Here’s the last 2016 incentive trip earner we interviewed! Tonya shares her approach to earning this year’s cruise and her thoughts on memory keeping.
Tonya Sheridan, Executive Manager
Time as a Consultant: 10 years
6th incentive trip
How did you earn the incentive trip?
I do a lot of different things. My business is focused not on a single avenue, but many avenues that make it well-rounded. I assist my Upline, and several of my sister sidelines, with their expos. I hope to have my own in the future, which makes this not only a great learning experience for myself, but helps them achieve their goals and dreams. Additionally, I am a vendor at some larger crops of typically 100+ people along the East Coast. I have traveled with these groups and established myself with them. I also run my own crops. I have three weekend-long crops per year and then a monthly crop at my church or a local hotel. I also do fundraisers for different organizations, one Workshops Your Way™ event once per month, and sometimes specialty classes for flair, depending on what’s new or what I’m excited about!
Outside of these scrapbooking events, I also teach a card club once a month (two during the fall) that keeps me grounded. I love all of my events. They are each very unique, but this card one brings me “home” every month—most of the ladies are retired and have become like grandmothers to me. Such a blessing!!! Online, I do online sales, offer kits by mail, and maintain a blog. I blog, not as often as I’d like to, but I do try to keep it semi inspirational and keep a balance of talking about work, event, specials, and also some of my personal life. I’m not really shy about posting pictures of my children—I think they’re pretty cute and many of my customers have developed relationships with my children so they love to see what’s new with them. 
My business is indeed a family effort—they play a large role in my successes. My daughter is the best Bingo caller ever and can do the little twist-twist-tap-tap-tap dance to teach stamping skills better than any adult. My boys help my croppers load, and unload their vehicles and love to help make up kits. My mom and husband help whenever needed, and my dad babysits during my events. Having their help and support has become a true blessing. 
What was your favorite part of the trip?
I think it’s just getting to see friends and acquaintances. A lot of us follow each other on Facebook but haven’t been able to sit down and have a full conversation; here I can sit down at breakfast and ask Brandy how her child is doing in school because I have established a relationship with her on Facebook. And I have found that most people are really open about sharing ideas and sharing business, so we kind mix both together in conversation.
Why is memory keeping so important to you?
Well, for me it’s the journey; it’s not just keeping the particular memories. I enjoy scrapbooking with my kids. They get to journal along with me. My scrapbooks are not ones that stay on the shelf. We go through them all the time because it’s important to us. If I leave our photos on a digital card, then that’s where they’re going to stay. Our family has unfortunately had a flood and we lost lots and lots of pictures—that in itself made the memory keeping all the more important to me. I also see memory keeping as a healing tool. We have many family members and friends who have dementia, and our scrapbooks have been an invaluable tool to revisit memories with them.
