Home Business Magazine

Personal Service Home Business: Pill Free Vitamins LLC, Steve Godlewski, Founder
By Sandy Larson

Good luck couldn’t have knocked on Steve Godlewski’s door at a better time. Formerly a director of information technology, Steve was constantly subjected to the pressures of being in a highly volatile and unpredictable industry. “After the tech bubble burst, and the company I worked for went through three rounds of layoffs, I knew that it was the optimum time to go into business for myself,” recalls Steve. That is when he became an independent distributor of Life Force International™ products and started Pill Free Vitamins LLC (www.PillFreeVitamins.com).

Steve and his wife launched their liquid nutritional supplement company from their dining room table in 2001.”I was getting tired of the 1-hour plus commute each way to work and wanted the flexibility to wear whatever I wanted to work everyday,” reflects Steve, who lives in Oak Forest, Illinois. “I also wanted to get away from all the corporate politics.”

Shifting into an entirely new line of work required Steve to do his homework. “I had to learn some completely new business skills, such as Internet marketing, web design, and public speaking,” says Steve. “If it wasn't for the help of my mother doing customer service while I learned the business, and the support and patience of my wife, we wouldn't be where we are today. “

Steve’s diligence and hard work paid off. By March of 2003, he was able to retire from his full-time job and focus entirely on his million dollar home business. He went on to earn a Top Volume Producer Award of 2004. Currently, Steve’s business operation generates more than 350 new customers each month. “My independence and the success of my business have afforded me the opportunity to enjoy the important things in life — like being an integral part of the lives of my children,” shares Steve, who takes pride in the fact that he is a “stay-at-home” father to his two kids. “Being able to watch my son take his first steps is what really made this venture worthwhile.”

One of the secrets behind Steve’s success is the individual attention he gives to each customer. Steve advises other home-based entrepreneurs to, “Treat customers better than they have ever been treated. Call just to say thanks instead of asking them to buy more. This will floor them. Proactively contact them after a week to ensure they are satisfied and if they have any questions. Finally, always follow-through on what you promise them.”

Steve has no regrets about transitioning from the corporate workplace to the home office. “I love the freedom it provides me,” says Steve. “Not only can I set my own hours, watch TV in between phone calls, have a five-second commute, and play with my kids on a moment's notice, but I have been able to take a month's vacation in Florida last year and another two weeks this past month. This all is unheard of in the corporate world.”

Excerpted from the article, "Do You Have What it Takes to be a Home-Based Millionaire? The Lucky 7: Profiles of Seven-Figure business owners & entrepreneurs," in the June 2005 issue of Home Business Magazine.