 Cassidy Cathmoir, Brandon Goudreault
Cassidy Cathmoir Christine Althouse Photography & Design Video Strategy Mom Talk, Coffee Time WomanSpeak Youngevity |
Christine Althouse
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Cassidy and Brandon
Top of the Hill Farm
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Cassidy has recently embraced another business opportunity as a Youngevity associate. This international multilevel marketing program was founded in 1996 as a distributor of health and wellness products based on the treatise of its founder, veterinarian and naturopath Dr. Joel Wallach. In a nutshell, his philosophy maintains that most human disease is caused by nutritional deficiencies with particular emphasis on colloidal minerals no longer present in our depleted soil. Although its foundation is plant-based vitamin and mineral supplementation, Youngevity also offers natural cosmetics, home products, essential oils and epicurean delights like coffee, tea and herb/spice blends. (See Sidebar)
Cassidy has come to believe in the validity of the company’s products for health and wellness under the mentorship of Christine Althouse, a follower of Dr. Wallach and purveyor of Youngevity products since 2012.  Christine at a Youngevity Foundation Event
Christine Although slightly on the far side of the millennipreneur phenomenon, Christine is infused with an unquenchable entrepreneurial spirit that is quite in tune with the technologies of the day. She defines herself on social media as a “mom, wife, animal lover and entrepreneur. Helping women make incredible things happen”. 
As well as her ongoing role as Star Executive at Youngevity, she manages an active social media page and produces two weekly videos, Mom Talk and Coffee Time with Christine. The focus of Mom Talk is to inspire women through the insights of other moms who have launched a home business during the demanding childrearing years.
A few months ago, she joined forces with Sheryl Plouffe of Kitchener, formerly of The Weather Network and now an online video strategist. Christine is thrilled at the opportunity to mentor others in the video marketing field by helping them to clarify and communicate their messages to the world. She has also recently launched a WomanSpeak circle program in Campbellford, a live venue for women to raise their voices and speak their minds. Christine’s program is the first of its kind in Ontario and the fifth in Canada with only four established Circles currently running in British Columbia. WomanSpeak is an international initiative founded by KC Baker of Arizona, formerly an investment banking analyst. “We are on a mission to support women and girls in feeling free to own the value of their ideas and perspectives, and to share them authentically and confidently”, explains the WomanSpeak website. The program will be fully launched in Campbellford by January 2019. Christine shares her Campbellford home with her partner Mark, who also owns and manages his own business, Althouse Landscaping. They have two teenagers in residence. A study on Millennipreneurs published by The Motivated Millennial notes a few interesting observations about this generation of go-getters. Not only do they burst out of the starting gate at a younger age and tend to roll out more initiatives than did their boomer predecessors, but 87% of millennials are said to believe that “the success of a business should be measured in terms of more than just its financial performance”. Cassidy and Christine exemplify this philosophy. They are on a mission to tap into their own power and inspire others to do the same. |
Youngevity
As is the case with any multilevel marketing program, not to mention many health and wellness platforms, the philosophies of Youngevity’s founder Dr. Joel Wallach have both dedicated followers and strident sceptics. Notwithstanding, the company currently boasts over 2,000 products and 30,000 distributors in 65 countries. Youngevity is well positioned for continued growth under the next generation leadership of Dr. Wallach’s son, Steve Wallach, as Chief Executive Officer. The company reported gross revenues of $166 million in 2017, driven in part by increasing commercial coffee sales along with its flagship line of nutritional supplements. Youngevity launched its coffee arm, CLR Roasters, in 2001. In 2014, it acquired a 1,000 acre coffee plantation in the Matagalpa rainforest of Nicarauga. The plantation was in disrepair and the residents lived in poverty with inadequate housing and education. Youngevity’s Be The Change Foundation was formed to improve living conditions there through profit donation from the sale of the plantation’s coffee. The school has subsequently been reopened, housing has been built and a green hydroelectric plant constructed in partnership with Fair Trade. The foundation continues to support charitable organizations all over the world. Youngevity announced in August 2018 that it intended to enter the cannabinoid (CBD) market with three HempFX products launched in November. Again grown on proprietary plantations, the company’s roll-out includes a topical for joint and muscle pain, a sleep tincture formulated with melatonin and a full-spectrum CBD for improved mood and energy. None of these products contain THC. “We firmly believe in plant-based nutrition, and hemp (CBD) oil perfectly complements our product development philosophy”, said CEO Steve Wallach in an interview published by Direct Selling News. “Entering this market, which is growing almost exponentially, also should offer a tremendous advantage to our many Distributors around the world.” Youngevity is being touted by some stock analysts as an excellent vehicle for investors interested in CBD products due to its already buoyant revenues from direct selling and coffee, projected at $240 million for 2018 excluding potential earnings from hemp products. The company’s shares trade under NASDAQ: YGYI. |
