Beauty Business – Women who made it BIG! Gail Reynolds –Senior Executive Sales Leader – Avon Cosmetics UK

Former Accountant Gail Reynolds became an Avon Representative in 2002 and quickly took the step up to Avon Sales Leader reaching Senior Executive Status in 2005. She now heads up a nationwide team of around 2000 Representatives including 150 Sales Leaders and earns the company more than £4 million in sales every year. Gail is currently the third highest earner in the UK for the global beauty business that is Avon. First and third are Debbie Davis and her partner Dave Carter.

WE’RE THE SUPERGIRLS OF SALES MONEY TALKS: Gail (left) and Stine are helping their firms make millions

 Thursday September 2,2010

 By Interviews by Sophie Donnelly and Joanne Della-Ragione  GAIL REYNOLDS, 39, is a senior executive sales leader for Avon, earning more than £4.4 million for the company this year alone. She lives in Dorset with her husband Brian, 40, and their three children Ashleigh, 20, Libby, 13, and Rosie, five  I joined Avon in 2002 but I didn’t set out to make millions of pounds for the company and live a lavish lifestyle. The truth is I was lonely and wanted to make new friends. When my husband’s grandad fell ill, Brian and I moved from Weymouth to Hastings with Ashleigh and Libby to take care of him.  I was a trained accountant and freelanced for a local business but after three months I felt isolated because I didn’t have any friends in the area.

 I designed a booklet called The Little Book Of Big Ideas for my team. It shows them how to find customers, how to serve them properly and how to make the most of a customer’s connections. For example if they know one customer is going to the gym or on a girlie weekend they know to give her a few extra brochures to hand out. I also host Avon parties. As the catalogue features over 50,000 products I create a theme, such as make-up or lingerie. Last year I made £113,000 in commission and during my last three-week period I personally earnt £7,920.