Avon in the News - Avon - an unsuitable job for a man?

An unsuitable job for a man?

Nadine Rowlands and her husband Wayne, who work full time together selling Avon products

Wayne Rowlands, 52, is an Avon man. He is married to Nadine, who also works for Avon. He has a daughter, Lisa, from a previous marriage. The couple live near Manchester

Obviously there's the initial shock of people thinking, 'Oh! A man!' when you turn up at the door – I'm not your standard Avon lady. But as soon as you start talking about the products people are fine. OK, I don't use lipstick, but Nadine and I visit the customers together and everybody is interested in offers, and that's the aspect I sell.

Sometimes a woman will ask which perfume I prefer. And I always give the same answer – I say, 'I prefer the sweet-smelling one'– whichever that one is. Like Expressions by Reese Witherspoon, or Outspoken.

I used to be an engineer. I worked for Lancashire Dairies for 16 years, then Walls, Kerry Foods and AstraZeneca. Nadine and I got married in 2002. In 2005 we moved house and had a very big mortgage, so Nadine signed up to be a sales leader for Avon – she'd worked for Avon before as a sales rep. It started as a thing on the side, fitting around her full-time job as a legal secretary, because we needed some extra money.

A week later she signed me up. I said, 'Avon! You must be joking! What do I know about blinkin' handbags and lipstick?!' And she said, 'It will work.'

So we took our Avon brochures, gave a little knock on the door and just said, politely, 'We've just started to do Avon, would you like to see a brochure?' And people said yes or no, and then three o four days later we called back and, lo and behold, people had placed loads of orders. I couldn't believe it. Nadine said, 'I told you so.'

By Christmas 2008 we were jointly earning more through Avon than in our full-time jobs. I handed in my notice and I had to fight my corner because my mates were all taking the mickey, of course. I said, 'Once you get used to the handbags and lipsticks, it's smashing' – well I had to do something to save face – but, honest to God, it's the best move I've ever made.

Nadine left her job last Christmas. We now look after a team of 1,200 Avon reps and still do some home visits and door-to-door selling ourselves. Last year our income was £91,000, so financially I'm quite a lot better off.

It's not easy coming out of your comfort zone, though. Avon does lingerie, from bras to thongs, and it can be awkward when you go to someone's house and a lady says, 'This underwear doesn't fit.'