Conversations with the Inspiring Ann Marie Kaemingk

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann Marie Kaemingk.

Ann Marie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my nontoxic journey in early January of 2014. My husband and I were going through infertility treatments and I was doing “all the things.” And I was about to the point where if someone had told me I would get pregnant by cutting off my left arm and standing on my head for three days – I probably would have done it!

As I was scrolling Facebook one day in January, I came across an article published by the World Health Organization where they were naming EDCs (endocrine disrupting chemicals) a global threat to fertility. The friend who shared this article listed places you might find these EDCs; I was SHOCKED!

The endocrine system has the amazing function of regulating all of the body’s hormones – think thyroid, metabolism, and fertility. Yep – FERTILITY!

Turns out, these EDCs are ubiquitous when it comes to everyday personal care products such as toothpaste, shampoo, and lotion. They are in our cleaning products. They are even in some of our food! Well, I was trying to do EVERYTHING I could to conceive, if taking EDCs out of my life would give me “better odds” of getting pregnant, that was going to be my next step.

But, EDCs were just the tip of the iceberg.

I started learning more about “the problem.” That United State citizens are walking into stores with shelves full of products and we believe that someone, somewhere, some company has tested these products. And that they are safe. But the truth is, the US has very little regulations when it comes to personal care, household cleaning, and make-up products.

I was a 5th-grade teacher at this time. And I really enjoy teaching. And it was time for a whole new lesson plan for a whole new audience. I felt I HAD to shout this information from the rooftops for everyone to hear.

Then I did a thing. A thing I never ever thought I would do… I joined a company that offered exactly what I was looking for. I needed nontoxic products. I couldn’t find them in the stores – sure I found products that had great labels and said a lot of great stuff on the front of the package. But inevitably, when I turned the product around, the backside told a WHOLE different story.

And if I needed these products, so did my family. And my friends. And their friends. Heck, everyone needs these products! Everyday I was uncovering another ingredient to avoid or learning more about how to reduce exposure to the environmental toxins in the home. My inner teacher just couldn’t NOT share!!!

I started doing “parties.” Going to a home, gathering a group of interested folks. Setting up my display. Teaching my toxic free lesson. Empowering consumers to make choices in the market place that they felt 100% confident in. And guess what? It took off.

Welcome to the world of Direct Sales, Ann Marie.

After two years, I was able to “retire” myself from the education world. I was making more money and let’s be honest, I was having more fun teaching adults about toxic-free living, selling products, and building a community of like-minded women who were doing similar things. And after five years of infertility treatments with no success and no answers, I wanted a break from other people’s kids.

I left teaching. I left my home state of Michigan to move to Denver with my husband. I left a stable paycheck and known schedules and benefits and spring break and first day jitters and the thing I went to school for – for something different.
For freedom.
For flexibility.
For lazy mornings.
For traveling even when it’s not a scheduled break.
For daytime dog snuggles and last minute lunch dates.
For helping people eliminate their exposure environmental toxins.
For empowering individuals and showing them, there IS another way to pay bills and make ends meet.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This road has NOT been a smooth one!

First of all, my passion intersected with a product to sell. And that product is from a company. And that company is part of the Network Marketing / Direct Sales Industry. There are MANY misconceptions about this industry – ‘pyramid scheme’ sound familiar? I mean, there are a lot of icky people doing things in an icky way. But once I really understood the business model, there was no going back. There is SO much power in Network Marketing / Direct Sales. I’m a very sensitive gal – it still can sting to come across a “hater.”

After making the decision to relocate to Denver from Michigan, after buying a home on a short trip here during Spring Break, we found out that my mother was very ill. In fact, terminally ill with Stage 4 Melanoma. We moved end of June 2016 and she passed away in August of 2016.

And within the next month, we had to have the excruciating discussion about continuing fertility treatments.

And the decision was to discontinue all treatments.

It was a very complex grief…

Emotionally, mentally, and even physically, I was cashed. I was worn out. Exhausted and empty. Try running a business like that? Especially one where you have to show up, meet people, smile… You get to listen to new moms talk about their babies and ask you questions about what products to use and what mattresses to buy.

It was NOT.EASY.

One step I took was to get help. I saw my therapist 2-3 times a week when we first started working together. I needed someone to talk to and I promised myself, my husband, and my brother (BFF) that I would be totally honest and 100% me in those sessions.

Another little thing that helped me stay the course with my business was my work wife, Lisa. She happened to be the first person to join my team. We weren’t friends at the beginning really… We hadn’t known each other before. And she could have seen me just as an “upline” or a “leader.” But I confided in her. I found my vulnerability partner – someone who could listen and not suggest a fix. Someone who could “go there” when it got dark and hold space for me to wallow and then offer a hand to help me get back up.

I had a starter marriage. I’m from the midwest and went to a pretty conservative liberal arts college and I was OLD to be getting married at 25. But it was still pretty young. And I didn’t think I had any other options. I was scared of being alone. I was scared to try to be a single working woman. I’m not sure what advice I would have around this one… A lot of us seem to have had starter marriages. I guess a big lesson I learned from this was to forgive myself… It wasn’t as if I didn’t “try” and just left willy-nilly one day. But I still walked away with a sense of guilt that hung over my shoulders like a weighted blanket for years.

Maybe part of that lesson from the starter marriage is also – you CAN do this. It’s not going to be easy (neither is being married) and you’re not going to have all the answers – it’s a journey. And all you can do is take the next right step.

What should we know about NonToxicAnn? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
NonToxicAnn wears two hats! First, I offer families piece of mind by helping them reduce and eliminate environmental toxins in their homes. In-home assessments, interviews, and room by room plans provide the data for me to offer a recommended plan of action. I focus on low hanging fruits first and help the client avoid overwhelm – because let’s face it, you start thinking “everything is toxic!” and the wall come up and you throw in the towel! NonToxicAnn guides you through each step of the process. This isn’t an overnight fix and I am here to help you discover what YOUR next right step is.

Secondly, I support my consultation work with providing truly safe and effective personal care, household cleaning, and make-up products through Pure Haven. Clients either work with me as a customer or as part of my Pure Haven team. I am very proud to offer clients and customers the very best of the best when it comes to products – in particular, our revolutionary line of pre and probiotic skincare and body care products. This sets Pure Haven apart from any other company out there – because the products truly have zero harsh ingredients (think, preservatives) the pre and probiotics are not compromised and actually feed the skin’s microbiome.

What sets me apart from others is my sense of humor and my ability to make a heavy topic light and fun. My clients rave about learning SO much all while laughing! I have the unique ability to connect issues to solutions and therefore help people make lasting changes – AND they feel empowered to teach others!

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
First, finding a mentor… Ask around. I think I found a great mentor in 2 therapists. Yes, I was paying them and yes, they had degrees and licenses to practice. But these two women had profound impacts on my life.

As for networking… I was attending networking groups all over town! Looking for my tribe. When I couldn’t find a group that really resonated or fit, I started my own! Because your vibe attracts your tribe. The key to networking is to be curious – always be curious about others. And be ready with what you offer – to jump in when the time is right. People do business with those they know, like, and trust. Showing up to a random event and handing out cards does not equal growing your business! Cultivating relationships comes first. I know you might be REALLY excited to share what you have because it changed your life… But make it about THEM first. Learn about the other first.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.NonToxicAnn.com
• Phone: 310.804.2874
• Email: ann@annkaemingk.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnKaemingk

Image Credit:
The photographer was me or a friend.

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