Avon lady enriches lives through teaching

MANILA, Philippines - Teaching had always been Lynnie Alisasis’ passion. A school principal by profession, shaping young minds and imparting lessons to her students had become her life’s work. And when she discovered Avon, she found out she could teach beyond language, history and numbers.

In 1993, Lynnie decided to become an Avon representative after finishing her graduate studies in English Teaching at UP Diliman. Lynnie shares, “I decided to sell Avon since it was the brand most of my customers would look for. It had always been known for excellent quality products.”
Soon, the persistence, combined with the natural knack for dealing with different people, eventually led to success in Lynnie’s Avon business. She soon found herself teaching outside the classroom — and her students were her downlines.
“Teaching students is a wonderful task, but there’s also a unique sense of fulfillment in coaching my downlines. I’m guiding them towards their goals and dreams, and to be part of their success is definitely rewarding,” Lynnie quips.
This Avon lady also takes pride in the fact that she is working with a company that empowers women. “I’m happy to be part of what Avon stands for,” she points out. “Here, we have a very strong support system because Avon not only provides trainings and seminars to help us grow our business. It also encourages us to participate in the causes that the company supports.”
And for her part, Lynnie certainly made sure to share her success with others. Growing up and living on a farm, she saw how people solely depended on income from crops for survival. She was worried that a flood or a big typhoon could easily lay waste to the crops and people would be left with no other source of income.
This prompted Lynnie to invite her sister and nieces to become Avon ladies as well. “I want to empower them so they don’t become dependent on the income we get from the crops. Yes, I was already earning enough to help them, but I believe that it’s better to teach a man how to fish, than just to give him fish. It’s a tried-and-tested coaching principle.”
While Lynnie has already retired as a school principal, she still gets to practice teaching through her downlines. She shares her coaching philosophy which she calls the “Metaphor of the Sand”: “If you scoop sand with cupped hands, meaning they’re both partially opened and closed, you will be able to hold much sand. This is how I am with my downlines. I let them make their own decisions, I don’t breathe down their necks. I just strike a balance and guide them. I teach them the basics, but I let them discover specific lessons for themselves.”

Today, Lynnie enjoys the fruits of her success with Avon through out-of-the-country trips. She has even bought her own house and lot.
She says of her success secret, “In my 21 years with Avon, there was never a day that I wasn’t inspired to do and achieve more. Of course, there were difficult times, especially when I had to be both a school principal and an Avon representative. But I am just so inspired by the company and the people I work with. When inspiration is everywhere, how can you not succeed?”
She concludes, “My life has always been about enriching lives through teaching. Avon is what enriched me. Avon made my life more meaningful and I’m glad that I still get to do what I most love doing: teaching people from all walks of life.”