Et cetera : Leap Year birthdays: Many celebrate after waiting four years

Leap Year BD: Michelle Erickson will celebrate with sons & dogs Keegan & Mija and Kade & Tank.

A few local residents and Vinton natives have a chance to do something today that they have not done for four years – celebrate their birthdays on the actual date of their birth, Feb. 29.

“I was fortunate enough to celebrate all weekend,” says Michelle Sutton Erickson, who is marking her 9th Leap Year birthday today. “Saturday night our whole crew went to dinner at Osaka and had an absolute blast, the kids had so much fun. Today I plan to spend the morning with the kids before school, work on my business, have lunch with a friend, and this evening I will celebrate with some of my greatest new Mary Kay friends and guests at our studio at our weekly success event.”

Sutton, a 1998 V-S graduate who has lived in Swisher the past several years, says she has made one huge change since her 8th Leap Year birthday.

“The biggest and most exciting news since my 8th birthday is, last March I became an entrepreneur. I started my own business as an independent beauty consultant with Mary kay Cosmetics,” says Erickson. “It has been an absolute amazing journey. My faith, my confidence, and my passion to help others have all grown exponentially.”

On Jan. 1, Erickson became a sales director, meaning she is now among the top 2 percent in the entire company. She has already earned her first car – which she will order today – and she is already close to wrapping up her second car. Her long-term goal is to become a national sales director by her next Leap Year birthday, and to be driving one of those famous Mary Kay pink Cadillacs.

Erickson reviews her past year of success with Mary Kay, all of which has happened in less than one year:

“I signed my Mary Kay agreement March 18, 2015. My title is independent sales director. I got involved by seeing something on Facebook and became intrigued. I sought out a woman who had recently started her business. She came to my house, gave me a complementary pampering session, and shared the business with me. Two days after signing my agreement I attended a career conference in Des Moines. I absolutely fell in love with everything the company had to offer me and my family. Our business is focused on building relationships and getting to know our customers. I do a lot of one-on-one appointments, small group and larger skincare classes,” she says. “Also, I have been fortunate to travel a lot. I attended seminar in Dallas Texas last July and leadership conference in Los Angeles California in January. That conference was for directors and above and I was surrounded by 10,000 brilliant leaders. The company also rented out all of Universal Studios for us to eat, drink and ride the entire night. I am heading to Omaha Nebraska in a few weeks for my 2nd career conference, to Dallas in April for my new director training, and I will be back in Dallas in July for my second seminar.”

There 44 women in Erickson’s unit, which she has titled the GRACE (Greatness Received After Choosing Excellence) Unit.

“All of these women have played a role in me becoming a director and earning the cars. I definitely couldn't have done any of it without them,” says Erickson. “Our studio is located in Cedar Rapids. We meet there every Monday night with all of our consultants for 45 minutes of training followed by complementary pampering sessions, games, prizes, and fun for any director and consultant who brings guests. It's a great fun girls night out. There are two other directors who put these events on with me, so our three units come together every Monday. One of the perks of being a director is planning the events and preparing training for the consultants.”

Friendship with her Mary Kay peers is an important part of Erickson’s life now.

“The positive, uplifting, supportive, sisterhood is a huge part of what drew me in,” she says. "Our business is focused on getting to know our customers, building relationships with them, and empowering women! Helping women grow their confidence, be comfortable in their own skin, and being the best version of themselves."

On her 8th Leap Birthday, four years ago, Erickson said that one was her best birthday ever. Her 9th birthday now has that honor, she says.

Other area celebrations

Other area residents who have Leap Year birthdays include Kevin Eikamp, who continues to work at his insurance business in Dysart on his 17th Leap Year birthday. And Gia Rae Birker, the daughter of Jeff and Leah Birker of rural Vinton, is celebrating her first Leap Year birthday today.

A family with many unique birthdays

Betty Thorsvig of Vinton is helping her sister celebrate her Leap Year bithday today.

"I was born on the original Memorial Day. My younger sister was born on Mother's Day. And my oldest sister was born on Leap Day," she said.

The year Sharon turned16 (her 4th Leap Year birthday), her family threw a surprise party on Feb. 29. But most years, says Betty, the family has celebrated Sharon's day on Feb. 28.
"It was fun teasing her that she was younger than she really was. We all thought it was cool being born on 'special days,'" Thorsvig says.