Covid Blessings - What's Next?
So there I was. It was a Thursday afternoon. The day after my birthday, April 9th. I had been instacarting since 7am. I came in to the office to host a webinar at 10am. About 12:00 I left to go and get something to eat before I continued my day.
My office is in an industrial park. Everyone was shut down. It was like a ghost town.
So I get in my car, turn on the radio, and start heading towards food. Then BAM!
If you have ever been in a car accident you know that there are a few seconds of "what the hell was that???" But in this case, I was in what I thought was an empty parking lot, in a desolate town. So I was really shocked when my head violently hit the window of the driver side door.
I froze. Finally got my wits about me, and pulled over to the side.
The old man gets out of his 1995 Mercedes and looks at me."oh no.... my neighbor." He says with his heavy accent, phone still holding at his ear.
I just looked at him blankly - still a little in shock. He was a little guy, pretty old, and clearly also in shock. But clearly STILL ON HIS FUCKING PHONE!
So I said calmly to him - "give me your insurance and your id." He did. I took a picture. Then I said. "Ok. see you later." And I left.
Because that is how I handle situations like this. Especially when I am pissed.
I drove my car straight to the Lexus dealership to where my guy, Sammy exclaimed. What did you do????
Sammy - Get me a rental. I'm leaving this with you. Call me tomorrow.
10 minutes later I am out, and on my way to my Chiropractor.
Then to CVS to get my wrist brace.
Then to finally get my food because NOW I AM HANGRY.
And then I went home.The moral of the story here is....If I am hurt
Pissed
Shocked
or Hungry....I get quiet. Very, very quiet. And also suddenly busy.
So - just stay away from me.
Anyway... I digress...But turns out my neighbor was on the phone, also believing he was the only person in the parking lot, was apparently in a hurry, so he "gunned it" right out of his parking space while I was being blocked from view by a parked van, and hit me so hard that he completely destroyed my back passenger tire, wheel, and bumper. You know those 1995 Mercedes cars. They are built like tanks!
I had whiplash, a bruised head, and strained AND sprained my wrist. Apparently that is two different things that I learned you can do to yourself.
Everything is fine in the end, my wrist is still a little weak, car fixed. blah...blah...blah.
BUT..This was the end of my Instacart days. I mean, just imagine. Remember the hoarding early days of covid. Every single order required two cases of water, 4 cases of coke, giant bins of everything. I couldn't do it one handed. So there goes that. It was fun while it lasted.
So now what to do?
Thankfully over the next three weeks I had 24 Panels, Webinars, and Speaking engagements. (I was getting sick of myself). And then my Grandma died. So I was busy.
But don't worry about my Grandma Mary. God Bless her, she was just about 98 years old. We knew she was ready to go when even her "boyfriend" from the home couldn't get her to eat. She died peacefully in her sleep. May WE ALL go out like Grandma Mary!
But, as a single Mother - in the 50's - when women really did not have any say in their own lives. She raised three children on her own and sent them to Private Catholic School. She was the sweetest woman, and I often wonder what kind of shit she had to go through to get those kids raised on her own.
I actually think of her often. Especially when I am tired, or perhaps after getting hit by a car. She did was she needed to do to survive and take care of her family. She laughed all the time, loved her beer, coffee, and cookies, and loved to talk shit to my dad. She just reminds me that it will always turn out all right.
So.... After my three week whirlwind of Zoom calls - I knew I needed to do something to keep going. I was by myself at this point since we were in lockdown. And I was kind of venting to my friend, Michael, about this one day.
I have mentioned Michael a few times in my blogs. If you remember in Chapter 1 of Covid Blessings - I threw all my stuff in his van and asked him to take it home for me when we were all in a mad rush to get out of the cancelled trade show.
I also told the story of my very first trade show in NY and how I met his family in my earlier Blog (read here). In a nutshell - he is my "Spa Brother." He was 26 and I was 29 when we met. I like to say we grew up in the industry together, and now we are a YOUNG 40 and 43 years old.
We love to talk business, and one day, back in 2019, when I was telling him about my new venture into CBD he wondered how he could get involved too. But he was so busy! So we actually created a plan for him to make a special release CBD product called Circadia CALM CREAM. We would include it in a WELL Mothers Day Box and sell it like a fun collaboration between our two companies. I think I remember the conversation go something like...
Me: It could be like when Nicki Minaj teams up with MAC to do a special lipstick collab!
Michael: Yeah! Ok, let's do it!
And that's pretty much how all of our conversations go. LOL!
Well, it was a HIT. And I mean - sold out in four days hit!!! Had to call the manufacturers and beg them to rush more stock - hit!
So naturally, it was a no brainer to do another one for Christmas 2019. Which was also a HIT!
Which brings us back to me, essentially dumping all my product from the trade show in his van in March 2020.
Which brings us to a phone call one day, in May, where we are talking about me being on my own... one handed... in my office. What to do next?
Michael: You know I still have all of your stuff from the trade show. I also still have all of your left over product from the Holiday kit. What do you want to do with it?
Me: I don't know. Let the girls sell it.
Michael: You want me to? Because we can. Give the girls something new to talk about?
Me: That would be fun. I can train them on a call next week if you want.
Michael: You want to come train in person?
Me: Sure! What else am I doing?
And THAT.... Ladies and Gentleman.... it how you talk a successful GIANT SKINCARE COMPANY into becoming your North American Distributor!
No really.... that is what happened. The Circadia team now distributes my products across North America. Now, of course, there are lots of other details that went along with our conversations to make that happen. But you know.... NDA's and all that.
But... that is what I like to call.... Covid Blessings.