“We’re going on an adventure,” the single Mom told her seven-year-old son. This adventure was not of the theme-park variety. It was the kind of adventure where she couldn’t pay her electric bill, so the lights had been turned off by the power company. The house was heated with gas, so they had warmth. They played board games by candlelight.
“My son and I look back on those days and laugh,” recalls Susan Wheatley of Annapolis. “Annapolis was basically a small town back in the mid 70’s and the only jobs you could get was working in a restaurant or selling real estate. I sold real estate and was terrible at it.”
In 1983 Susan married her current husband, Winship Wheatley, who had just graduated from law school. Her prospects improved, but she never lost her taste for adventure. Her next big adventure occurred when she learned about the Beardstown Ladies Common Sense Investment Club. This club of ladies, who knew nothing about finances, followed some common-sense rules of investing with great success.
“We followed their model exactly, so we recruited 16 ladies. None of us had jobs in the financial industry,” Susan recalls. “But we all wanted to learn. We kicked in $50 per month and followed the 10 criteria of the Beardstown Ladies.”
Big returns for the ladies
The results were phenomenal. By the third year of its existence, the club was named the top investment club in the state. During the club’s 13 years, it was featured three times in the Annapolis Capital newspaper. The membership changed over the years, but sticking to the 10 common sense rules of investing did not. On one occasion the president of the regional investment firm that handled the group’s money came for a visit. “He told us that we had outperformed many of his professional brokers,” Susan said. “At the same time, we were learning about investing we were teaching others in the community how to start their own investment clubs.
Susan’s adventures usually involve helping others and helping her community. In 2012 she organized a networking group for local small business owners. She named the group Just Show Up because the only requirement was to show up. Over the years the cast has constantly changed with people forging friendships, getting business contacts and learning how small businesses work. She regularly thanks the owners at 49 West Coffee Shop in Annapolis for allowing the group to meet for free. Susan has headed a MeetUp group for similar business purposes that gathers monthly at Criswell Collision Center in Annapolis.
Successful businesswoman
One of the reasons that she has been good at organizing events and clubs has been the success of her own business. This has been her biggest adventure of all. For 26 years she has been marketing products manufactured by Melaleuca, an online wellness shopping club with just over $2 billion in sales.
If you think of Susan as a driven businesswoman, who will twist your arm or get in your face to make a sale, think again. She is more likely to talk about Melaleuca only after hearing your story first. Then she says, “Would you rather shop at my store instead of CVS or Walmart for healthy products that are good for the environment and get delivered to your home?” It’s hard to answer no to that. She continues by mentioning the company president whom she has met many times: “Mr. VanderSloot says that we are not going to make a product that isn’t either better than what’s already out there, less expensive or safer.”
Her logic usually wins the day. Once you begin shopping with her, it’s easy to continue. “One of my customers has shopped with me 300 months in a row, and 23 have shopped for more than 200 months in a row. With more than 400 products we have a lot of good choices.”
The financial rewards from Melaleuca have equipped her for family flexibility. “I hated having to work for a jewelry store and miss weekend things with my family. Because of my Melaleuca business, I have been able to be available to my family. Both of my sons have ADD, yet they are grown, well educated and successful on many levels. I couldn't have had a full-time job and support their needs at the same time. I chose them over a career.”
Susan’s older sister, Fran Greene, who lives in Palm Coast, FL, has seen the impact of her sister’s Melaleuca adventures. “I’m proud of her for her leadership, not just in the business, but as a rock in the family,” said Fran. “She’s a wonderful listener and great encourager. She has an uncanny ability to see your soul or sense when you need an encouraging word.”
For Susan’s 230 customers with Melaleuca, for her family and for her friends in Annapolis, may the adventures continue.
To contact Susan Wheatley, you may email her at SusanWheatley@vitalityforlife.com. Susan also serves as the volunteer coordinator at the Annapolis Film Festival. For more information, go to annapolisfilmfestival.com.
