In this episode, Coach Paul interviews Julie Villumsen, a former corporate executive who transitioned from the high-pressure world of healthcare fundraising to becoming a successful Mary Kay Director. Julie shares her powerful journey of overcoming personal hardship, rediscovering her self-esteem, and building a business rooted in faith and family values.

Guest Background

Julie spent 20 years as a high-level fundraising executive, including serving as a VP at Catholic Health and working with the NCMC Foundation. Despite her professional success raising millions of dollars, she found the corporate "9-to-5" climb unrewarding and felt it was "sucking the life" out of her, especially as she navigated being a single mother.

Key Discussion Points

• The Turning Point: Julie describes a moment of corporate instability where her boss threatened layoffs, prompting her to realize she wanted to be in control of her own destiny and prioritize being a "good mom".
• Overcoming Skepticism: Initially judgmental of the "happy" atmosphere in Mary Kay, Julie eventually realized the business was a legitimate path to the life she wanted after seeing other women achieve success and earn career cars.
• The Mary Kay Philosophy: The business is built on the foundation of faith first, family second, and career third. It operates on the Golden Rule—treating others the way you want to be treated— and focuses on "praising women to success".
• The Reality of the Transition: Julie emphasizes that building a business is a process, not a "get-rich-quick scheme". She worked her Mary Kay business in the "nooks and crannies" of her life while still working a 60-hour-a-week job until she was able to replace her income.

Mindset & Inspiration

• "Shy Equals Broke": Julie shares that learning to speak up and gain confidence was essential to her growth.
• Abundance Mindset: "What you think about you bring about". Julie discusses the importance of moving away from "stinking thinking" and focusing on abundance and prayer.
• Finding Passion: Julie encourages listeners to find their own passion—whether it is welding, carpentry, or podcasting—because passion leads to true success.

Actionable Advice for Entrepreneurs

1. Work the Numbers: When planning to leave a job, Julie suggests calculating the expenses you will save (e.g., daycare, lunches out, car payments) to determine your true income replacement goal.
2. Over-Schedule Appointments: To account for cancellations, Julie would schedule an appointment every night of the week to ensure her business kept moving forward.
3. Set End Dates: Always have a goal with a specific end date to maintain focus.

Connect with Julie Villimson

• Website: marykay.com/jvillumsen
• Note: Julie requests that you only contact her if you do not already have a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant.

Disclaimer: Only the top 1% of the Mary Kay Independent sales force earn the use of a career car through their Mary Kay business. For more info about the career car program visit marykay.com/en-us/sell-mary-kay/career-car-program.