Catherine Harvey – Finding the Time for Change

When Catherine Harvey attended her friend’s Rodan + Fields® Big Business Launch in August 2013, she had a lot on her plate. She had three young boys, a full-time career as an accountant, and she and her husband were in the process of completely renovating their home. She attended the event merely to spend a nice evening with some good company and a glass of wine. But when Holly Brewer stood up and told the group her story, it sparked something in Catherine that led to big changes for her and her family.

Knowing that Holly was a fellow business major, Catherine was intrigued by her explanation of the Rodan + Fields model. “All of my college classes came back to me as I heard about the strong brand and marketing, the credibility of the business and business model, and the lack of inventory and overhead. And what really sealed the deal for me was the money-back guarantee—it was just so different from anything else!” The daughter of an entrepreneur, Catherine had gone through life with her father’s advice echoing in the back of her mind. “He always said, ‘You can either be your own boss and make money for yourself, or work for someone else and make money for them.’”

Making every minute count

And Catherine wasn’t happy with her current life of making money for others. “I had to be at work from 8:00 – 5:00 every day, with a long commute. I felt stifled and frustrated, and when I looked into my future I couldn’t face doing it for another 20-30 years.” The desire to find something different was Catherine’s strongest motivation to sign up as an Independent Consultant the very next month. Having never sold anything before in her life, she was initially daunted by the prospect, but her fears were quickly assuaged. “When I saw how well the products worked, and how much good the business was doing for people, I realized that all I had to do was share two opportunities with people: to have great skin, or to create a business of your own—or both! And you’d be surprised how many people out there are yearning for both of those things.”

To begin with, fitting her R+F work around her busy schedule was quite the balancing act. “I had to be very intentional with my time, and snatch 5- or 10-minute intervals wherever I could. I worked before the family woke up, on my lunch break, and while the kids played sports. It was tough, but I was passionate and really believed in the products and the business.” She fit in five hours per week to start with, and business began to grow. Within 15 months, Catherine was delighted to be in a financial situation where she was able to work fewer hours at her accounting job. This was a massive relief to her and her family. “It gave me so much more time to spend with my kids, to be there for them. My husband saw the change in me immediately—I was just so much happier.” Her newfound freedom also gave her a new perspective on her day job: now that it was no longer a financial necessity, she began to enjoy it much more.

Forming a powerful partnership

Catherine affirms that the major turning point in her R+F career was meeting three other team leaders on a team cruise in 2015. Catherine, Michelle Roy, Heidi Wilson and Heather Caldwell formed the ‘QuadSquad,’ a power partnership that has propelled all their businesses to new heights through a strong network of mutual support and encouragement. “We formed such a great relationship, not just for our R+F businesses, but an amazing friendship also. We all support each other. When I’m at my accounting job, I know my team will be looked after, and I will do the same if one of the QuadSquad members is on vacation.” The four help each other achieve their individual goals, and each bring their own particular strength to the group. This cooperation creates a network of growth and development that has benefited each of their teams immeasurably.

The QuadSquad: from left to right, they are Michelle, Heidi, Catherine, and Heather.

A sound investment of time and energy

These days Catherine devotes 12-15 hours per week to Rodan + Fields. She points out that a stark difference between her corporate career and R+F is in the time-reward ratio. “With my Rodan + Fields business, I feel like the more time I invest, the more reward I can get. My accounting career is not like that.” This feeling of accomplishment spurs her to work harder with R+F, and spread the word far and wide. She has come to realize that many others yearn for an alternative, a way to be able to spend more time with their kids while still being able to provide, or a way out of a career that is taking away all of their time. “When I meet people who are desperate for change I tell them my story, to show them that you are never too busy to take control of your future.”