Hi °C | Lo °C 
She's not just an Avon Lady - Co Antrim woman Cathy Magee is an Avon wife, mother and very successful businesswoman to boot.
The first ever senior executive sales leader for Avon in Northern Ireland, Cathy has been a rep for the cosmetics firm on and off for over 25 years, but in the last five has amassed around 1,000 representatives in her team and 75 sales leaders with an annual turnover of £1.5m.
On her team is her husband Ivan, who was the first ever male executive sales leader, her daughter, who is an advanced sales leader; and her son, who is also a sales leader.
Through Avon, Cathy has won numerous trips to Monte Carlo, Tenerife, Malta and Benidorm and has also done a lot for fundraising for charity.
"Initially, like most mums, I started doing Avon for a bit of extra money," she said. "I was made a sales leader five years ago and began to really build it into a business," she said.
"I put myself out there, I put feet on the street, I built up a good network of business talking to people all of the time and using whatever avenue I could.
"We are in the middle of a downturn but I am aiming at a different market than the high street.
"Avon is a worldwide company, the biggest direct selling company in world and a lot of people don't get time to go out and walk down to the shops. They can get a brochure, put their feet up and browse.
"As a mum myself, I know there is nothing worse than dragging children around the shops, especially at this time of year.
"Personally, my business has grown massively this year. If anything the downturn has really helped to grow business. People will cut back on what they spend, but women in general will never do without make-up.
"My daughter in particular had been finding it difficult going out to work and leaving her wee boy - she's been able to cut her hours down to two days a week and Avon funds the rest of her income; it's a very flexible job and you can work around family life.
"My husband also came on board and so did my son, and while it is a mainly female environment, men get involved because they see it as a business and they see the potential."
She said a lack of extensive previous experience didn't hold her back. "I was a childminder, I had a small catering business, but the good thing about Avon is you get a lot of support, a lot of training and networking opportunities. I am a small trader, but I am not left to my own devices.
"There are only two senior executives in Northern Ireland and the second is within my network. I was the first ever in Northern Ireland and I had a five-year plan do become the first senior executive in Northern Ireland and I achieved it in three. I am one of the top sales leaders in the UK - but I don't do it on my own. I have an amazing team."
