How one van lifer makes money selling essential oils

It’s incredible the various ways people make money to sustain their life of travel in a van, RV or sailboat. I recently interviewed Joni Zander, who lives in a gorgeous camper van and makes a living selling essential oils. Before talking to Joni, I had no idea this was even a career option.

My interview with Joni is another part of my series: “How to make money while traveling full time”, about the different ways people living alternatively make money. My first article is below, in case you missed it:

Joni started selling essential oils for dōTERRA seven years ago and brought her business on the road once she decided to live in a van. It’s the perfect business for someone living in a van, RV or a sailboat, and you’ll learn why in this post.

How Joni got her start selling essential oils

Joni was living in Corvallis, Oregon and working as an energy healer when she first learned about essential oils. She wanted to find a healing remedy for her clients.

“I wanted to give clients the tools they needed to support their body’s natural ability to heal,” said Joni. “I didn’t want them to be reliant on me, so I taught them how to use the oils and order directly from dōTERRA.”

Joni also started using essential oils herself to support her immune system and hasn’t used a pharmaceutical product since.

“When my youngest went to college I decided I wanted to live in a van. I bought a Freightliner Sprinter van in 2015 and hired people to do a custom build in 2016,” Joni said. “I’m completely location independent with my essential oils business, so I was thinking – why would I stay in a house?”

The benefits and challenges of running an essential oils business

At first, selling essential oils wasn’t easy for Joni. She had to get over her own shyness and self-doubt. But over the years, she learned sales skills and practiced…a lot.

“I believe that anyone who is motivated and willing to learn good sales skills can do this business,” said Joni. “It just takes getting over yourself! I didn’t have the training when I started. But I didn’t give up. Someone starting now, with the training I give them, will have a much easier time if they are motivated.”

She loves her business because she doesn’t have to carry inventory in the van; she just has a few of her favorite essential oils on hand.

“dōTERRA is the world’s largest essential oil company, so I educate people on how to use essential oils to support their health, and I also help them purchase the oils with a wholesale customer account,” said Joni.

Usually, she sells the oils through word-of-mouth or online.

“If someone is interested, I set up a one-on-one appointment to go over health goals, the company, and the products. The appointment takes a half hour to an hour and I do it online or over the phone,” said Joni.

Ways to make money selling essential oils

Joni not only makes money selling essential oils, but brings in a commission when people she trains sell the oils as well.

“If someone joins my team and wants to start their own business selling essential oils, I work with them a couple times per week in the first month,” said Joni. “I help them get used to running the business as far as basic skills, and then I have an eight-week advanced training program. This teaches people how to get appointments, conduct appointments, and sell the product.”

Joni says there’s one major key in becoming successful at selling essential oils.

“The more sales skills I’ve learned, the more I’ve realized that when you believe in the life-changing properties of your product, you have a moral and ethical obligation to sell it and get good at selling it,” said Joni.

Joni said it’s hard to estimate just how much money people earn selling essential oils.

“The pay range is really all over the place. It depends on how many hours they are willing to work and whether they’re taking the sales training and applying it,” said Joni. “Some people can hit an income replacement level in one year if they are doing the work, and then there’s no cap on how much they can make.

To check out a rate sheet from dōTERRA, head here: Opportunity and earning disclosure

How Joni diversifies her income while living the van life

Selling essential oils isn’t the only way Joni makes money while living on the road. She also has a few investments, and runs another business doing van conversions.

“With all the research I did for my custom build, I’ve started to design vans for other people,” said Joni. “People see my van on YouTube and they want the same van and contact me.”

Joni designs the vans and builders named Jeff and Trevor build out the van.

Her business for custom Sprinter van conversions is UpRiver UpFitters.

Conclusion

I love talking to people about all the various ways they make a living while pursuing their dreams of traveling full time.

From selling essential oils, to running an Amazon FBA business, to doing freelance writing and blogging like myself, there are so many ways to make a living remotely.

Hopefully, this series inspires you that you can do it, too!