Tell us about yourself. What brought you to the Arise® Platform?
Well, as a far as personal introductions, I am Latonya. I have been married for 36 years—I’m very proud of that—we have three grown children and six grandchildren, and I happen to think they are some of the prettiest people on the planet. They have all followed different paths. Two are in the medical field and one is a photographer. I am from Ohio, so The OSU Buckeyes is big there—and we call it Buckeye Nation—but I now live in North Carolina and love it since I can reach a beach in less than 4 hours.
How has your use of the Arise® Platform improved your life?
I began my journey in 2012 with the Arise® Platform. I was not new to working from home.
I had actually worked from home as an instructional designer manager for two different companies, so I was used to the work-from-home environment. But those were corporate jobs with set start and end times, and I was at a point in my life where I had teenagers who were dealing with real life challenges.
When kids are little, as a parent you’re always trying to make sure that they’re keeping their hand off the stove or out of a light socket.
But my kids were at an age where I really wanted to be more hands on with them—and have the ability to work around my family, not the other way around.
There was also a change of life event at a certain point in my life where my father developed cancer, and soon after my mother developed dementia. I joined the Arise® Platform to be able to support them however needed and be with them through their fight!
I was able to go to all their doctor appointments and be involved with my kids’ school activities, and the Arise® Platform enabled me to work when I wanted to.
I had the best of both worlds: I had the managerial experience I needed to be a Service Partner and business owner, and the two lives merged together.
What are some things you have been able to achieve personally or professionally with the control you have as a business owner?
I think I have also learned quite a bit and become very savvy with social media. I never used to like social media—I still don’t love it—but I have learned it has a place in my business. And I enjoy being able to help other people in situations similar to my own, who need a reason to work differently.
I also like the Arise® Platform because it can help those who are trying to work from home and continue their education.
It’s satisfying for me if I can help someone find the Arise® Platform so that they can have the freedom they need—and the knowledge of how things work—so they can work when they want to work
A lot of my Agents are retired or semi-retired, and they have been able to reinvent themselves.
One of my Agents, she was a police officer, and when she retired, she did not want to be doing something like what she had been doing. She wanted a change. She wanted something lighthearted, easygoing—something that she loved to do—and she liked to travel, so I mentioned one of the cruising clients to her.
I get excited when I get new people because I can help them do the things, they love by working with LATEAM.
Can you provide an example of when you really felt like you made a difference for an Agent while servicing on the Arise® Platform?
I actually serviced early on when I first started so I could get the full Arise® Platform experience.
But as far as making a difference for my Agents as a Service Partner, I am not afraid of making a phone call if they need help.
I recall one time where one of my Agents was servicing roadside assistance, and she was ready to leave the program before I spoke to her.
I wanted to see if we could help her out and found that she was having some technical problems and wasn’t very tech savvy.
But you know, I just took some time to meet with her.
She didn’t know the difference between a soft reboot vs. a hardboot—or how to formulate a signature in an email—and I just took a couple of days to meet with her, and eventually she was able to stay on the program.
So that was a time when I was able to talk one of my Agents off a ledge.
In the moment, I am just taking care of my agents. I am just trying to help them out and be available for them—I have that feeling often.
It breathes new life into them.
What skills and qualities do you feel are most beneficial for Service Partner success?
For Service Partner success, you have to have great organization skills, you have to manage your time very efficiently, and you have to have an interest in helping people.
My Agents work for LATEAM—but I like to think of it as the other way around.
I work to provide my Agent’s assurance, comfort, and support, and help them navigate the challenges that come with working remotely.
In a sort of indirect way, the Agents are my customer, and as a Service Partner, you have to have the business owner mentality—you know, the accounting, bookkeeping, and other important things that manage the business.
But at the end of the day, I am a Service Partner providing a service to my Agents so they can provide service to the client programs they choose.
Being well-educated and well-acquainted with the Arise® Platform and the different programs is important. So is understanding the processes and policies and being able to use that as a way to provide support to your Agents is what makes a successful Service Partner, in my opinion.
It’s not about how many Agents I have.
At the end of the day, it’s about providing really good support for my Agents so they can do their work better.
In a nutshell, I am here to provide good service to my Agents so that they can provide great service to the client programs and turn to me with any challenges they have.
Is there anything else you would like others to know about the Arise® Platform?
When I was a senior in high school, I was a cheerleader, and when I was raising my kids, I told them I was their biggest cheerleader—and to take all things as far they can take them: academically and financially.
My Agents mean more to me than my business, and I am the biggest advocate for my Agents—and I promote the Arise® Platform.
Speaking as a mother and a wife, I wanted to put one thing first: my family.
Our family didn’t have wealth otherwise, so I knew I had to work hard to earn money, and a lot of people are in that same position.
People want to be able to put their family first—and enjoy other pursuits—but the reality is, they still have to work.
So, I would like people to know that if they join LATEAM, they are going to get the support they need to make them successful.
I think the Arise® Platform is one of the best ways to marry both worlds: the worlds of taking care of family and being able to work.
This is a fine way to get that done, and I hopefully deliver that message to people when they come to the Arise® Platform.
I wouldn’t have stayed in business with Arise for almost 11 years if I didn’t think it was a beneficial arrangement.
The Arise® Platform provides great opportunities —working on your terms, on the days and times you want.
Who else gets to pick their clients? It’s almost unheard of.
So, I think Arise offers a great opportunity to be at your best for your family and still be able to meet your financial goals.
