Why I Am A Mary Kay Consultant

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Why I Am A
Mary Kay Consultant

Because Mary Kay Ash founded her business upon the Golden Rule. I have yet to hear of another business, or even industry, that has done the same.

I was in Journalism for 20 years. It really doesn't matter what my profession was - from what I hear, we all have the same complaint. We work like mules, become known as reliable - and we are left to be reliable for a 40-year work career, because our professional environments trust us to be reliable mules.

As a woman, I really thought it was just me, that I was getting the dirty end of the stick in my corporate job because I was young, female, didn't have a degree, etc., (but lots of on-hand training and experience, and potential no one was interested in.)

Today I talked to someone in my ex-profession who is strongly recognized and acclaimed (like I never really was.) Ten years ago, I might have killed to have what I thought he had. Today I heard from his mouth that he only made $2,000 more annually I did. The difference between me and him is that I had the corporate benefits, and he had more latitude with his work schedule, and that was about it. Dollar for dollar, benefit for benefit, I probably made more money than my friend did, but his name was in the paper, and mine wasn't. Having this conversation with my friend erased my last doubt about whether I'd done the right thing by quitting - not just my job - but the corporate grind about having to ever answer to a boss again.

I did a lot of homework before I quit my job (and career) and signed up with Mary Kay. One of the things that intrigued me, from the beginning, was reading about how Mary Kay had reached a glass ceiling in her previous company; that she had trained not one - but several - men who eventually did what she did, and made twice as much money, for no other reason that they were men with families to support (as if her three children were puppets!)

Her complaint (like mine) was not about men or the money they make, but about how Management handles qualified personnel. So Mary Kay, when she started her business on September 13, 1963, locked several principles of business into place, but all originating from the Golden Rule - treating others as we ourselves would like to be treated.

Another thing I really like about Mary Kay is that everyone starts at the same place (the Front Door). There is no "bottom" like there is in every other profession I've heard of. In other words, credentials carry no weight, unless you've conducted facials and skin care classes, and recruited new talent, the only "promotion" is based upon your own record of industry - not who you know, what book you've read, the jargon you speak, or the haircut or tie you've adopted. In Mary Kay, we all start with the same skills, and we work our way up -- and we're recognized for every step.

What "sold" me on Mary Kay was that I never have to compete with anyone but myself. The product sells itself; my job is simply to get it out there, to be honest and truthful about the product, and because of Mary Kay's policy of "try before you buy" I will never feel like I "hustled" anybody to give me a few extra bucks or to help me gain a few points.

I've always said about myself that I can't sell anything unless I believe in the product. (Some people can sell anything, and this is a gift, a talent, but I'm one of those people who has to care about what I'm doing.) We all have our parameters, and mine is "I have to believe in my product" or I'll just start laughing during a presentation.

Mary Kay said, probably a number of times, that she felt like she'd been given a responsibility in life, which she attributed to God, that her Purpose in life was to help empower women (before "empower" was a "power word") by giving them the opportunity to believe in themselves, and the vehicle of that expression was Mary Kay cosmetics, by which all women - regardless of education, experience, economic or social status, could begin to believe in themselves, and by looking their best, could feel their best -- and when women feel their best -- what CAN'T they do!

Mary Kay's motto, and guiding business principle in life, was, "God first, family second, and career third." She attributed part of her fortunate experience and recognition to Spirit, and knowing her purpose was to share that power and love with other women, so Mary Kay built an incredible business that relies upon the sisterhood of consciousness to propagate a dynasty of industry and conscientiousness that continues to thrive.