Joyce Mathie Bio

Joyce Mathie doesn't know the meaning of the term "mandatory retirement." At the age of 57 when most of her friends and their husbands were retiring she discovered a technology that made her life easier. Some health problems in Joyce's life were keeping her from cleaning her own house in the conventional way. She was experiencing difficulty with usual daily tasks of housecleaning such as scrubbing the floor and cleaning windows. Her arms ached from the hard labor, getting down on her hands and knees was not an option and toxic cleaning chemicals were creating other health problems. As a self diagnosed clean freak, Joyce, had to find a solution rather than give up the cleaning. It began with her infectious enthusiasm for a remarkable product that literally changed her life. Joyce market-tested several steam cleaners from major European factories and found that not only was cleaning safer and less toxic with steam but also the results were more beautiful "Cleaning with st eam is easier and less toxic of course, yet also, the sparkle and shine of windows and surfaces are squeaky clean," said Mathie. "I could clean my house in half the time, not be tired or achy and the results were twice as beautiful."

Joyce got so excited about the new housecleaning technology that she decided everyone would want to hear about what she had found.

According to Joyce it was at that point she turned her discovery into a home-based business.

"My friends and family thought I was crazy to turn a cleaning idea into a business," said Joyce. "But after cleaning my home for 37 years I knew that thousands of women would appreciate the ability and ease this new technology would bring them. I compare it to the advent of the clothes washer -- at first everyone rejected the technology as a non-traditional way to clean and now how would we live without it?"

Joyce, who is married and has four daughters, has spent most of her life caring for her home. She had a ten year career with the Bernina Sewing Machine Company that included free-lance selling in homes, high schools and trade shows. She also had some wonderful hobby stints with home-based business but nothing prepared her for her fast rise into the category of entrepreneur. A few years after introducing her steam cleaners the business took off and she had to purchase a building to accommodate the growth. "I had no idea how involved business could be," said Joyce. "Yet surprisingly I loved the challenge and really enjoyed teaching countless women how to wonderfully change the way their lives revolved around cleaning. I am saving women time and money and helping them to make their lives less toxic. What better business could there be?"

She became determined to share this life-changing product with as many people as possible. What began as a high level hobby bloomed into a viable business opportunity for herself and those who couldn't wait to join her in spreading the word.

In 2000 the Mountain Venture Group named Sargent Steam one of the fastest growing companies in Joyce’s home state of Utah. Since then Sargent Steam has rolled out to a regional market and is now prepared to launch nationally.

"I got my daughter involved to help and I have assisted in the creation of my first web site," said Mathie. "The business is going gang busters, I am having a ball and I see no reason to retire when I am having the time of my life."

Now at age 70, Joyce plans to introduce a series of national lectures, start a radio program, write a book and all her products are currently available online.