Mother/son team create true rags-to-riches story
The past decade has given life a whole new meaning for Collette Larsen and her family. In 1994, the single mother of five faced a mountain of medical bills and needed to work at home to care for her children. Her two youngest daughters, Lexi and Sharlie, were critically ill with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Lexi had recently undergone a double lung transplant and, due to complications, was in a medically induced coma. Doctors had discussed putting Sharlie on the transplant list as well. With her attention on her daughters, Collette needed to look at sources of extra income. “That is the day I decided to do USANA as a business,” she recalls.

Zachary Ross was in South America when his mother got involved with USANA. But upon returning to the States, he decided to concentrate on his education. “I was thinking that after graduating I would become a Spanish teacher,” he explains. Zachary’s plans changed however after he made a trip to Australia with his mother. USANA had just opened in that country, and Collette and her children spent six months there. “I kind of got a crash-course training from my mom,” he remembers. Today, Collette and Zachary lead Larsen Global Alliance and are 5-Star Diamond Directors.

Businessman goes from full-time job to full-time father
“Rebecca and I are home full time with the kids now and it’s been great. Rather than working for a boss and having a vacation policy, if we want to go someplace, it’s solely up to us.” 

In 1998, Dan and Rebecca Brink both had full-time jobs, and finding extra time to spend with their three small children was proving difficult. Dan was usually on the road five days a week with his telecommunications company, which was in the process of downsizing its workforce. With the threat of losing his job and the limited time he had with his wife and children, Dan realized some changes needed to be made. 

Turning people’s lives around brings joy to couple’s life
  Larry and Nancy Bunn met in dental school (Larry was studying to become a dentist while Nancy was pursuing a career as a dental hygienist) and have pursued their dreams together ever since. They raised five children, and now have 11 grandchildren. "We see them almost every day," Nancy says. "It's an absolute riot, and I love it."

Since 1995, Larry and Nancy have diligently worked their USANA business and have earned the title of Diamond Directors. Their dedication has certainly paid off as they take advantage of some of the best things that life has to offer. With their beautifully remodeled home in Olympia, Washington; a summer cabin on Mason Lake; and a recently purchased home in Palm Springs, California, the Bunns will have plenty of space to entertain their grandchildren. "We love to watch them enjoy the water when we take them out on the boats. We will be spending a lot of time with them this year," Larry says. "We also have a big family ski retreat planned at Whistler Resort where we will be able to focus on our family—the stuff that really matters in life." 

Single mother now making a difference in other people's lives
Susan Waitley never does anything halfheartedly. So when her good friends and fellow USANA Associates Dan and Nanc Christy convinced her to take up golf this year, she dove in with her usual enthusiasm. “Like anything in life, I know the more practice I get, the better I will be. So when I’m at the driving range, I don’t just hit just one bucket of balls, I hit three buckets. I absolutely love it!”

That same determination to succeed has helped Susan build a thriving USANA business and achieve the life she always dreamed about. She is, above all, grateful for the time freedom she has to spend with her family, especially her four young grandchildren. “It is so much fun to watch them grow and develop and experience new things,” she says. Susan also cheers on her daughters as they achieve their own goals with USANA. “It’s a pleasure to watch Kim, Lisa, and my daughter of the heart, Graciela, grow their USANA businesses,” she says. “I can’t wait for them to pass me up.” 

Lights, camera, action . . . lively California couple direct own USANA story
More than 20 years ago, Bud and Bunny Barth wanted to find a way to stay close to home to be with their children. So, Bunny, a former professional dancer, and Bud, a professional voice-over actor who has performed the voice of many well-known characters including Fred Flintstone and Chester Cheetah, decided that rather than pursuing their own paths to stardom, they would focus their talents behind the scenes. They soon established their own studio, Del Mar Media Arts, and began to produce, cast, and train actors to do voice-overs, commercials, and film projects. It’s been a perfect business because it has given them freedom to be with their family and pursue their passions.

One of those passions is USANA, which the Barths joined in 1994. Today, they say their USANA business has provided them with an important additional stream of income and an extraordinary quality of life. Their days and nights are filled with the work that they love, and the USANA® Nutritionals help them maintain the energy needed to keep up with a demanding schedule. And they insist the financial freedom they have gained from their USANA business has allowed them to run both of their businesses more successfully. 

Successful surgeon trusts his health to USANA
Years ago, as a surgeon at a big hospital in China and then later as an acupuncturist in Australia, Bin Yang did not believe in nutritional supplements. “The only thing I trusted was the scalpel in my hand,” she remembers. “But now, after using USANA products and sharing the USANA vision with others, I have found that this company can help many more people to be free from pain and suffering, to be free from disease, then the scalpel or acupuncture needle can. USANA can also help people obtain financial freedom. Thus, USANA is a great cause of mine!”

The quality of USANA products and the unique vision of Dr. Wentz are the things that changed this couple’s opinion about nutritional supplements and the industry as a whole. Fin Yang says, “We went from being sick of network marketing to becoming active Associates. The vision of Dr. Wentz has changed us a lot; our lives have changed completely.” 

Building USANA business a matter of faith
As 1-Star Diamond Directors, Daniel and Dr. Paige Hunter build their USANA business, they realize that success in USANA is a matter of faith. “We are learning with USANA that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see,” they explain. “In our first year, we placed it in our hearts to be Diamond Directors, and although we could not see it, we believed that with God’s help, lots of personal growth, and partnering with a dynamic team, this goal would materialize. It has taken us to our dreams and is creating new ones.”

When Daniel and Paige began working USANA, success meant three things; be debt-free, be healthy, and help others do the same. Now, success means that the more money they make, the more it circulates and blesses others. Currently, Paige works with an organization called Shod with Peace, a ministry that distributes shoes to children all over the world including Honduras, Mexico, and South Africa. The couple also supports an organization called Sower of Seeds Ministry, which helps rural communities in India dig wells for fresh water. “I really admire anyone who has risen above their conditions, and who has the courage in the every day,” Paige says. “If we can help someone achieve this, it makes it all worth while.” 

Search for ideal business leads to USANA
Hubert Krause and Seta Der Artinian work six days a week from their spacious home outside Ste Adèle, Québec, with unwavering enthusiasm. The couple began their USANA business in 1996 with the ambitious goal of building the Québec market—before sales tools were even available in French. Ten years later, Seta and Hubert remain passionate and determined about their work. “We are focused and we have high goals to help a lot of people,” Seta says. 

Before they joined USANA, Hubert and Seta spent seven years building another successful network marketing business throughout Canada and Europe. But after years of travel, the couple was burned out. They spent the winter recuperating in Florida and contemplating their next business venture. If they were to be involved in the network marketing industry again, Seta and Hubert had several conditions a new company would need to meet. “We wanted to find products that would truly make a difference in the health of those that consumed them,” Hubert says. “This time around we wanted to find a company that really made a difference in people’s lives with products that made sense and gave results. When we found USANA, we were elated that one company could meet all of our criteria and more.” 

Nevada man finds true freedom through USANA business
It was 2-Star Diamond Director Lyndon Redman’s love of both the ocean and the mountains that ultimately led him to make the move from British Columbia to Lake Tahoe, Nevada nine years ago. “For me, living in Tahoe is the best of both worlds,” he explains. “Some of the most famous people in America live here. It’s just an amazing place.” Lyndon has found the location to be ideal, and he loves the resort lifestyle Tahoe offers. He can go skiing at Heavenly Ski Resort within five minutes, drive 20 minutes to enjoy fantastic year-round golf, or drive to the San Francisco Bay area in about three hours. Despite all of these things, however, Lyndon had also been searching for someone to spend his time and share his life with—and he finally found her in Marie-France Morin, former Canadian Field Director for USANA Health Sciences.

Lyndon and Marie-France have much in common and share many of the same values, including a love of people, gastronomy, traveling, and practicing different sports like sailing, skiing, and running. Together, the couple wants to travel throughout the world discovering new places and new cultures. Furthermore, both possess a desire for children and the ability to raise them without the constraints of a nine-to-five job. With a USANA business that allows true time and financial independence, the couple is “realizing what freedom is all about.” Together, Lyndon and Marie-France have experienced some big changes in their lives in the last year and half. Lyndon got his home ready for Marie-France and a future family, Marie-France ‘fired her boss’ and became a Distributor, and now the two of them are proud parents of a brand new baby girl, Gabriella. “It is definitely a joy to have this little angel with us,” Lyndon says. “We both have been wanting children, and Gabriella is another of our many dreams come true.” 

Canadian couple now free to do what they want when they want
Success can be measured in many ways. For some people, it’s being able to sleep in and spend as much time with family and friends as possible; for others, having new cars and a beautiful home is the meaning of success. While Sophia Marcoux and Jacques Fiset have certainly earned time and financial freedom, they prefer to measure their success by the positive influence they have on people’s lives and by the synergy they have together as a couple and as an organization.

As two of the most well-known and respected Associates in the company, Sophia and Jacques have been instrumental in building the Québec market, and their hard work has not gone unnoticed. After serving three years on the Independent Distributor Council (two as members and one as vice-presidents), these 1-Star Diamond Directors are back for another year of collaboration with the Home Office. “Our election is such an honor for us,” they say. “USANA has given us so much; we really want to give back.” They were also awarded the Dr. Wentz Vision Award in 2003, and still use it to fuel their motivation. “You work your business with passion and vision, but when you win an award like that, it fuels you for a lifetime,” the couple explains. “You are able to see a more global perspective. We see now the impact we can have on people’s lives, not just locally where we are working our business, but worldwide.” 

Husband/wife team find joy working together as one
Bryan Morris was looking for a new way of life when the USANA opportunity fell into his lap. He already had a successful car dealership, but he was unhappy with his lack of time freedom. “I had been in the car business for five or six years, and was just miserable,” he says. “I was one of the biggest used car dealers in the area, but there is just no future in this kind of business.” Meanwhile, Layda was also looking for a new life. She remembers being convinced that she should leave her home in Mexico for the United States because she felt there was something waiting for her there¬, something she could take home to her family and friends. USANA was the answer to her prayers. “People told me that I was crazy, but I learned to listen to my internal voice,” Layda says. As fate would have it, the two individually signed up with USANA and fell in love with the company. A short while later, they met and fell in love with each other. The rest is history.

Today Layda and Bryan work together to spread the message of USANA to others. “Our big goals are to empower more and more people and to be Gold- and Ruby-producing machines,” Bryan says. “My ‘why’ is to find people who have big dreams and goals, and help them achieve those goals through USANA.” Layda adds, “It isn’t about money. It is about how we feel when we help another person find that freedom.”

Couple discovers time and financial freedom to live life they always dreamed of
Bryan and Monica Penrod, 2-Star Diamond Directors, are grateful for the freedom that their USANA business has created for them. Nine years ago, however, things were much different. Both were struggling under financial debt and facing another year working in income-limiting jobs. They also struggled to maintain their relationship, as making ends meet required so much time at work and away from each other. Bryan was working in sales by day and part time at a restaurant by night. Monica also helped to pay bills as a waitress. 

Searching for a solution, Bryan concluded that network marketing would be the business vehicle they would use to develop time freedom and leveraged, residual income. The search ended when Bryan was introduced to USANA. “I liked the fact that USANA offered the finest products available on the market and that people were going to loyally use them every day for the rest of their lives,” Bryan recalls. “I also saw the potential of a lucrative and fair compensation plan.” By daring to strive toward entrepreneurship on a part-time basis, Bryan and Monica were able to “fire their bosses” within nearly a year and leave the illusion of false security that most employers offer today. 

A corporate star rises again
After working hard at their USANA business for over 12 years, Pete and Dora Zdanis have really adjusted to living their lives by their own rules. 

At home in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, the couple spends time playing golf and are looking forward to snow so Dora can teach Pete how to cross-country ski. “Our lifestyle is changing since we’re both very involved with RESET,” Dora says. “We have committed to a healthier lifestyle, which not only includes changing our eating habits, but increasing our activities.” 

Sportsman now has time to do things he loves
You've heard the saying, "A bad day fishing is better than a good day at the office." That's the way Sterling Ottesen used to feel about working in the typical world of corporate America. But today, things have changed a bit. Sterling is having just as much fun working his USANA business as he does fishing.

Just over a decade ago, this avid fisherman would have to fight the weekend crowds at his favorite fishing spots just to cast a few lines because, like everyone else, the weekend was his only free time. Not anymore. With his successful USANA business intact, Sterling can go fishing any day of the week. Wednesdays are usually designated as fishing or getaway days for him, however. "It's a symbolic thing to me," he says. "It means that I have real time freedom, the ability to choose what and where, to be involved in what matters the most. That is a difficult thing to have in the traditional American workplace. That is a rare precious thing that we can have in USANA."

Former carpet installer now living life of luxury
There are a lot of miles between life as a carpet installer and being a 9-Star Diamond Director and the 2009 Distributor of the Year. Jeremy Stansfield has sped through that journey. He certainly has the vehicles to accomplish such a feat. Jeremy possesses a stable full of Hummers, ATVs, snowmobiles, jet skis, boats, an RV, and a sizzling yellow Lamborghini—his reward for taking home the $250,000 top prize in last year’s Millionaire Challenge. But none of those would be parked in his garage without Jeremy’s real vehicle for success: USANA.

That vehicle took Jeremy from a man with big dreams to one of the most successful, recognizable faces in USANA. “People see me as a carpet installer who found USANA and suddenly built this big business,” he says. “The fact of the matter is that I’ve had big dreams for a long time. If people could just temporarily experience the freedom a USANA business can provide, they would drop everything to focus on making the lifestyle of their dreams possible. 

Taiwanese couple savours life USANA provides them
After experiencing the energy and excitement of the 2004 International Convention in Salt Lake City, Tang Jung Liu and Shiu Jou Pan returned to their home in Taipei, Taiwan motivated to build a highly successful USANA business. One short year later, the new Diamond Directors had accomplished their goal of success and more, having made history by becoming the first Associates from Taiwan to achieve the prestigious Fortune 25 ranking within the company.

This energetic couple was not new to the challenge of network marketing when they joined USANA. In fact, they met while working as distributors for another Taiwanese direct selling company. “After leaving the army more than 20 years ago, I saw the network marketing industry as a new horizon for achieving financial freedom,” Tang Jung remembers. And Shiu Jou, who was the sole breadwinner for her family at the time, was also interested in the extra stream of income she could earn in the industry. Not long after they met, a network marketing “dream team” was born. 

Canadian pharmacist discovers joys of financial freedom and family
Like thousands of individuals throughout the world who have caught the USANA vision, Vincent and Mable Chan saw an extremely exciting opportunity in USANA. In the years that have passed since making the fateful decision to become USANA Associates, the couple has experienced health, success, and financial freedom they never dreamt possible. As they now look back on all that they have accomplished, they also look forward with hope for their future. 

The primary reason Vincent and Mable got involved with USANA ten years ago was the high quality of the products. As a pharmacist, Vincent was putting in backbreaking hours for minimal profit at his self-owned pharmacy. “I gradually noticed that my health was declining because of all the time I was spending at the drugstore,” he recalls. “When I was young, I could handle 80 hours a week, but when I got to a certain age, I simply couldn’t handle spending that much time at work.” It was then that the Chans recognized they had to make a change in their lives. “I realized that I needed to help myself,” Vincent says, “and that is when I ran into USANA. I believe that it has given me a second chance at allowing me to enjoy life.” 

New Jersey doctor passionate about sharing USANA vision
Anyone who has talked to Wen Chi Wu knows he is passionate about his USANA business. Trained as an anesthesiologist, Wen Chi has worked in the medical community for over 30 years and has built his USANA business based on what he has learned.

In his efforts to merely help out a friend interested in American companies, Wen Chi researched USANA and learned that some of the company’s products are included in the Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR). Wen Chi is very familiar with, and a firm believer in, the PDR. 

Canadian couple experiences time and financial freedom like never before
USANA has been a labor of love for Connie Yao and Jim Barabe. Nearly nine years ago, Connie’s pharmacist, Vincent Chan, introduced her to USANA. It was an introduction that would change her life. A short time later, she experienced another life-changing introduction when her sister introduced her to Jim, an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. Soon, Connie invited Jim to try USANA. “I had never even heard of USANA before,” Jim remembers. “I was more interested in Connie than anything else.” Connie’s ability to establish relationships was so effective that he not only decided to give the USANA products a try, he also fell in love. And in April of 1999, the happy couple was married. Jim remarks, “I fell in love with Connie first, and soon after I fell in love with the products, the company, and Dr. Wentz’ vision.”

The couple’s love of sharing USANA has provided them with a lifestyle many can only imagine. “The products are the driving force behind our success,” Jim humbly explains. “Our active involvement with USANA has improved the quality of our lives in so many different ways. We are so much healthier, we live in a beautiful home, we drive two new Mercedes, and we travel and vacation more often. Since joining USANA, we’ve gone on four cruises and traveled all over the world. Our once unfulfilling lives have been replaced with rewarding lives that are filled with joy, excitement, adventure, satisfaction, and vibrant health. We are truly living the life of our dreams, a life we once believed would never be possible for us.” 

Dreams of former oil refinery operator come true
After nearly 10 years working as an oil refinery operator, Rick learned that the big-name company he worked for was downsizing and shutting the refinery down. Although a disappointment, Rick knew not to keep all his eggs in one basket. Two years prior to the refinery shutting down he had an opportunity to open franchises in the fast food industry. Together, Rick and Terri Young owned three fast food franchises that made it possible for their family to stay in their home town and not have to leave like other refinery workers.

Financially the couple was doing well, but now Rick was on the road all the time and they had no time freedom. After learning about the USANA opportunity, they started building their USANA business. In only six months of sharing USANA part time, Rick and Terri were making more income with USANA than they ever thought possible. 

USANA allows energetic couple to invest in every other aspect of their lives
The philosopher Aristotle wisely said, “Adventure is worthwhile.” Two people who have taken that sentiment to heart are Susanne and John Cunningham, who embarked on quite an adventure when they took the invitation to jump into a new business venture with USANA, despite both of their busy schedules. Today, after building a remarkably successful organization, this free-spirited couple is grateful for all of the blessings true health and true wealth have brought into their lives. 

“The freedom to do what I want, when I want is probably the most important thing I have gained through USANA,” John states, “in particular, to have time for my family.” Susanne echoes this sentiment, “Time and financial freedom give you more choices. You don’t have to worry about bills. You can wake up when you want, travel when you want, stay home when you want…whatever you want to do, you can choose with less worry.” 

Hong Kong fashion business owner delighting in newfound time freedom
Rita Hui’s childhood dream was to operate an international business of her own. Before USANA, Rita owned a sizeable chain of fashion boutiques throughout Hong Kong. However, her life was very busy and stressful, and she realized that it would be incredibly difficult to open new stores outside of her home country. Fortuitously, she was looking for a change when USANA opened its doors in Hong Kong. “I instantly ran to the office and handed in my application,” she recalls. Thus began Rita’s impressive career as a home-based business entrepreneur.

To date, Rita has achieved many significant milestones: She is a member of the Million Dollar Earners club. She became USANA’s first 7-Star Diamond Director in 2003. In 2004, Rita was the recipient of the President’s Award. And in 2006, she achieved the astounding level of 11-Star Diamond Director—setting a new bar for excellence in USANA.