In 2020, Marki Lemons Ryhal was diagnosed with lipedema, a condition where excess fat gathers in the lower part of the body. Although she has been working in chronic pain for at least five years, she noticed it was becoming an issue after attending the NAR annual conference in 2020.
The pain was so bad that by the end of the event, she needed to use a wheelchair to get around. Afterward, she picked a surgeon and scheduled three surgeries, starting with the first on March 1, 2021.
From there, she knew she had to set up her business for success during her downtime. Self-employment was not a restriction, it was an opportunity to become more efficient than ever. Here’s what she did:
- Set Up Payroll Obviously, Marki knew that she still needed to get paid from her businesses. She set up a payroll system for herself to ensure she was getting paid every two weeks.
- Automated and Maximized Sales Funnels and Systems Marki realized her website needed to be in better shape to continue selling her products while she was unavailable due to surgeries. She hired a professional to analyze and revamp her website to enhance the user experience and self-sustain product sales. She also continued to work on her Amazon storefront to ensure products were being showcased through the site.
- Continued to Do What She Could Online Between surgeries, Marki knew she’d at least have enough energy to get up and sit at a desk. So, she continued to virtually teach courses online from her home about graphic design through Canva and more.