Creative Memories: The 10 Timeless Principles behind the Company That Pioneered the Scrapbooking Industry

Book Description

Business lessons from the leader in the multibilliondollar scrapbook industry

It’s a classic American success story: Cheryl Lightle, once an unemployed single mom, goes on to become the cofounder of one of the most successful direct selling companies in the United States. Creative Memories reveals the 10 guiding principles she used to create her scrapbooking empire, teaching readers how to use these principles to achieve success in their own lives. Through Lightle’s inspirational story, combined with her proven business strategies and leadership lessons, this motivational book gives readers the tools they need to: Maintain continual business and personal growth Preserve integrity and credibility Communicate clearly and concisely Define their own leadership style and direction Protect their relationships with their customers


From the Back Cover

In this classic American success story, Cheryl Lightle tells her true tale of personal growth and extraordinary professional accomplishment. From housewife and struggling single mom to co-founder of one of the most profitable direct selling companies in the United States, here is a powerful account of how one woman transformed a beloved hobby and family tradition into a multimillion dollar business: the aptly named scrapbooking empire, Creative Memories.

Founded in 1987, Creative Memories specializes in photo-safe scrapbook albums and accessories. Its more than 90,000 worldwide consultants teach millions of people to preserve their personal history in a unique and meaningful way, for generations to come. But it is the history of Lightle's path that truly sheds light on her success. And as the story of her empire unfolds in this fascinating chronicle, so do the Guiding Principles and Leadership Lessons at its heart. These valuable principles helped to develop this landmark business from a unique idea into a business triumph--and they can be applied to any work environment and relationship. Now she shares them with you, knowing they will help you achieve success in your own life by providing you with the tools to: Maintain continual business and personal growth Preserve integrity and credibility Communicate clearly and concisely Make sound, consistent business decisions Create checks and balances for all company practices Define your own leadership style and direction Protect your relationships with customers and colleagues Develop new ideas and initiatives that encourage business growth

From the serendipitous phone call that started it all to the three little words that got the ball rolling, this inspiring and informative book is filled with engaging anecdotes as well as invaluable business strategies. An everywoman with a good heart, a good idea, and good instincts, here Lightle imparts her dream, and, along with motivation and encouragement, gives you the road map and skills you need to pursue your own.

DISCOVER THE 10 GUIDING PRINCIPLES BEHIND ONE WOMAN'S SUCCESS--AND HOW YOU CAN MAKE THEM YOUR OWN...

In this inspiring real-life story, former housewife and budding entrepreneur Cheryl Lightle chronicles her rise from stay-at-home mom to cofounder of a multimillion dollar business: the direct sales empire, Creative Memories. This company transformed a traditional hobby--scrapbooking--into a lucrative international business that provides meaningful work for over 90,000 home-based business owners--and teaches millions a skill that provides them with a timeless legacy. Creative Memories shares the 10 Guiding Principles and the Leadership Lessons that got her to the top of her industry, and can help you achieve your life goals too. They include: Operate from least to most Embrace the abundance mentality Respect personal choices Go for the good of the whole

"The Creative Memories Guiding Principles help drive consistent decision-making down throughout the organization and provide an easy-to-follow roadmap for continued success to future leaders of the company. These Guiding Principles are a must-read for any organization."--John C. Maxwell, best-selling author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

"With Cheryl Lightle at its helm, Creative Memories has modeled a great example of the vast diversity of opportunity that existsin the direct selling industry today."--Dick Bartlett, Vice Chairman, Mary Kay Inc.; former board chairman, Direct Selling Association (DSA)

"Long-term success and sustainability is only achieved when individuals and organizations align their values to true-north principles.  Cheryl Lightle and Creative Memories model and live by this philosophy.  You can learn how to do it in this inspirational book."--David M.R. Covey, President, International division, Franklin Covey Company


About the Author

Cheryl Lightle (St. Cloud, MN) is cofounder of Creative Memories, a $500 million direct selling business specializing in photo-safe scrapbook albums and album-making accessories. The company has more than 90,000 consultants in nine countries, has been featured in numerous television, radio, and print media, and has won the Creative Keepsakes Readers’ Choice Award the past five years in a row.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In this inspiring real-life story, former housewife and budding entrepreneur Cheryl Lightle chronicles her rise from stay-at-home mom to cofounder of a multimillion dollar business: the direct sales empire, Creative Memories. This company transformed a traditional hobby -- scrapbooking -- into a lucrative international business that provides meaningful work for over 90,000 home-based business owners -- and teaches millions a skill that provides them with a timeless legacy.

FROM THE CRITICS

Soundview Executive Book Summaries

Ten Timeless Principles Behind a Pioneer in the Scrapbooking Industry
Making scrapbooks might seem like an innocuous hobby to many, but struggling single mom Cheryl Lightle and her partner Rhonda Anderson turned Anderson's passion for scrapbooks and Lightle's leadership and guidance into a $500 million direct-selling business. In Creative Memories, Lightle recounts the history of their company, Creative Memories, while highlighting the principles that helped it become a direct-sales empire.

One day in early 1987, while Lightle was finishing her first year of transitioning an acquired printing company, Holes-Webway, out of bankruptcy and into her employer's company, The Antioch Co., she received an after-hours call. It was Anderson, a Montana homemaker and mother of four, and she was looking for 40 copies of a photo album Holes-Webway manufactured. Intrigued by Anderson's ideas and enthusiasm for her craft, Lightle invited her to the home office to give a scrapbook presentation.

Meaningful Keepsakes
The response from employees of Holes-Webway was positive, as was the response from employees of The Antioch Co. Many presentations later, Lightle asked Antioch's CEO Lee Morgan if Antioch could pursue the idea of scrapbooking. With the goal "that someday every household would have safe, meaningful keepsake scrapbook albums," Morgan agreed.

Five months later, after Anderson had conducted numerous classes on scrapbooking and Lightle had researched the concept of direct selling, the two created a direct-selling business model. Next, they built their independent sales force of consultants, starting with another longtime fan of the Holes-Webway photo albums who jumped at the chance to start a new business. When Carol Ramke signed her consultant agreement in July 1987, Creative Memories was born.

By 1988, the company had nearly 100 consultants and was beginning to receive some national media attention, which helped it bring in an additional 500 consultants. By the end of 1990, sales were over $1 million wholesale. Its first million-dollar month came in 1993, and in March 1997, Creative Memories had its first million-dollar day.

Currently, the company has more than 90,000 consultants in nine countries, as well as more than 1,200 employee-owners who fulfill its printing, packaging, manufacturing and distribution needs in four facilities. In 2003, sales were approximately $400 million.

Ten Guiding Principles
Lightle explains that the three key components of Creative Memories' corporate culture are its mission statement, its values, and its guiding principles. Although she writes that those guiding principles continue to evolve out of necessity, here is how they stand today:

Operate from least to most. Implement change in steps, measure results, adjust accordingly, and act again. Do not implement too many changes at any one given time so you don't overwhelm customers and yourself. Embrace the abundance mentality. Know your competition, but don't compete. Sell to your strengths and believe in who you are. Keep the promise. Holding true to your word preserves and strengthens relationships and preserves business credibility. Make it easy. Placing orders, obtaining materials, and learning about new products should be as simple as possible. Communicate clearly and concisely. Provide timely, accurate and appropriate communication to stakeholders. Set clear expectations. Protect the relationship. We need each other. Respect personal choices. With the changing faces, hearts and minds of our society, we cannot afford to be exclusive within markets we want to reach. Go for the good of the whole. You can't please everyone, even in a small group, so do the best you can to support the greatest number of people. Don't knee jerk. However things turn out, don't be paralyzed by the fear of negative opinion. Let change run its course to see if it is effective. Ensure sustainability. Be true to your mission, vision, and guiding principles. Be true to your brand. Commit to having the right processes and people in place to carry you forward.