Visit Barb Greenberg's web site at www.barbgreenberg.com
She began writing After the Ball: A Woman’s Tale of Reclaiming Happily Ever After as she was healing from her own divorce after thirty-three years of marriage and happened to wonder what became of Cinderella and Snow White after they rode off to the palace, each with her handsome prince.
Her first book, Hope Grew Round Me, chronicles her college-age daughter’s miraculous recovery after a life threatening accident halfway around the world, and how it became the impetus for Barb to courageously begin the process of her own personal healing.
Barb credits the skills and lessons she learned building her Mary Kay business for giving her a strong foundation as a writer. Persistence, determination and learning to believe in herself and in her dreams not only earned her the use of nine free Mary Kay cars (one of which was the prestigious pink Cadillac), but also gave her the confidence to trust herself. And though she didn’t back away when she sat down to write and looked at that first blank piece of paper, she did briefly wonder why in the world she thought she could become a writer.
But Barb was also the last person anyone thought would become a consultant with Mary Kay, Inc. She rarely wore makeup and only agreed to give the business a try because she had to pay the board bill on her dear horse, and having her own horse was a life-long dream come true she was determined to protect. Barb spent many hours riding and training, learning first hand the importance of getting back on after you fall off! Her hard work paid off, and she successfully competed for many years in the jumping divisions of nationally rated horse shows.
Barb draws on these personal experiences and many others to inspire courage and hope, and to remind women they have the power to transform their lives.
Along with her writing, Barb conducts seminars on renewing hope for divorced or divorcing women. She offers talks on embracing hope and change. She teaches a class on how to live “happily ever after”—with or without a prince. And her peaceful yet powerful message is a gift to all who hear her speak.
Barb is the proud mother of two extraordinary daughters and an adoring grandmother.
Her wish for her family and for others is to heed the message from the fairy godmother in After the Ball when she whispers to the princess, “Trust yourself, my sweet dear, trust yourself.”
About Barb Greenberg and Her Journey of Personal Healing & Empowerment
After her divorce, Barb worked through her pain, found healing and wholeness, and was determined to share what she had learned. Her book After the Ball, which began as a story for divorced and divorcing women, blossomed into a tale for all women seeking to reconnect with their strength and power and wisdom. As with her first book, Hope Grew Round Me, Barb uses her personal experience to inspire courage and offer hope to her readers.
For over twenty years, Barb has trained and motivated consultants and directors in her position as an Independent Sales Director with Mary Kay, Inc. She has spoken at small group meetings, as well as workshops, covering a variety of topics including, goal setting, time management, and self-esteem building. Barb loves to mentor and support women to be successful, happy and whole. Whether presenting at a large workshop or teaching in a small group setting, or conducting her divorce seminar, her peaceful yet powerful message is a gift to all who hear her speak.
About Barb Greenberg, author of Hope Grew Round Me
Barb Greenberg is a former English teacher and stay-at-home mom who grew up with a love of horses. Riding helped her survive the dramas of high school and when her two daughters were infants, it kept her from disappearing under piles of diapers and dirty laundry.
In 1985 she decided to become a part-time consultant with Mary Kay, Inc. to pay the board bill on her horse. It was an odd choice, since she rarely wore makeup. And, Barb was so shy, during her high school reunion a friend jokingly suggested she stand against the wall so people would remember who she was. Surprisingly, Barb found she enjoyed teaching about skin care and color cosmetics and helping women feel better about themselves.
Her younger daughter fell in love with horses and before Barb knew it, she was supporting her daughter's riding instead of her own. But Barb was busy working and by 1988 she had earned a place in the top 2% of the company as an Independent Sales Director. In this new position, part of her job was to train and motivate new and seasoned consultants. She freely shared personal stories from the building of her own business to encourage others. She was very open about her fears and uncertainties, her failures and her successes.
Every Parent's Nightmare...
In the fall of 1998 Barb's younger college-age daughter was in a life-threatening accident half way around the world. Her daughter's recovery was a miracle and a life-changing event for everyone in the family. With the urging and support of friends, Barb began writing her first book, Hope Grew Round Me. Barb shared her personal story of hope and transformation to encourage others to find their unique voice, to break through self-imposed boundaries, and to honor all the journeys of their life.
As a writer, Barb knew she was on the right track when she experienced what she believed to be a cosmic version of "finish your homework and you can have a cookie." Two weeks after her book was published, a dear friend gave her a horse, the first horse she'd had in over 15 years.