. If they can do it, so can you.   

Blaine and Dane are the exact reason why I wanted to be in the fitness industry in the first place.  I want to inspire others to live a life of optimal health. I want to be part of a transformation for people like Dane and Blaine.  I want to see them start enjoying life again. I want to see them be healthy role models for those around them. I want them to never settle for anything but the best of themselves.  I want them to push forward and keep raising the bar and to keep setting goals.  I want them to know that the sky's the limit. Simply put, they inspire me to continue pushing the message of optimal heath with Nutrilite. 


Look! It's me with Blaine and Dane from the Biggest Loser!

 
Check out this picture from race day -- nice truck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

The Atlanta ING Marathon - Cold Outside, but the Nutrilite MoBE was Hot!

Hi! This is Chad, blogging to you from our third installment of the Nutrilite Mobile Brand Experience.

I am excited to let you know about the adventures we are having on the road spreading the word about the benefits of Nutrilite. You may notice over the next few months as you read our blogs that I tend to come across as the decaffeinated version of Heather.  I do my best to keep up, but she is young, spunky and never at a loss for words (I still think she is slamming cans of XS and handfuls of Rhodiola 110 when no one is looking).
   
Our travels this week brought us South to Atlanta. The MoBE crew was excited to move south and enjoy a week in the warmer weather of “Hot-lanta." Apparently when Michiganders travel south they bring the weather with them, because it was more like “Wet-lanta” or “Cold-lanta." It rained for four days straight in an area where they have been having a serious drought for the past 6 months. I guess the state of Georgia can thank us for bringing the rain and raising their water table another few inches.

The heavy rains didn’t keep the runners away from the health and fitness expo at the Georgia Dome. With over 15,000 registered runners coming in out of the rain to the expo, we saw a weekend of record visitors coming through our trailer and learning about optimal health. We were blown away Saturday as almost 3,000 visitors made their way through our booth learning about Nutrilite and sampling our products.  

The interest was so great that Saturday’s attendance alone rivaled that of the entire event in Virginia Beach. I think that is the most people I have talked to in one day in my life!  Heather and I both were excited to introduce so many new people to the amazing products of Nutrilite.  

In last week’s blog, Heather talked about one of the amazing people we met at the Shamrock Marathon who loves running and Nutrilite. He and his wife showed up in Atlanta, bringing pictures of his race in last week’s marathon to share with us. It was so amazing to meet someone that passionate about life. I have a feeling he will pop up at a few more of our marathons this year. I also had the pleasure of sitting down and talking to an elite runner from Kenya about the benefits of Nutrilite. He was intrigued by the fact that other elite athletes use our product to enhance their performance and wanted to know which route to go to experience some of the same benefits. He has goals of becoming a world champion and was using this race as a training race before he heads back to Kenya. He and his friend ended up blowing the field away, finishing first and second in their race!  

I have a feeling that once he starts using Nutrilite, I will be hearing a lot more from him over the next year.
 
As race day came early Sunday morning, the rain finally stopped to make way for the cold wind. It was great running weather for a marathon, but as soon as they finished, runners wanted nothing to do with the outside. As the brutally cold wind hit their sweaty bodies, they headed for the nearest warm building they could find. It made for a slower day for us, but also let some local IBOs be able to spend more time talking to us in our trailer. They were super excited about us being there spreading the word about Nutrilite and optimal health.

I'll be posting some pictures from Atlanta in the next day or two.

So, after two marathons, our travels will bring the MoBE Crew to two consecutive Southern Women’s Shows next.  We look forward to meeting new groups of consumers and IBOs that are excited to have the Nutrilite Mobile Experience come to town!

 

Race Day in Centennial Park. 

 

IBOs Kurt and Allison Kraft of Atlanta who said, "We are thrilled to have the MoBE here to support IBOs in this area.

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Shamrockers and the Nutrilite Spirit

The Nutrilite MoBE crew hit the road towards the Atlantic coast this past week.  

The sandy shore of Virginia Beach was the site of the annual Yuengling Shamrock Marathon. While we were busy setting up for the Expo, the hotels were welcoming more than 22,000 runners (AKA: Shamrockers) that travel from all parts of the country to attend the festivities.  

These athletes are not your ordinary group marathoners. Not only do these runners have legs made of solid steel, but have stomachs that could rival those of competitive eaters. Why would I make such an odd analogy? This is the only event I’ve witnessed that welcomes their finishers (of an astonishing 26.2 miles) with a party tent that greets the runners with unlimited beer, a live rock band, and Irish-themed buffet right on the beach!

Chad and I got a kick out of the runners who were decked out in St. Patrick’s Day-themed outfits. Flourescent green wigs, top hats lined with shamrocks, green tutus, and plaid kilts were all part of the ‘shamrocker attire.’  Dogs didn’t have to miss out on the action either. Case in point, there was an adorable fawn greyhound that was decked out in a sparkling green hat and matching bowtie. If you know one thing about me, it would be my love for animals, who by the way, need the benefits of phytonutrients too!

The first day of the Expo, we were thrilled to meet a gentleman who is an avid marathoner who swears by his DOUBLE X supplements. He pulled his DOUBLE X supplement case out of his bag and told us this is what fuels him to cross the finish line.  He and his wife are retired and traveled down from Canada to attend this event. His enthusiasm for the Nutrilite brand was contagious to say the least! This man had such a welcoming spirit about him. He was the kind of person who would be the life of any party he attended. We soon learned that he always has to carry his camera with him during every race he attends. He stops and takes pictures with anyone who is willing to strike a pose. He was more than eager to take a picture with Chad and myself to add to his collection. Can you say vogue?

Though he might not finish first in any race due to his distraction of wanting to help others struggling during the race or his habitual picture taking; he is just as inspiring. His philosophy is built upon enjoying the moments of race day, rather than trimming minutes off his personal best time crossing the finish line. He kept repeating his motto “the only thing that matters is that you finish the race.”

His wife told us that she is at every event cheering him on; no matter how long he takes to cross the finish line.

From time-to-time, I think we all get so wrapped up in getting to the destination of wherever where headed in life, that we forget to appreciate the journey that is ultimately responsible for getting us there in the first place. I promised myself as we travel coast-to-coast, that I will make a conscious effort to enjoy the small stuff all along the way. I am grateful for the subtle reminder to truly enjoy the moment. Even though he unknowingly left me with such a simple message, it was a message that hit home.

Race day was wild and inspiring. The live music was rocking the party tent as people were giving their best shot at dancing the afternoon away. The mood was uplifting as the crowds of people were cheering on the runners nearing the finish line. It was such a refreshing site to see so many people who were actively participating in a fitness and health conscious related event. It gives me hope that America is recognizing the need to change our unhealthy lifestyle habits. The Nutrilite MoBE, at its heart, is all about promoting healthy change through optimal nutrition along with healthy lifestyle habits. I think we’re off to an awesome start!

MoBE Ambassador Chad Grabill posing with Silvia Thomson, an IBO from Virginia Beach, VA. "Everyone should come experience the MoBE! I am very excited Nutrilite is promoting brand awareness. The MoBE brings the brand to life!" - a quote from Silvia when asked if she would like to share her comments about the MoBE experience.

IBO Joe Johnston out of Suffolk, VA. "If you're showing, you must be growing!" Quote form Joe Johnston when asked about the MoBE experience and the XS Energy Drink expo booth at the convention.



Me, posing with the Geico Gecko®, enjoying part of the festivities of race day. Hey, isn't it funny that the gecko is Nutrilite® green. I bet he is taking his Double X!

  

The Nutrilite MoBE is Back on the Road!

The kick off to the Nutrilite Mobile Brand Experience 2009 tour has begun! The beautiful countryside of Knoxville, TN, was the site for the Woman Today Expo this past weekend. The highly anticipated debut of the new and improved Nutrilite Truck brought along the addition of two new brand ambassadors. Chad Grabill and I, Heather Smith, are going to be fulfilling the role of previous Brand Ambassador Bob Tully. Though we clearly understand we have big shoes to fill, Chad and I are more than ready for the challenge!

From the moment the doors swung open on that chilly Friday morning, we were flooded with consumers and IBOs alike. Anyone who attended the expo couldn’t miss our enormous and rather eye catching display.  Our mobile version of the Center for Optimal Health was the talk of the crowds. Consumers were eager to pass through the Nutrilite Experience to learn about the brand, while most IBOs stood in awe of the majestic piece of art.

Our story was brought to life by one particular woman who passed through our Nutrilite green doors. When she walked through our grand entrance, she was greeted by the life size murals of our four featured organic farms. One couldn’t help but notice her eyes light up like a Christmas tree. Her smile expanded ear to ear as memories of her childhood went spinning through her head. She could hardly contain her excitement as she went on to explain that her father had worked with Carl (Yes, the renowned Carl Rehnborg who created Nutrilite) at the Lakeview Farm when she was a child. She simply gushed as she told me of the countless memories she had. She went on to tell me of the various visits she made to the farm. She further elaborated that she was always amazed by rolling alfalfa fields that graced the hillside of the Lakeview Farm during her early years.

As we watched the video on Dr. Sam Rehnborg, we both stood in amazement at the youth and vibrancy he displays due to his daily commitment of consuming Nutrilite products throughout his life. She too, grew up taking Nutrilite products as a youngster and learned the benefits of healthy lifestyle habits at a young age. Since she and Dr. Sam Rehnborg are close in age, we joked around about how she probably was out playing on the farm with him as a child. I could tell that the Nutrilite MoBE experience had really moved her.  Isn’t this what the whole Nutrilite Experience is all about?

Chad and I feel extremely lucky to have this opportunity to travel coast-to-coast and share our excitement about the Nutrilite brand. We are dedicated to showing consumers and IBOs alike the power behind the Optimal Health philosophy. We will encourage every person we meet, one-by-one, to listen to our story of why Nutrilite is and will continue to be the world’s leading vitamin, mineral, and dietary supplement brand in the global market.  

Change is happening, and without a doubt, we are creating a stir. Ready or not America, the Nutilite MoBE tour is up and running. Follow us on our mission to promote Optimal Health with Nutrilite. Make sure you keep checking back here for updates as we continue on our Optimal Health Revolution. We promise that it will be a wild ride!


Crowds that were eagerly awaiting for Gabby Reece's book signing and Nutrilite MoBE tour!

Gabby posing next to her photo that graces the Nutrilite MoBE. 

  

On the road again!

Hello again! After having a nice break, I am finally going back to being a roadie, a rock star esthetician, a blogger, and last but not least, an Artistry product ambassador. I am exited about meeting new people and spreading the word about Artistry. I am going to keep a blog, like I did during the Tina tour. If you have read any of our previous blogs, you know that Bob Tully, from Nutrilite, was the Tolstoy of our team, and I was just a girl blogging about her hair. Well, I am still that girl! I am in the beauty industry after all! I will miss Bob's deep and profound blogs.

Up to this point we have 2 events under our belts. The first one was Carnaval on the Mile in Miami, Florida on March 7th and 8th. We were positioned right in the middle of all of the fun activities. On our left there was a gyro stand. On our right was the stage with performances of different musicians (some were louder than others!) Behind, was a stand with fried Elephant ears (not the real ears because that would be cruel!). I am not going to lie to you and say it was a relaxing weekend in sunny Florida. The first day we worked from 4.00AM to midnight! It was a ton fun. Second day we worked from 9AM to 9PM. We were tired, but happy. Our fearless leader Cody had his wallet stolen. I almost lost my cell phone. Jeff, our driver, did not have anything interesting happen to him. Over all we felt like we were learning how to swim by being thrown in to the water. We made it!!! We are now great swimmers!

Our second event was in Knoxville, TN. It was the Women Today expo. We did not lose anything there! Well, I almost lost my cell phone again, but it was found and brought back to me by a nice gentleman who was selling "bling" for cell phones at the expo. He told me I was way too cute to have an ugly phone. Now I have a complex about my phone and for a first time in my life considering getting some "bling" for it! If I get it, it will be pink!

Overall we had a great show! We were a legend there! People from all corners of the convention floor were coming by to see us, because of the rumors of The Cool Bus! We had a line out the door, and had almost 700 people step a foot on board of Artistry-mobile. Most people have never heard of us, but there were quiet a few women who used to sell Artistry, and seeing us made them want to get back in to it!

People are very polite in the South. I am already polite, so I tried to fit in even more by saying y'all, but I do not think I was able to. If I am originally from Russia, and live in Michigan, am I considered a Yankee? How does it work?

We are on the way to Ohio, where we will have some things fixed on the bus, and from there we will be back on the road before we know it!

Goodbye for now y'all!

Miss Luba

P.S. I was called Miss Luba in Knoxville, and I kind of like it!

  

A bittersweet goodbye

On December 10, 2008 we had our last show in Montreal, Canada. Even though the weather was not all that great, we had a good turn out. People were exited to see us. Because I do not speak French, I switched roles with Nathalie O. She was the host for Canada, and I got to do makeup!!! I LOVE makeup! To do it I did not need to speak French, in fact I did not need to speak it all, because we all spoke the international language of pretty! The reason why I LOVE makeup is mostly because of its instant gratification. Not only for the people whose faces I have touched, but also for me! What can be better then seeing someone’s happy smile and sparkly eyes when they first check themselves in a mirror! There not that many good things in life that can provide that, but makeup is one of them. I do believe that everyone should wear a little bit of makeup, just because it makes them look better and feel better. When it comes to makeup I do not believe in rules, I do believe in the application techniques. If a blue eye shadow makes a woman happy, she should wear it. Properly applied it will look fabulous!
 
That last day was a bittersweet one for everyone. We were all exited to go home, but we were sad that our little adventure came to an end. After spending so much time with each other we became a little family.
 
It has been five days since I came back home. Every morning when I wake up I am still a bit surprised to see my own bedroom! It is good to be home, although I do miss Duke, John, Cody and Bob. I miss meeting IBOs and talking to them. I miss room service and the housekeeping too. I miss being driven places. In two months I almost forgot how to drive! The only thing I do not miss is packing and unpacking. Not bad for a two month away from home!
 
Last, but not least I wanted to thank everyone for making this trip a success.
 
Always yours,
L.S.
  

Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Thank Yous!

Wow. It's done.

I'm sitting here in the Detroit airport, waiting for my flight to Grand Rapids. We did our last venue on the MoBE tour last night in Montreal.

In a way, it feels like it was just yesterday that we opened the Experience in Kansas City on Oct. 1st . It also feels like an eternity. We've literally circled the U.S. and taken a short jaunt into Canada. (and experienced the beauty of Montreal AND the graciousness and hospitality of Amway Canada; thank you so much Faith and Natalie).
 
We have experienced generator malfunctions at midnight in Chicago; 12 hour bus rides; every roadside fast food imaginable; not only forgetting your room key, but  your room number, your hotel, and in some cases, what city you're currently in. We have sweltered in San Jose and Los Angeles, and shivered in Minneapolis and Montreal.

We have taken a new project on the road and been the first to try to make it to the end of the street with the training wheels off. In some cases we have the scraped knees (and elbows, etc.) to prove it.

So as I get ready for a break, and Christmas with my family in Cincinnati (Go Bengals! Oh , never mind....), I'd like to take a moment to say thank you, to:

- Steve, Gary, Tom, Bill and Joe  (various bosses o' mine) for the opportunity. I appreciate it more than you know.
- To my fellow travelers: Duke, Cody, Luba, Lee and John. We spent almost 24/7 around each other for  the last 3 months. You usually get to choose that kind of company. I couldn't have picked a better group.

But most of all, I have to thank the people who made this tour mean something. To all of the Independent Business Owners who I met, talked to or shared information with, a HUGE Thank You. You are the people who are responsible for there even being an Amway Global, a Nutrilite or a Mobile Tour. You gave me incredible input on what the Mobile Brand Experience means to you and how it affects your impression of the Company. You gave us great input on what resonated with you, and how we can best use the MoBE moving forward.
 
It's been a great year to be a part of the business. Between the National Commercials, the National Spotlight Tour and the Mobile Experience, just to name a few of the 2008 events, Amway Global has taken great steps towards raising Brand awareness. I am excited to be a part of it. I'm excited to get back to the Nutrilite Center for Optimal Health and working towards our goals of informing, inspiring and motivating IBO's as well as engaging consumers.
 
But, for now, once again,

My Sincere Thanks,
Bob Tully
  

The Canadian Arctic

After a long and tiresome trip we made it across the border. The whole trip was about 12 hours. About 4 hours of that was spent trying to cross the border. Customs is scary; no matter where you deal with them, but in 14 degrees Fahrenheit, in the middle of 'Canadian nowhere' they are even scarier! We got to the border around 4PM. It was snowing, and was very cold outside. All this time we were quite lucky weather wise, so it was a shock for us. We knew it was going to be cold; we were just trying to deny it for as long as we could.
 
 
Back to customs, though. On the way to Canada we stopped for lunch at McDonald’s, where I had a small salad and an apple pie. I never in my life had a burger from McDonald’s, and I was trying to keep it that way. I am not a burger snob and I am not that health conscious. I just did not grow up in the US, so burgers at McDonald’s do not do it for me. French fries are a different story! Anyway, the reason I am sharing my gastronomic tastes in fast food with you is because at the border, we were very hungry. My supply of rice cakes and peanut butter was gone somewhere before we crossed the border, so we were down to nothing. We did think about melting snow for water and Bob suggested killing a bird and roasting it over the engine, but we decided to see how long we could tolerate each other while being hungry. I was a bit nervous being on the bus with four hungry men, but it did go better then I had expected. At some point, while being inside the passport control building, we almost had a chance of getting some food. There were two vending machines; one with ice cream(!), yes ice cream, in the middle of the Canadian Tundra they had ice cream, just in case someone was not cold enough! The other one, the one that was further away, did have other choices. We were so glad to see food! I can not tell you how disappointed we all were when we realized that our American dollars were no good! In case we did not get the point, there was a picture of a dollar bill crossed by a big red line! We could see food, but we could not get it! So we sat and we sat, and we waited and waited. Finally we did go through! We could not wait to get to our hotel and order room service! To our disappointment, when we finally made it to the hotel, the front desk staff told us that the hotel workers were on strike! That meant that there was no food! The hotel happened to be, once again, in the middle of nowhere. After considering our options we all decided to move closer to downtown, to a different hotel. Thanks to the modern technology we were able to find a hotel while driving towards downtown. At last we were close to civilization and food!
 
 
Like a lot of good things in life, our journey is almost over. It was a great adventure! Tomorrow is our last event, after which we will go home! After being gone for two month it will be great to get home. My plans, once I get there, are to burn my clothes and go to a SPA for a day. The reason why I want to burn my clothes is because I can not look at them anymore; I have been wearing the same black things for two months. I love black! I love having just a suitcase of clothes, so there is never a question of what to wear! However enough is enough! Together with my things I would like to burn Cody’s blue sweatshirt, Bob’s olive Nutrilite sweater, and Duke’s shoes. The reason for Cody’s and Bob’s things is that I have seen them wear those items way too many times. So many, in fact, that I am afraid I will not recognize them in something else. Duke’s shoes are a different story. I think he only brought one pair of shoes on this trip, so I would like to do him a favor and burn them, so they do not stink up his house when he gets back home and takes them off! I do not think I need to explain to you all why I want to go to a SPA.
  

My first time in the back of a police car

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while -- we have been wrapping up the tour and having tons of fun! After our trip to DC we went to New Jersey. The view out of my hotel room made me question why New Jersey is called the "Garden State."  All I could see was the expressway and the Continental Airline concourse. We were very close to the airport -- out in the middle of nowhere! I guess we were trying to prevent the graffiti from happening to our bus! If there are no people,  then there is no graffiti either!

The best thing about New Jersey were the people. They were outgoing, happy, and warm! We made friends with the police officers who were stationed outside of the Verizon Center. They were incredibly nice and helpful! So nice in fact, that they took us to the supermarket to get some supplies for the bus. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have ridden in the back of the police car. I would not recommend it. It is all hard plastic back there. The view was obscured by the metal bars, so you can't see much at all! I am not even talking about the leg room! It does not exist! Duke, our 6’7” bus driver, couldn't fit in there! Poor thing had to ride in the front!  :(  You know how in the movies cops always make sure to watch a criminal’s head when he gets in to the police car? Well, there is a reason for that! It is not easy to get in and get out! The paraffin hand treatment was a huge success with the police. Those tough men loved dipping their hands  in to the wax, and watch them come out all nice and soft!

What do you think of my police escorts? : )

 

  
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  • This blog covers the exciting adventures of the Nutrilite and Artistry Mobile Brand Experiences (or MoBEs, as we like to call them) as they take the powerful stories of these Amway Global brands to consumers across the United States and Canada -More

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