It's official! I'm so excited to share with you that I've earned my third incentive trip and will be cruising the Western Carribean with my Close To My Heart in February 2019! Who would have thought when I joined this company so I could get some beautiful scrapbook paper at a discount, that I'd be traveling around the world with some of my best friends that I met through this amazing company.Before earning my first trip two years ago, I heard other consultants talk about how they were spoiled on the trip. But I had no idea until I experienced it for myself. There are lots of perks to traveling with Close To My Heart. Based on last year's incentive trip to Thailand, here are a few of the ways that traveling this is different than regular traveling.
1) Travel companion. The package includes airfare and cruise for me AND a guest. I choose to take my husband, Eric, with me to Thailand and I'm so thankful we had this shared one-in-a-lifetime experience.
2) Scrapbook. Every trip earning receives a kit with materials to complete a beautiful trip themed album. The pages for these books use lots of fun techniques and you get all the products you need to complete it, including an exclusive stamp set. I just posted my pages from the 2018 Puerto Vallarta trip last week. I'm working on last year's Thailand album now and can't wait to show you the beautiful embossing and other techniques in these pages.
3) Shirts. Each earner and their guest receive an exclusive trip shirt prior to the trip. Last year, there were several styles to choose from and we could purchase extras if we wanted. The picture below is of all of the Thailand trip earners in our coordinating shirts making "Close To My Heart hands".
4) Welcome and Farewell Dinners. The first evening of the trip is a dinner with announcements, awards and gifts. It's a great time to greet friends and meet new people while enjoying delicious local food. At the end of the trip we all gather together again before heading back to our homes.
5) Gifts! Our President Monica Wihongi is a gift giving queen. She always chooses practical and unique gifts. It's so fun to return to our room and find a box filled with an assortment of items. Last year's box included water bottles, hat, visor, back pack, cinch bag, cooling cloths, umbrella and fan.
6) Excursion. Our Thailand trip also included a dinner cruise on on the Chao Phraya River to see the sights of Bangkok, taste authentic Thai cuisine and enjoy traditional Thai dancing.
7) TLC. Several members of the Close To My Heart executive team and staff traveled with us. They worked seemingly tirelessly to make sure that we were safe and comfortable. As happens when traveling, there were times that plans didn't happen quite the way they were supposed to and the staff made sure we were informed and patiently answered questions. Traveling in a foreign country can cause some stress and they did everything they could to ease our anxiety. After full days of touring, while we fell into our rooms to get much need rest, the home office staff fired up their computers to work with their teams in the US who were just starting their days. I honestly don't know how they did everything they did it all and without dropping their friendly smiles.
8) Friendships. The thing I've gained from the two trips I've taken that I value the most is the friendships. There is nothing like traveling with a group of around a hundred people with common hobby and business passion. Can you imagine running into close friends while wandering around an exotic place like the Siam Paragon (mall) in Bangkok? I can because it happened! Multiple times!
For all these reasons and more I consider a Close To My Heart incentive trip the ultimate reward from my business. It is the best way to celebrate the work I do doing the year. I love that I can treat my hardworking husband to a thrilling vacation to the most beautiful places in the world.
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| James Bond Island |
Thank you Close To My Heart for the opportunities you have given me. I'm also so thankful for all the support I receive from my customers, friends and family. That includes those who have made purchases from me, attended a workshop or crop, or offered words of encouragement. It all means so much and I feel blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.