This month we recognize Dawn Boyle’s dedication, entrepreneurial spirit, and outstanding work as an S&P Brand Manager.
“Dawn has an entrepreneurial spirit that shows through her incredible work. She takes personal ownership and embodies the Sword & Plough mission through her community work and her work as a Brand Manager. We are so grateful to have such a caring powerhouse on our team!" - Shelby, S&P Community Programs Manager.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. I love to spend time with family and friends, going for runs, yoga, reading and living each moment to the fullest. I grew up in NM and then moved around a bit after getting married to my wonderful husband 29 years ago. We have been in MN for 15 years now and love it here. My degree is in Athletic Training and I spent most of my career in sports medicine, fitness and corporate wellness. After owning a health promotion company for 5 years, I am now passionate about small business and supporting causes that are important to me. I have two fabulous children, Taylor and Justin, who both live in VA. Taylor works in finance and she is studying for her CPA. Justin is an Air Rescue Swimmer in the Navy.
What made you decide to be a Sword & Plough Brand Manager? What is it about the products/brand you love? As a proud military mom, I want to be involved in the military and veteran community. I love the Sword & Plough story, purpose and mission, not to mention the amazing products! The products are so durable, unique and one of a kind.
What has been the most rewarding experience of being a Sword & Plough Community Brand Manager? I am just excited to be part of this company at an early stage where I can contribute to the growth of the brand! The reward for me is simply that I can play a small role in supporting causes I care about….American made products, veteran engagement and connection, and repurposing to benefit the environment. I love to introduce the product and brand to somebody new who is passionate about these things as well and they feel great about buying the product.
One of the hopes for the Community Brand Manager program is that each member will leverage their own entrepreneurial spirit. What creative ways have you employed to reach customers? I believe in staying local in your community as you grow the brand and allow those to continue sharing and spreading the brand out to their circles. When you believe in the company, the product and the mission, you are more passionate about what you are doing and it will show. For me, home parties and tabling events are a great way for people to see the product and make a decision about what they like. Facebook and email are wonderful tools that allow me to share the Sword & Plough story with others who live farther away or don’t have time to attend.
Can you please share what has been your favorite experience/memory working with a Sword & Plough customer? My first sale was really the most exciting not only because it was the first sale, but because it was a friend who bought a bag for her husband to use on his race weekends. He is a competitive athlete which I love and they both are great supporters of our service men and women. He liked his bag so much, he bought a gift certificate to raffle at a company event to help spread the word!
What Sword & Plough product is your favorite and why? I love my mini tote! It is so versatile…..I use it mainly as a purse or when I carry my laptop and additional business items for meetings.
Who is someone who inspires you and why? There are many people in my life who inspire me and I feel fortunate to know many strong and compassionate people. I will definitely choose my mom as my main source of inspiration! She is strong, confident, practical, caring and she has always been the rock in my life. She raised 2 girls while starting and running her own business and was a respected physical therapist and business woman. She has always been a positive, calm, happy influence and I am lucky to call her my mom!!!
Tell us about the service members in your life and your connection to them. Both my brother and my son are active duty Navy and I am so proud of them both! They are brave, hard working, wonderful people and I have so much respect for the work they do each and every day. I have other friends and sons/daughters of friends who serve and I honor them all for their service!!
What, if any, experience did you have that made you feel like the Brand Champion program was a good fit for you? What advice would you give to someone who is just starting as a Brand Champion or thinking about applying? At this time in my life, being a Brand Champion for Sword & Plough has really been a good fit for me. I have a role with a great company and have the flexibility to work around my schedule. If you love the mission and product like I do, join the team!!
The Sword & Plough Brand Champion Program is an entrepreneurial opportunity for our most passionate fans and supporters to spread Sword & Plough’s mission within their communities and earn sales commissions as well. The majority of our brand managers are veterans and military spouses. We currently have 76 Brand Champions representing 30 states and 3 countries! It’s been such an exciting way to give back to our community and to see the incredible energy these team members have for Sword & Plough’s impact and products.
If you are interested in learning more about the Brand Champion program, please go to www.swordandplough.com/champions.