"IT'S WHO I AM"

Rt: Melissa Peterson; Lt: Edna Siwak

In January of this year (2022), Edna Siwak was working a full-time job and caring for a family with young children. She was not actively pursuing a new career but was open to new opportunities as a way to supplement her income. Because of her children, she preferred something she could do online.

She was contacted by Chris Shepherd, an Executive Director at LegalShield, who found her information on one of the many job sites she had sent her resume to. Having been in sales before, the prospect of getting back into the vocation caught her attention.

“I was intrigued. I had been in the legal field in college before I switched to psychology, so when I heard the name (LegalShield), it piqued my interest. I thought this was a legal position. That’s what drew me in.” Once she and Rich met and he explained the program to her, she was anxious to get started.

“I haven’t quit my full-time job,” she explained, “but my current role is not very responsive to my abilities. I was looking for instant recognition as a person as well as pay.” She was looking for a change from feeling unappreciated in her current job.

She found that fulfillment and appreciation right from the start when she joined LegalShield.

“The biggest benefit (to being a part of this company), beyond financial, is the community where you feel supported and appreciated. I had the opportunity to go to a convention two months into the business and I was just in awe of the positivity and support of the people. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. To be in a room with all these people I’ve met online (was unbelievable). They are all so positive. And it’s not a “fake” positive just to get through the conference and once we get to the hotel, I forget who you are. It’s genuine. They are like, ‘I see you, I’m excited (for you), what can I do to help you? What do you need?’”

On the first day of the convention Edna attended, she was making her way into the building where the convention was taking place with her hands full of bags. Her shoe slipped off her foot and she couldn’t get it back on with her hands full.

“Someone was walking by and was nicely dressed because we were going into one of the sessions; they stopped and helped me put my shoe on rather than walking on by.

“It’s being seen for who you are,” Edna remarked, “not just as another person but being seen for who you are and being appreciated, (happy to be) in the same presence as you. It’s not a façade. They are like that in real life.

“(One of the trainers) said ‘you are in business for yourself but not by yourself.’ It’s true. You are doing something to improve your life, but you never have to do it alone. There is always someone there to help you along the way. The highs, the lows…it’s all celebrated. It’s all acknowledged. It’s not like you did something wrong, it’s ‘hey, I’m here for you. Tell me what you’re going to do next. Tell me what I can do to help you.

“I will lift your foot up and you can lift my foot up, and we’re all doing it for the next person and the next person. And if there’s someone who can’t lift their foot up, there are five people behind them who can help lift it for them. It’s the community (at LegalShield) that is so profound I’ve never seen it (anywhere) before. It’s not forced; (helping others) is not a stipulation. But, even if you are not able to do for anyone else, they are still there for you. They treat you like you are part of (the community), not like you are below them.”

Part of the support associates are given is through meetings and training sessions. Every Monday morning, there is a training meeting online, and Monday through Friday every week, there is a “Meet and Greet” at which new associates are introduced and welcomed, and associates, managers, and beyond encourage others with their stories of how they began with LegalShield and the amazing experiences they’ve had since. All of this and more is available to encourage associates, new and seasoned, to continue working toward their goals. Always receiving constant encouragement – that’s what a community is about.

Edna exudes such enthusiasm in both voice and body language when she speaks about LegalShield and the benefits of being both a manager and a member; it is hard to capture her exuberance in words. But listening to her, it is easy to see why she has been so successful in the program.

Edna shared an experience she witnessed with a colleague at her full-time job. This person was facing an issue with her landlord; her daughter had left the water running in their apartment, and it had leaked through the wall. The proprietor threatened to have her evicted. When Edna told her to call her lawyer, the colleague asked, “How do I do that?” Edna quickly explained the procedure, and the colleague was immediately signed up as a member, received access to the benefits, and contacted a lawyer that day. This was on a Friday.

“On Monday, she called me,” Edna beamed. “She was so excited. She had already spoken to an attorney, a letter had been sent to her landlord, who backed off immediately.

“’ How is this possible?’ she kept asking,” Edna said. By the time it was all over, the colleague was relieved of any responsibility for the damages caused to the apartment and was given a new place to live; the attorney she was working with had discovered that the building in which she had been living was not up to code. It took less than a week and nothing out-of-packet for the attorney.

She thanked Edna profusely for her help. Edna then told her if she ever needed to make more money, she could become an associate. “She said, ‘Where do I sign up?’” Edna continued, “It’s something (good) you’re doing, letting (people) know that (the services) are available and giving them the details.”

Edna has sage advice for new associates or those thinking about becoming one.

“I would never recommend someone to leave their current job. When you start anything new, there will be learning curves. If you go into this with the idea that you’re going to hit the ground running, that is the case many times, but not always. And if it doesn’t happen that quickly for you, you could become disappointed. If someone is looking for a change, try it out. Follow the world-class system (LegalShield has developed), and see how it works for you. Do the steps. Doing a few things right is better than trying to (make) a big leap.”

Edna’s story is moving forward every day, as are those of thousands of other associates. The theme of Edna’s story? Pace yourself, learn the system, and everything will fall into place. “LegalShield is not just a job. It’s who I am, and who I’m becoming. It has become a part of my life that I make time for every day.” Perhaps one day it will become her full-time career.