Barry Durbin

Signs of Success

Owning your own business means you can make money, have fun and give back to others

When Barry and Ashley Durbin realized that deaf children in Louisiana were in need, they decided to take action by creating a camp and orphanage for them. A businessman in Baton Rouge gave the Durbins the use of a 78–acre Girl Scout camp. It needed extensive renovations, which they did themselves. At this point, Barry was working 60-80 hour weeks with the police force while Ashley taught school and "kept it together with minimal help."

Something had to give. Enter Vollara.

Barry resigned from the police department and worked his business full time. "It took off," he says. "We started producing leaders and managers–that was leverage. It brought freedom and security. For the first five years all I did was warm market referrals. And we were doing better than I was making at the department."

Barry thinks there’s something special about being able to have fun in your business. "There’s something magical about doing our business with no pressures and a technology that’s life changing. It’s great to do our business knowing that we have the best and that people need what we have."

"To go into a program like our Healthy Home Showcase and actually have fun doing it, where people can enjoy a good, structured presentation. It flows, it’s not off the cuff and they know you’ve prepared. It’s been a really great, fun experience."

Even the challenge of breaking through to new prospects is exciting to the Durbins. "There’s a gentleman who’s always been interested in our products, but he’s never really put that commitment out," said Barry. "So my business partner and I approached him and said, "Hey, let’s get a Healthy Home Showcase going! You’ve been talking about one, but you’ve never had one, so it’s time!" So we went to his office, where his entire staff was located, and did a Healthy Home Showcase with all the products. He told us later, "Now that I’ve heard it, it makes sense. I need four of them!" So he ordered his 4–pack and actually just picked it up today."

"I didn’t know how to make the big step into business building. I didn’t know how to really help people see what their future was all about and help them achieve their goals. Once I learned to lead people to the next step, I started making tons of money and they started making money and reaching their goals. It started getting fun."