How did you just have a baby?

This is me one month after having baby Aidan. I know it sounds kind of cliche hearing someone say, it was using a product consistently every day that allowed them to bounce back. For me, that’s exactly what it was! Now before I tell you what it was or what I did I’m going to tell you that these people in my life;  my sister, my mom, my husband, my friends, my step mom all use various products from this amazing brand. I will share what they use and their stories below!

Isagenix has not only changed my life but it’s changed many peoples lives. I think my favorite thing about this brand is there is something for everyone! The basis of Isagenix is a nutritional re-balancing program which is a two part system. Flooding your body with our super food nutritional shakes and pulling out toxins through our cleanse system which incorporates intermittent fasting. Aside for that Isagenix is like an online grocery store. They have everything like the system products I mentioned above, essential oils, CBD oil, protein bars, snack chips, chocolate squares, vitamins, skin care, anti aging products, coffee, hydrate products, greens powders, fruits and more!

Now because I was pregnant I couldn’t incorporate the cleanse part of the system I left that aside and simply drank ONE SHAKE EACH DAY. I swear you guys, this was it! Now I’m still breastfeeding so also not allowed to use the cleanse system, I just have one shake each day. I eat what I want aside from that shake and I did all throughout my pregnancy. Some stats for you; I only gained 19 pounds and when I went into the doctors for my glucose test she said my levels were above average! But, guess what? I ate more sugar during this pregnancy than I think I ever have. This one simple shake each day gave me my daily nutrition and kept my foundation solid so I could eat what I wanted and still be generally healthy. Now I’m not saying you can have one shake each day and go crazy on sugar because everyone’s body handles sugar differently but having a nutritional foundation is the answer to being healthy.

With my friend Rosemary, who I will talk more about below she found out she had SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overproduction) after trying MANY YEARS to loose weight. She tried working out, counting calories, every diet under the sun and nothing was working because the bacteria in her intestinal track was NOT OKAY.

^^ THIS IS STEP ONE YOU GUYS! The bacteria in your gut! If you’re a kombucha maker or sour krout maker good on you! This is the good kind of bacteria you should be flooding your body with! If you don’t do these things think about a probiotic because bacteria is important! The good kind at least. Let me tell you a little secret, you will never loose weight or be on your way to overall health if the bacteria in your gut is not right.

In my household we make our own sourkrout and kombucha so I’ve had a good bacterial foundation for quite some time. Starting to incorporate the nutritional rebalancing program allowed me to get my daily nutritional foundation on lock so I can be the healthiest I can be! I'm just going to share tid bits about the many people in my life who use Isagenix various products and how they have impacted their lives. To start, My sister uses the full system and has for almost two years now! She was able to loose the stubborn weight. The kind when you look at "skinny" people as say you dont need to loose weight. Well she was one of those people, relatively normal body size but was able to get her body really into shape just by adding the proper nutrition to her diet daily. She was the type prior to Isagenix who would go to the gym and work out multiple times each week but wasn't seeing the results she wanted. Now with the proper nutritional foundation shes able to work out once each week at most and keep her body in the best shape of her life. I remember growing up my sister always had stomach issues, now she still has them but everything is under control! WHICH IS HUGE!! Shes able to eat pizza at night for dinner without it messing up her stomach or have sweets here and there because shes implemented this nutrition in her life daily. Living with IBS (irritable bowl syndrom) hasn't been easy for her but its been life changing since she started using Isagenix.

My husband uses the greens powder and men’s essentials vitamins with Isagenesis. Isagenesis is their anti aging magic that has telomere support in it keeping your body young from the inside out. These vitamins are game changers ladies and gentlemen! We re order these monthly because if we got without them we feel it. My husband has a very hands on, labor intensive job. If he doesn't take his vitamins he can feel the difference immediately. Now like I said above we grow our own veggies in our garden in the spring through the fall but in the winter time my husband struggles to get his greens in. With the greens powder he not only says he feels better after drinking it but they taste good!

On to My friend Rosemary who I talked about above. Shes tried every diet under the sun and was never able to loose weight. When I say every diet I mean every diet! Her issue was her SIBO. Your gut is number one, if you have bad bacteria and an improper nutritional foundation you will never be able to get healthy and loose weight. She unfortunately had to go on very expensive antibiotics to clean out the bad bacteria and she now uses the shakes (one shake each day) to flood her body with the proper nutrition. Ive included a graphic below so you can see everything that's in one shake! Hopefully one day Rosemary will bring herself to try the full system so she can achieve her late goal of weight loss!

My step mom has always been very health conscious. As a runner she saw the immediate benefit as to implement Issagenix into her daily lifestyle and she uses the full system.

My mom also uses the shakes! She’s incorporated one shake each day for over one year now and has lost 20 pounds. She also went to her doctors for her yearly check up and her doctor said all her test results were amazing and asked what she was doing. That’s all from one shake you guys! She’s in her 60’s and has the best nutrition in her life now that she’s ever had. It goes to show, it’s never too late to start!

Last but not least, My daughter uses the Isakids shakes and vitamins! This is a household brand you guys. The biggest gift you can give your children is health. I think every person ever just hopes their baby is healthy when they’re born. Am I right? Don’t you want your 5 year old, or your 18 year old to be healthy too? My favorite part about doing this with my daughter and one day son, is its fun! Shes always excited to make a shake and especially when she has one for breakfast. They taste so good she calls it her "healthy ice cream" and let me tell you, When your kid gets to have "ice cream" for breakfast they will want to do that every morning! So I share all this not to shove Isagenix down your throat but to show you that there's so many versions of health and wellness for everyone in the family. With new guys and gals joining me each month in changing their lives with Isagenix, I share team results on my social media frequently. If you have questions let me know below! I'd love to be able to help you with your 2020 wellness goals. xo, Cara

Business Basics

I’m so humbled that so many friends think of me when it comes to running or building a business. I get asked quite frequently most business basics so I figured I’d write what I know and have learned down. If you have more questions please leave them in the comments below so I can answer them and add to this if need be! Let’s jump in!

BRANDING:
When starting a business you first want to think about a good suiting name. I often think BRAND. You want to pick a name that is going to be well suited for your business but also represent you! If you’re in network marketing skip to the next paragraph where I talk about branding yourself there. The biggest thing when name choosing is making sure it’s not already taken so I suggest making a list of a few names you like to not be disappointed if one or a few are already taken. The easiest way I check is simply typing in that chosen name on Facebook, Instagram and Google. I’m going to use my business for example. When I started my moccasins shop I chose the name HauteMoccsDotCom. When searching on social media you want to keep the name easy and the same all across your platforms so you are easy to find. For example on Instagram you don’t want to have to add periods or dashes, like @hautemoccs-dotcom or @haute.moccs.dot.com. If you run into an issue and your chosen name is already taken I usually recommend moving on to another name on your list.

If you’re in network marketing I coach guys and gals slightly different here. You are branding yourself not the products. You likely are already a distributor for a company and the products represent that companies name. You want to BRAND YOU! The reason I say this is because you want to build a community where you add value daily and then sprinkle your products in. If you can do this you will be successful in any company you’re with. Now back to branding, if you’re stumped I like to think about hobbies, or personal favorites. You can also ask your parents to describe you in 3 words but 3 words that would describe you now AND how you were as a child or a teen. This is giving you some grounds in the area how others feel about you and a path in how you can provide value to others when building your brand and community.

If you have a name your next task is getting yourself a logo, an email, a website, a domain name and set up on all your desired social media platforms. You don’t need to be prospering to start on social media. We all start from ground zero, the key is starting!! If you need recommendations besides the ones I list below for the things I just mentioned you can write in the comments and I can help you further.
LOGO - me
Email - yahoo or gmail
Website - google buying a domain
Blog platform - blogger.com or Wordpress
Social media recs - Facebook or Instagram

SOCIAL MEDIA BASICS:
On Facebook, it’s best to start with a business page. You can find tutorials on YouTube for setting one up. Once you have this set up I recommend inviting your friends to like the page and then start posting daily. Facebook wants you to utilize it’s features so posting, liking, commenting, stories and live videos. If you’re not familiar with any of these YouTube/google it. There are many ways to grow your page following a few to name would be paid ads and giveaways. Paid ads can be tricky because you really need to narrow down your target market before making it live. This will give you the best results, again I recommend doing some research before spending a lot of money here. Giveaways can look different for everyone. The biggest thing is making people tag friends below, leave comments and like or share the post. The algorithm is no ones friend, so you want to set yourself up where Facebook is going to show the max amount of people your giveaway or post. Facebook frowns upon outside links (meaning a link that takes the user off Facebook) so if you have a link you’re posting always post that in the comments vs in your caption. When you have it in your caption Facebook lowers your algorithm score.

On Instagram, it’s best to also make your profile and switch to the business setting. You’re able to access more features like “insights” where you can see when your users are on and most active which helps you to know when’s a good time to post. Like Facebook you’re dealing with the algorithm here as well. You want engagement on your posts. A few ways to start building engagement and a following are as follows. When making posts, post at your busy time. Also use hashtags. This is how others will find you organically. You also want to use the hashtag library to find other people to engage with. There are services you can pay for to grow your following (through loops and giveaways) I own a social media marketing business INSTALOOPS1 where you can pay to do just that. If you don’t want to invest money into growing a following you need to invest time. I would suggest doing this by following others, commenting, liking and engaging with others in hopes they come back and engage with you. You can find people either through the hashtag search feature, searching location or using the recommended follow feature. As you follow people, Instagram will suggest you follow others based upon who you just followed. You’ll see people pop up right after you follow someone!

STARTING ON ETSY: If you have a business with a craft base, I suggest starting or creating an Etsy account. Etsy is a searchable platform used by many. You have to pay for your listings but to get started and your name out there, it is worth it! When making listings you can use hashtags and searchable words that put you in categories widely searched! You have the highest chance to be found on Etsy without having to pay for adds. GENERAL SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS:
- use the features! I already mentioned this but it’s important. The more you use the more Instagram and Facebook will favor you and push your content to more people.
- use a nice device to take photos. The higher quality the camera the better the photos will turn out. I use an iPhone XS Max and edit my photos in Lightroom
- be aware of your background and lighting (I would research this as well)
- follow other inspiring accounts on Facebook or Instagram. Study what they do and use their content to inspire you.
- utilize Facebook market place if you’re selling an tangible good. Selling locally will get your name out there and help you get established as a business owner in your community.

GENERAL BUSINESS TIPS:
- CONSISTENCY!!  Be consistent. Show up every day in some form to promote yourself or your business. You want people to fall in love with you and what you do so they think of you and your business first!
- the content you put on your personal social media accounts should align with your business posts. I DONT MEAN POST YOUR BUSINESS ON YOUR PAGE. I mean your photos should be bright and clean, your content should be adding value (I always think to myself, is this photo going to get a lot of likes and comments on it. If it’s a yes, I post it) Think about your content before posting. Don’t share those stupid memes you see everywhere. Once in a while is okay, but refrain from that! A good general rule of thumb. Don’t post about politics, religion or current affairs. At least the controversial topics that could make someone unfollow/ unfriend you. You want to be liked and looked up to. What you post on your personal page matters because people are watching. Think back to branding yourself! Even if you’re not in network marketing, you are associated with your business and you should always keep things professional. Last but not least, dont air your drama out for everyone to see. People want to see positive and motivating content. Not someone who cries poor me or complains constantly! I know theres a lot here but these are just a few of the important tips ans basics Ive learned over the years when building a brand and business! Xo, Cara

Baby Must Haves

   

  I get asked all the time, what we’re the life saver products and must haves you got with your babies. Well most of you know Aidan came at 34 weeks so we didn’t exactly have everything we wanted for his arrival. In fact, we still don’t have his crib. He’s going on 5 months now and we’re still accumulating the things we need. One things for sure, as a first time mom with Avia. I thought I needed to have everything ahead of time and have this grand plan as to how everything would go. Although it’s helpful to have an idea, I’ve learned nothing goes according to plan and most importantly it’s OKAY if nothing goes according to plan. With Aidan, nothing went according to plan. I made had one hat, one hospital outfit I wanted him to wear and that’s it! When he came we just decided to be as relaxed as possible and get things as we needed them.

So here I want to share my must haves!

1. OWLET MONITOR: First and foremost, him being a premie I knew I wanted to get an owlet monitor. If you’ve never heard of these things, they basically make it very hard for your infant/baby to die of SIDS. I had a small shop friend loose her baby at 7 months so peace of mind is priceless you guys!! No parent should ever have to bury their child, I know tough subject! But honestly, I’d pay a lot to make sure that never happens. This is my most favorite baby product we own!!

2. MEBIE BABY SWADDLES + SPEARMINT BABY SWADDLES: after I picked out the decor and color theme I wanted to go with (black and white with hints of mustard and copper) I started looking around for a crib sheet and swaddles that would match. Not only do they have colors I needed but they have pink, dusty rose, vanilla and other colors that would work for a little girl!

3. GIGI + MAX KNOTTED GOWN: I never had any of these gowns for Avia but they make perfect sense with a tie bottom. Easy access to the diaper and still a full body suit to keep them warm. He fit in his gown for a long time being a premie. We just retired it last month with most of his newborn and 3 month clothes. They too have darling patterns for little girls!

4. RYAN & ROSE CUTIE PATS: Lindsey from Ryan and Rose has been a shop friend for quite some time, as her shop began to rapidly grow in the last few years she came out with her very own products, all must haves for babies in your life! My favorite; the Cutie Pat (a tether and pacifier all in one) became an easy add to our list. They have different styles for babies with and without teeth and even a flat nipple style for babies who don’t like the rounded ones. Not all babies are pacifier takers but it’s better to have a few waiting on their arrival. If not, they happen to make perfect gifts!

5. BABY CARRIER (Ergo 360 + Boba wrap): I definitely recommend having a baby carrier of some sort! We actually have quite a few. A few were bought and a few gifted. For the infant stage we had a baby bijorn, infantino and boba wrap. I bought a Tula baby carrier when Avia was in her toddler stage so we have that waiting for Aidan when he gets a little bigger. I had a friend give me the Ergo 360 which I heard from friends was a must have because it allows baby to face forward and back!! Game changer! If I had to recommend one it would definitely be the ERGO 360 because it accommodates all stages of baby; front, back, infant and toddler.


Some other must haves not shown in the photo above;
- Milk Snob car seat cover
- Graco car seats
- NoseFrida Snot Sucker

So many of these shops have sales going on right now! Hope you’re able to take advantage of some of them! Xo
           - Cara

Holiday Gift Guide

 

           Hey friends! I've had a lot of people message me after my Instagram post reminding people to shop small this holiday season. I decided to put together a holiday gift guide for those who want to support me and my family this holiday season. If you don’t see something here that crosses something off your list let me know what you’re in search of as I probably know some shop I can direct you to!

          Let’s dive in! This holiday season I have everyone covered. First up for all you ladies, I have the best make up and skin care out there for you. Senegence is in a league of its own, famous for its long wear color technology. Most of their products are smudge proof, water proof and have skin care in them. Not only do they last all day, they are good for your skin!

           Ive linked the beauty book HERE so you can take a look at all the makeup and skin care we have to offer. Who's shopping for a guy? I think we can all agree men are the hardest ones on our lists. I got you covered girls!!! Senegence just came out with a Mens Skin/body care line which is a must have. My husband uses it and LOVES IT!!! Its listed in the online beauty book I linked above. Of course if you have questions you can leave them below.

         MAMAS!! Are you shopping for someone with a little one? Those of you who are new here, I started in the social media world back in 2015 with my moccasin shop HauteMoccsDotCom. Although Im not actively running my shop anymore I still have some moccs left. I have linked my shop HERE if you're interested in getting that mama in your life some cute shoes for her babe this holiday season.

         Who in your life is a health nut or a gym rat? Or just simply lives a healthy lifestyle? Isagenix has a wide variety of things perfect for gift giving. From essential oils to a full nutritional re-balancing system. Isagenix has EVERYTHING from vitality and well being products to power performance and weight loss. They even have a kids line!!! If you've followed me for some time these are the shakes my daughter Avia and I drink daily. Ive linked the Isagenix Holiday Gift Guide HERE.

         Remember if you don't see something that you can cross off on your holiday shopping list, reacg out and let me know what you need. Its better to support friends and family or small shops this holiday season than big box stores. 

Happy Shopping!

     xoxo,

          Cara

Bragging on tiger gems again!

You guys! I worked with TigerGems last year when I got my first engagement and wedding ring set from them. I was super blown away with their price point, the durability of the jewelry, the shipping time and the customer service it was an easy yes to work with them again. Tabitha has always been so easy to work with which is what you want when your picking out a special sentiment you get to carry on your hand everywhere with you. This time around I decided to pick out the 3ct oval solitaire ring and the half eternity band.

So ladies, have you ever looked down at your engagement ring and or wedding band and thought, if I had it my way I would of picked something else? That was me! My engagement ring was put together through hand me downs because let’s face it, real diamonds are expensive. All in all my set costs $3000 but still isn’t what I would have chosen. Personally I like the bigger stones!! Now here’s where Tiger Gems saved me! The affordable option where you can choose a larger size, the perfect cut and not spend over $1000!!! Now the question I get asked by all my girlfriends, does it hold up? YES!! You guys, I sleep, I shower, I cook, I clean. I do everything with my jewelry on and the ring has worn exactly how my real set would. Quality of course is everything in something you wear daily and they’ve nailed it!

Now I know there’s some of you out there who love your original set, but I’ve seen time and time again friends who wanted something different or something more but couldn’t afford it. For me I’d rather spend my money on a house or something for my family and it makes me so happy I can help friends do the same! I get to wear the perfect ring that looks like it cost me over $20,000 without actually having to spend that money!

Tabitha was nice enough to give me a discount code to share with you guys! You can use “HAUTE2019” at check out and get 15% off anything regualar priced!

Xo,
Cara

The side hustle that changed my life

Two years ago today my life changed forever! I signed up for this little lipstick wholesale account thing where I was able to buy this lipstick and a whole lot of other stuff that didn’t come off for an awesome discount! 

Now In the last two years I’ve done a whole lot more than just purchase some discounted lipstick. I decided to make this a business. I hit a few ranks, added over 150 boss babes to my team, went to some life changing  events, met some amazing life long friends and made lots and lots of money! Not only all that but most importantly my skins changed and I’ve changed. At 28 my skin has never looked better than it does now and it’s all because I found some really great products! I also have a better outlook on life and I work daily on being the best version of me.

Did I think about those things prior to senegence? Heck no! 

I actually stop and think daily about what I’m thankful for and who I love. If you don’t do these things it’s likely you’re not fulfilled each day you live your life. Either you hate your job, you’re unhappy, you’re not healthy or whatever it may be, you’re not fulfilled. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last two years it’s do what makes you happy! You only get one life, why waste it doing a job you hate! Never did I think that would be lipstick or makeup but wahhhbam, it is! 

That little lipstick thing is now a big lipstick thing that I’m so very grateful for! I get to share the best version of me with you guys every day because I choose to live life for me and no body else. I don’t know about you guys but I’m proud of me!! ☺️

Cheers to 2 years! 🥂🥳

Tiger Gems

"HAUTEADV" for 15% off

I just about died when I came across @tigergemstones you guys! I had a friend previously work with them and completely rave about their whole experience. Something that’s always been in the back of my mind was wanting a new wedding band and engagement ring. The final product of my original set was all pieces my dad gave to me to make into something of my own. Although it came out beautiful it’s on the small side and still $3000 worth of platinum and diamond. The real stuff is expensive you guys!! As soon as I got on tiger Gems website I was in love. I found my dream set which was pretty close to my original set but larger. I knew I just had to reach out which later turned into a collaboration.

I ended up working with Tabitha who is amazing. The customer service she provides is exceptional! She was very helpful, timely in her responses and all around great. I ended up picking out the 4ct solitaire engagement ring, 4ct tw eternity band and the 4ct tw earnings to match. The set is incredible! It’s made from sterling silver and a diamond simulant which mimics how real diamonds look and is surprisingly very durable. I eat, sleep, shower and live life in my ring set not having to worry about anything. I’m all about durability and practicality so when I first ordered these I was a bit worried they would be too big and too clunky.

Tiger Gems proved me wrong and I got all of this without paying a fortune. There website has something for everyone. Tons of different styles to match all personalities and the prices are affordable. This is something a lot of people have to think about along with their wedding. Do you want to blow a bunch of money on one day or a material item (like a ring set) when you could be buying a house or new car? This choice was easy for me and my husband. I like my money to go towards my family so I’m all about the fake!

Every time I tell my friends about my set they all go straight to the site! You can get what you want and not break the bank!!! Thank you again tabitha for taking care of me and giving me the best tiger Gems experience ever!!!

I did a full youtube video review which you can view here to hear more details on my experience and love for tiger gems

You can find my set at www.tigergems.com and lucky you it’s on sale while supplies last! I’ve linked their Instagram, youtube and product links below.

Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/tigergems
Instagram: @tigergemstones
Product links:
Engagement ring: https://www.tigergems.com/products/4-ct-4-prong-classic-solitaire-engagement-ring
Band: https://www.tigergems.com/collections/full-eternity-bands/products/4-ctw-eternity-wedding-band
Earings: https://www.tigergems.com/collections/earrings/products/4ctw-4-prong-stud-earrings