I was a broke mum working in a pet shop but now I earn £100k in a ‘forgotten’ job anyone can do… I made £12k in 1 month

WHEN Zoe Davies gave birth to her daughter at the turn of the century, she had no choice but to return to work after just four months to make ends meet. 

But when her family car valet business fell on hard times, and her job as a retail manager wasn’t paying enough to support her young family, Zoe, 51, needed to find another way to make money. 

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She eventually took on an extra job with Avon and would spend her evenings going door-to-door selling products and dropping off brochures.

But when she made £12,000 in just one month – her entire annual salary as a pet store boss – she decided to take on the role full time. 

‘Best decision ever'

By 2021, she was earning £111,000 a year, and had become a top sales leader within the business.

Zoe, from Riddings, Derbyshire, told Fabulous, “It was the best decision I made. Avon are brilliant to work for and you get out as much as you put in. 

“I now have 300 people reporting directly to me and I’m helping them to grow. I’ve got a wonderful team and it’s great because I can work from home, plus financially I don’t have to worry.”

However, that wasn’t always the case for Zoe. When Megan, now 24, was born Zoe returned to her job as a manager of a pet store in Shrewsbury, taking home less than £1,000 a month. 

Money worries

A year later, her son Sam, now 23, was born, and they saw their car valet business – where her husband Andy, now 60, worked – hit financial difficulty after one of their main clients went into administration.

It was a difficult time for the family and Zoe felt the struggle.

“When the children were young it was tough as we didn’t have money,” Zoe says. “All their school friends had designer trainers and clothes and we couldn’t afford that. 

“It was only when I started to work for Avon in the evenings and saw the potential earnings that I knew I had to do it full time.”

Avon launched in the UK in 1959 quickly capturing the hearts of middle-class housewives thrilled to be able to combine work with raising a family.

By 1969, there were 50,000 Avon ladies and, while perhaps not now a household name for Gen Z, the power of its products has endured; one of its lipsticks sells every 20 seconds.

Avon also reported a 114 per cent surge in the number of new representatives joining its UK arm during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Zoe quit her job at the pet store and threw herself into sales. Soon enough she was making enough money to support her family, and the car valet business stabilised, but Zoe’s job is more than selling a few beauty products.

One of my biggest regrets was going back to work so soon after having my children, but I had to

Zoe Davies

“It's not easy, and it takes an awful lot of work,” she says. “At one point I was managing around 5,000 and helping their teams grow. Your skill set needs to be very, very people-oriented and in this day and age you need to know about online sales too. It’s not just about going door-to-door anymore.”

However, Zoe’s hard work and determination paid off and the family sold their small “two up two down” for £95,000 and bought a stunning four bedroom cottage with a huge garden and conservatory, which is now worth £275,000. 

She also bought her beloved Range Rover Evoque outright and is a member of her local leisure club. 

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And because of her extraordinary sales efforts, Avon awarded her luxury holidays to Thailand, South Africa, Mauritius and Iceland.

But despite her huge monthly income and plush home, Zoe maintains she isn't a spendthrift. In fact, she is sensible with her money, and encourages her children to be the same. 

Luxury holidays

She says, “I like handbags and sunglasses, but I buy Radley and RayBan. I think my most expensive pair of glasses was £130.

“I’m not an extravagant spender and neither are my children. They have really good attitudes towards money.”

In fact, Megan, who followed in her mum’s footsteps and took a job with Avon, has just bought her first house. Meanwhile, Sam has taken over the car valet business which is now a huge success. 

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“He still lives at home and he could afford to move out – he's got more money than me!” Zoe says. “They’ve both done really well for themselves and are sensible with their incomes.”

In recent years, Zoe has invested in personal development, including coaching diplomas, and is now helping others grow their own incomes. 

She says, “One of my biggest regrets was going back to work so soon after having my children, but I had to.

“Now I get to see their own success and spend time at home with my husband while still working and helping other people to grow their teams, it really is the best of both worlds.”