Latest news with #ZoeDavies
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
I was a broke mum working in a pet shop but now I earn £100k in a ‘forgotten' job anyone can do… I made £12k in 1 month
WHEN Zoe Davies gave birth to her daughter at the turn of the century, she had no choice but to return to work after just four months to make ends meet. But when her family car valet business fell on hard times, and her job as a retail manager wasn't paying enough to support her young family, Zoe, 51, needed to find another way to make money. 4 4 She eventually took on an extra job with Avon and would spend her evenings going door-to-door selling products and dropping off brochures. But when she made £12,000 in just one month - her entire annual salary as a pet store boss - she decided to take on the role full time. 'Best decision ever' By 2021, she was earning £111,000 a year, and had become a top sales leader within the business. Zoe, from Riddings, Derbyshire, told Fabulous, 'It was the best decision I made. Avon are brilliant to work for and you get out as much as you put in. 'I now have 300 people reporting directly to me and I'm helping them to grow. I've got a wonderful team and it's great because I can work from home, plus financially I don't have to worry.' However, that wasn't always the case for Zoe. When Megan, now 24, was born Zoe returned to her job as a manager of a pet store in Shrewsbury, taking home less than £1,000 a month. Money worries A year later, her son Sam, now 23, was born, and they saw their car valet business - where her husband Andy, now 60, worked - hit financial difficulty after one of their main clients went into administration. It was a difficult time for the family and Zoe felt the struggle. 'When the children were young it was tough as we didn't have money,' Zoe says. 'All their school friends had designer trainers and clothes and we couldn't afford that. 'It was only when I started to work for Avon in the evenings and saw the potential earnings that I knew I had to do it full time.' I've made thousands on Vinted but now I've switched platforms to make £100 in an hour - it's so easy too Avon launched in the UK in 1959 quickly capturing the hearts of middle-class housewives thrilled to be able to combine work with raising a family. By 1969, there were 50,000 Avon ladies and, while perhaps not now a household name for Gen Z, the power of its products has endured; one of its lipsticks sells every 20 seconds. Avon also reported a 114 per cent surge in the number of new representatives joining its UK arm during the Covid-19 lockdown. Zoe quit her job at the pet store and threw herself into sales. Soon enough she was making enough money to support her family, and the car valet business stabilised, but Zoe's job is more than selling a few beauty products. 'It's not easy, and it takes an awful lot of work,' she says. 'At one point I was managing around 5,000 and helping their teams grow. Your skill set needs to be very, very people-oriented and in this day and age you need to know about online sales too. It's not just about going door-to-door anymore.' However, Zoe's hard work and determination paid off and the family sold their small 'two up two down' for £95,000 and bought a stunning four bedroom cottage with a huge garden and conservatory, which is now worth £275,000. She also bought her beloved Range Rover Evoque outright and is a member of her local leisure club. 4 How to become an Avon rep Being an Avon rep can be a fulfilling way to earn money, especially for those who enjoy sales and beauty products. However, it requires dedication, time and a willingness to adapt to the challenges of direct selling. 1. Apply online or contact a rep You can find an application form on the Avon UK website or reach out to an existing rep in your local area. 2. Purchase a starter kit This includes essential materials like brochures and business cards to get you started. 3. Receive training and support Avon provides various training resources, including online tutorials, to help you learn about their products and sales techniques. 4. Sell Avon products You can sell Avon products using their printed brochures, your own online store, or a combination of both. Flexibility is a big draw, there is no specific 9 to 5. 5. Earn commissions You'll earn a commission on your sales, with unlimited earning potential depending on your sales volume. Reps can earn up to 32% commission on products they sell. And because of her extraordinary sales efforts, Avon awarded her luxury holidays to Thailand, South Africa, Mauritius and Iceland. But despite her huge monthly income and plush home, Zoe maintains she isn't a spendthrift. In fact, she is sensible with her money, and encourages her children to be the same. Luxury holidays She says, 'I like handbags and sunglasses, but I buy Radley and RayBan. I think my most expensive pair of glasses was £130. "I'm not an extravagant spender and neither are my children. They have really good attitudes towards money.' In fact, Megan, who followed in her mum's footsteps and took a job with Avon, has just bought her first house. Meanwhile, Sam has taken over the car valet business which is now a huge success. 'He still lives at home and he could afford to move out - he's got more money than me!' Zoe says. 'They've both done really well for themselves and are sensible with their incomes.' In recent years, Zoe has invested in personal development, including coaching diplomas, and is now helping others grow their own incomes. She says, 'One of my biggest regrets was going back to work so soon after having my children, but I had to. "Now I get to see their own success and spend time at home with my husband while still working and helping other people to grow their teams, it really is the best of both worlds.'
The Irish Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
I was a broke mum working in a pet shop but now I earn £100k in a ‘forgotten' job anyone can do… I made £12k in 1 month
WHEN Zoe Davies gave birth to her daughter at the turn of the century, she had no choice but to return to work after just four months to make ends meet. But when her family car valet business fell on hard times, and her job as a retail manager wasn't paying enough to support her young family, Zoe, 51, needed to find another way to Advertisement 4 Zoe Davies reveals how she made £12,000 in just one month and racks in £100k a year Credit: SUPPLIED 4 Zoe has climbed the Avon ladder and now has 300 people reporting directly to her Credit: Instagram/@makeupinbusiness She eventually took on an extra job with Avon and would spend her evenings going door-to-door selling products and dropping off brochures. But when she made £12,000 in just one month - her entire annual salary as a pet store boss - she decided to take on the role full time. 'Best decision ever' By 2021, she was earning £111,000 a year, and had become a top sales leader within the business. Zoe, from Riddings, Derbyshire, told Fabulous, 'It was the best decision I made. Avon are brilliant to work for and you get out as much as you put in. Advertisement READ MORE FABULOUS STORIES 'I now have 300 people reporting directly to me and I'm helping them to grow. I've got a wonderful team and it's great because I can However, that wasn't always the case for Zoe. When Megan, now 24, was born Zoe returned to her job as a manager of a pet store in Shrewsbury, taking home less than £1,000 a month. Money worries A year later, her son Sam, now 23, was born, and they saw their car valet business - where her husband Andy, now 60, worked - hit financial difficulty after one of their main clients went into administration. It was a difficult time for the family and Zoe felt the struggle. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous 'When the children were young it was tough as we didn't have money,' Zoe says. 'All their school friends had designer trainers and clothes and we couldn't afford that. 'It was only when I started to work for Avon in the evenings and saw the potential earnings that I knew I had to do it full time.' I've made thousands on Vinted but now I've switched platforms to make £100 in an hour - it's so easy too Avon launched in the UK in 1959 quickly capturing the hearts of middle-class housewives thrilled to be able to combine work with raising a family. By 1969, there were 50,000 Avon ladies and, while perhaps not now a household name for Gen Z, the power of its products has endured; one of its lipsticks sells every 20 seconds. Advertisement Avon also reported a 114 per cent surge in the number of new representatives joining its UK arm during the Covid-19 lockdown. Zoe quit her job at the pet store and threw herself into sales. Soon enough she was making enough money to support her family, and the car valet business stabilised, but Zoe's job is more than selling a few beauty products. One of my biggest regrets was going back to work so soon after having my children, but I had to Zoe Davies 'It's not easy, and it takes an awful lot of work,' she says. 'At one point I was managing around 5,000 and helping their teams grow. Your skill set needs to be very, very people-oriented and in this day and age you need to know about online sales too. It's not just about going door-to-door anymore.' However, Zoe's hard work and determination paid off and the family sold their small 'two up two down' for £95,000 and bought a stunning four bedroom cottage with a huge garden and conservatory, which is now worth £275,000. Advertisement She also bought her beloved Range Rover Evoque outright and is a member of her local leisure club. 4 Zoe started off knocking on doors and selling Avon products in her local area Credit: Instagram/@makeupinbusiness How to become an Avon rep Being an Avon rep can be a fulfilling way to earn money, especially for those who enjoy sales and beauty products. However, it requires dedication, time and a willingness to adapt to the challenges of direct selling. 1. Apply online or contact a rep You can find an application form on the Avon UK website or reach out to an existing rep in your local area. 2. Purchase a starter kit This includes essential materials like brochures and business cards to get you started. 3. Receive training and support Avon provides various training resources, including online tutorials, to help you learn about their products and sales techniques. 4. Sell Avon products You can sell Avon products using their printed brochures, your own online store, or a combination of both. Flexibility is a big draw, there is no specific 9 to 5. 5. Earn commissions You'll earn a commission on your sales, with unlimited earning potential depending on your sales volume. Reps can earn up to 32% commission on products they sell. And because of her extraordinary sales efforts, Avon awarded her luxury holidays to Thailand, South Africa, Mauritius and Iceland. But despite her huge monthly income and plush home, Zoe maintains she isn't a spendthrift. In fact, she is sensible with her money, and encourages her children to be the same. Advertisement Luxury holidays She says, 'I like handbags and sunglasses, but I buy Radley and RayBan. I think my most expensive pair of glasses was £130. "I'm not an extravagant spender and neither are my children. They have really good attitudes towards money.' In fact, Megan, who followed in her mum's footsteps and took a job with Avon, has just bought her first house. Meanwhile, Sam has taken over the car valet business which is now a huge success. 4 Zoe WFH and now helps other women grown their incomes Credit: SUPPLIED Advertisement 'He still lives at home and he could afford to move out - he's got more money than me!' Zoe says. 'They've both done really well for themselves and are sensible with their incomes.' In recent years, Zoe has invested in personal development, including coaching diplomas, and is now helping others grow their own incomes. She says, 'One of my biggest regrets was going back to work so soon after having my children, but I had to. "Now I get to see their own success and spend time at home with my husband while still working and helping other people to grow their teams, it really is the best of both worlds.' Advertisement
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Wildlife-rich woods that stimulate the senses boost wellbeing, major study shows
Woods rich in the sights, sounds and smells of nature can be a 'prescription' for wellbeing – but there are major disparities in being able to access them, a study shows. Some 90% of 10,000 people questioned for a study backed by the Woodland Trust agreed that woodland biodiversity has a positive impact on their wellbeing. Researchers from the University of Kent who conducted the study said a rich variety of wildlife and sensory experiences they deliver for visitors, from birdsong to the colours in a wood, the sounds of the wind in the trees and even the feeling of the ground underfoot, were critical to boosting wellbeing. But the richest woods are very unevenly distributed across the UK, with hotspots in the South East and Scotland where there are a higher proportion of ancient and long-standing woodland cover, and areas with higher deprivation often lacking in thriving habitats. Conservationists said the findings showed the need to restore British woodlands, with just 7% in a good ecological condition, and ensure that people across the country had access to wildlife-rich woods. The 'Biowell' research involved a series of workshops with around 200 people out in woodlands, identifying which traits about woods and their wildlife had an impact on physical, cognitive, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing. The researchers then surveyed 10,000 people on how their local wood boosted their wellbeing. It found sounds, such as birds singing, the scrunching of leaves or trees rustling in the breeze prompted the most positive responses, with 40% getting a wellbeing boost from them, while natural processes such as spring flowers emerging helped 27% of those quizzed, followed by colours with 24%. The researchers found the trees themselves in a wood gave the biggest wellbeing boost, with silver birch topping the list of positive species ahead of horse chestnut and oak. Bluetits delivered the best benefits of woodland birds, with blackbirds and chaffinches close behind, while the research also highlighted the benefits of woods in all seasons. The plants, animals and fungi exhibiting traits that support wellbeing were also mapped to highlight where they would be expected to be found in woods across the country, revealing where people were most likely to be able to access habitats that were good for them. The mapping highlighted the 'hotspots' in the South East and parts of Scotland, but also found that areas with high levels of deprivation – where people might benefit most from a natural boost to wellbeing – are also often areas where there is a lack of access to wildlife-rich green space. Zoe Davies, professor of biodiversity conservation at the University of Kent's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), said there was plenty of evidence that access to green space was good for people, but it was important to know which species, or their traits delivered the benefits. 'This compelling new research proves that nature is good for us and spending time in biodiverse rich woodland can be a prescription for wellbeing,' she said. And she told the PA news agency: 'We found that people respond better, get more wellbeing, if there's more biodiversity around them.' 'For most things, for the traits like sound and colour, people respond to diversity. 'That's why it's so important to have these biodiverse forests, because it's the diversity of all these sensory experiences that turned out to be critical. 'It's quality green space, just as importantly as quantity,' she said. Woodland Trust chief executive Dr Darren Moorcroft said: ''We're in the grip of a biodiversity and human health crisis so it has never been more critical to improve the health of people and the planet. 'Proving that it's good for us to get out among trees and nature means the next step must be ensuring that everyone in the UK has access to vibrant, nature-rich woodland where wildlife – and people and communities – can thrive.' Sally Bavin, from the Woodland Trust, added: 'This work shows there is stark geographical inequality across the UK in the opportunity for people to witness thriving woodland wildlife and experience the wellbeing lift that brings. 'We think this opportunity should be the right of all,' she said. She said it helped the trust see where it could deliver woods where they're most needed, pointed to recent purchases such as Harrison Woodlands in Lincolnshire in an area that needs more quality woodland, where the charity will be restoring an ancient woodland currently planted with conifers. And she said: 'People's mental health is in crisis, biodiversity is in crisis, we could do a lot to help both by restoring woodlands to their glory.'
