When it looks easy, chances are it’s been tough!

When Peggy Raymer started her business, she decided to honour two mothers… hers, the source of so much inspiration, and Mother Earth, whose future we hold in our hands.

The fact that Peggy’s organic body care products, Madre Bello [beautiful mother] will be tucked into the gift bags of every Emmy award nominee is a miracle in itself. Over 100 items will be in each gift bag for the nominees for an Emmy Award, the television extravaganza, to be aired live on September 20.

What makes this such a miracle is not so much that a young woman from Barrie, Ontario had had her product selected for such honors, but that Peggy herself has had the courage to submit her product as suggested gift items.

Doing anything public has been a lifelong challenge for Peggy. She’s very shy. Her nervousness centres around anything public and it’s that gut-wrenching, soul-crippling nervousness that has been a true challenge for her in self employment.

But, Peggy is one determined woman, and bit by bit she has put herself into situations that have let her ease into having to introduce herself publicly. At business networking groups she met that fear and quickly stood up and introduced herself, going first and getting it ‘over with’ as quickly as possible.. And then she sat down, heart racing, throat dry. Next time she’d do it again with the same results. Always she tried to could go first and ‘get it over with.’

When she joined Business Networking International, she had to stand up publicly every week, introduce herself, give some detail about her body care products business. It never seemed to get easier.

When she assumed the vice-presidency of her BNI chapter, her worst fear came with the job. As vice president, she had to introduce herself last. Peggy concentrated, used relaxation techniques, and gradually, week after week, her anxiety receded just a little.

So imagine, if you will, this organized, bright, determined young woman agreeing to appear on Rogers Day Time Television to talk about self employment and about her story of the development of Madre Bello products. She has seven products–body wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, facial cleanser, facial toner, facial moisturizer. She sells completely online, through her website (www.madrebello.com), though she’s hoping to get them into large retailers that cater to discerning home products buyers. She sought thoroughly for the right manufacturer for her products and is delighted with the all-natural ingredients… chamomile, lavender, glacier water, vitamins.

“I ordered a lot of products from a lot of companies and tested, tested, tested. Do they do what they claim to do? The company she selected has high manufacturing standards and is completely organic in its manufacturing ingredients… no fillers, here!

Peggy has selected her lavender body wash and organic t-shirts as her gift items. Aside from the nominees gift bags, she’s giving 250 containers of body wash for the media at the event.

All donors will fly to Hollywood September 17. On September 18 and 19 she’ll participate in a trade show, put on for all those contributors to nominees gift bags. On September 20 she’ll attend the show, along with other gift presenters. It’s definitely the trip of a lifetime for Peggy.

And how did it happen? Her first appearance on Rogers was the most gruelling. She says she got through it by imaging the worst thing that could happen and then celebrating that it didn’t. Her second appearance on Rogers was easier because she knew what to expect.

When the A Channel called to do a news item, Peggy mustered up her courage, stayed as calm as possible, put on her best networking face and ‘got through it.’

As we talked about the stumbling blocks that come up against us during our life’s journeys, Peggy is quick to point out that hers has been a challenge that she’s fought long and hard to overcome. And today, to meet Peggy, to view her wonderful products, to see the recycled bags that she’s also selling (unique, eclectic designs from old licence plates), her organic bedding (pillows, duvets of alpaca wool) one would never know.

For Peggy, next week is definitely the reward for determining her future, for putting one foot ahead of the other and conquering her ‘mountain’ one step at a time.

We can all rejoice on Emmy night as this young Barrie woman sits in Hollywood and knows that her products are going into new hands from all over the world.

Thanks, Peggy. You’re an inspiration to us all!