Mary_Kay,_a_Company_with_a_Heart

Running Head: MARY KAY, ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES Mary Kay, Endless Possibilities With No Glass Ceilings Delfina Fallin Columbia College Abstract Mary Kay Ash was a visionary leader, a beautiful person, inside and out who started her business Mary Kay Inc. with the help of her son, Roger, and her life savings of $5,000 and 9 Independent Beauty Consultants. With her strong faith in God, her determination to make it work, and never allowing herself to forget what her mother instilled in her (the confidence within herself to know that “You can do it”), Mary Kay Inc. has grown to have a Sales Force with more than 1.7 million Independent Beauty Consultants. Mary Kay is also currently in 30 global markets. Starting your own business in Mary Kay takes nothing more than a vision, a dream and $100 plus taxes and shipping. Anyone can do it, as long as you believe. On the 25 of June of 2007, I was officially medically retired from the United Sates Army. I was driving back from visiting my parents in South Carolina when I was called by my God Sister, Lisa who asked me to be a model for her at this gathering that she was hosting that night. When I got there I had a not so great attitude for the simple fact that it was 9:45 at night, I had just gotten out of bed to do this favor for her, I didn’t know what to expect as I walked into Burger King, I kind of had an idea, but when I got there it was nothing like what I expected at all. I saw three little mirrors placed in what I found out later to be “face cases” and I was apparently the first one to show up so I had to wait. At about 10:05 the last “model” showed up and we began what I got to know and love as “a Mary Kay facial”. Well, let me tell you, that cleanser and those different creams she had me put on my face and hands felt so good and she gave me this card that had some makeup on it and she walked me through the application process. When we were done I almost felt bad for having such a crabby attitude when I got there because I felt so good and looked so beautiful, my skin felt so soft and I absolutely loved the way I looked and felt. She asked the simple question, “who here thinks they can do what I just did.” “Well,” I thought, “I love talking to and meeting new people, I am very outgoing, outspoken and these products feel so good that they will sell themselves. Besides, it’s not like I have a job lined up to replace my income from the military, as a matter of fact I have a mortgage to pay.” I made a commitment that night to join the Mary Kay Independent Sales Force. A different kind of company…. Mary Kay Ash built her company on the belief that you should do unto others as you would have them do unto you, this is her Golden Rule Philosophy. She was a visionary leader who was tired of the way that women were treated in the corporate world in the 60’s. After 25 years in the direct selling business she found herself training the very same men who would then be hired as her boss ~at twice her salary. Her accomplishments left an unforgettable mark on American business and opened the door for women around the world to experience success on their own terms. First, she started writing a book that would help women gain the opportunities she had been denied. But soon she realized she was creating a plan that would do much more than give advice. It formed the foundation for a new opportunity where women could develop their talents and achieve unlimited success. (www.marykay.com, 2008) “I envisioned a company in which any woman could become just as successful as she wanted to be. The doors would be wide open to opportunity for women who were willing to pay the price and had the courage to dream.” ~Mary Kay Ash Looking for a company with heart, Mary Kay is definitely your company… Mary Kay Ash’s philosophy for her company was to place God first, Family second and Career third. I can honestly say that this company is built on faith and the strong presence of God is what draws some people to it. This business was destined to prosper, because Mary Kay Ash had such a strong belief and she envisioned it doing well, but she had quite a few adversities against her. Mary Kay Ash started her company with the help of her 20 year old son, Roger, $5000 which was at the time her life savings and 9 Independent Beauty Consultants. “The success [of Mary Kay Inc.] is much, much deeper than just dollars and cents and buildings and assets. The real success of our Company is measured to me in the lives that have been touched and given hope.” ~Mary Kay Ash (www.marykay.com, 2008) Her financial advisor warned her that the company was going to go bankrupt with the way that she was giving away money and praising the Independent Sales Force with prizes. None of that was important to Mary Kay, because she was known for expressing that Mary Kay’s “employees are the company’s biggest asset”. Mary Kay Ash, believed in having a can- do, sharing and go-give attitude and in Mary Kay, women are rewarded for exemplifying those personalities. These gifts, known as “Cinderella Gifts” started back in 1966. To date, Mary Kay offers one of the most generous rewards and recognition programs in the direct selling industry. Worldwide, the Company spends more than $50 million annually on rewards and prize incentives for the independent sales force. Mary Kay Career Car qualifiers have been stopping traffic with their prestigious career cars since Mary Kay Ash awarded the first one in 1969. Since then, more than 100,000 independent sales force members worldwide have qualified for the privilege of driving a Career Car. Mary Kay Ash believed in lavishing women with recognition and prizes fit for royalty, and the selection gets better every year. If you can dream it, you can earn it through the Mary Kay rewards and recognition programs. “I believe you can have anything you want in this world, but yes, you have to pay a price” (Miracles Happen, 1994). You are limited only by your ability to believe and achieve the goals you set for yourself. Mary Kay Ash was honored in 2003 as the Greatest Female Entrepreneur in American History by a panel of academicians and business historians. Oprah Winfrey ranked second. In 2006 the television broadcast of “Mary Kay Ash” by the Biography Channel gave even more people a look at the woman whose visionary dream opened new doors for women everywhere. (www.marykay.com, 2008) What is it that draws the average person to Mary Kay' Is it the way the company advertises itself, but wait, I’ve never seen any advertisements for Mary Kay. The way that the company is put out there is by word of mouth. The Independent Sales force is 1.7 million strong and the company has gone global and can be found in 30 different markets world wide(Team building notebook. Revised 2007 Mary Kay Inc. ). When Mary Kay Ash envisioned her company, she always wanted to have a company that provided the utmost in customer service. She had her Independent Sales Force practice and perfect the one on one feel of the business. She knew that that would be the only way a consultant could form a lasting relationship with that customer, because Mary Kay is a company of friendships and sisterhoods. When become a part of the independent sales force, you learn that you are in business for yourself, but never by yourself. The company offers a great support system that provides you with education, motivation, and inspiration to help you build your business. The company is a social conscious company as well. This could be what appeals to people who learn about Mary Kay the person and the company. Just learning about Mary Kay herself tells you about the company and the values that it holds dear because her legacy still lives strong in the company. • Mary Kay was a beautiful person who showed others how to live and how to give. She gave hope to women who lacked opportunity and self-esteem, and financial support to the causes she believed in. She started the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation in 1996, which is committed to eliminating cancers affecting women by supporting top medical scientists who are searching for a cure for breast, uterine, cervical and ovarian cancers and is also committed to ending the epidemic of violence against women by providing grants to women’s shelters and supporting community outreach programs. Mary Kay has also been taking a stand against domestic violence in Mexico, China and Brazil. (www.marykay.com, 2008) • In 1984 Mary Kay Inc. first appeared in the 1984 edition of The 100 best companies to work for in America. The publication ranks according to benefits, job security and work atmosphere. (www.marykay.com, 2008) • The company became on of the first companies to enact a comprehensive corporate recycling program in 1989 and followed with banning product testing on animals. These actions, among others, have earned Mary Kay Inc. numerous awards and honors for environmental protection. (www.marykay.com, 2008) • In 1994, Mary Kay Inc. earned Fortune magazine’s honor as on of the “Most Admired Corporations in America” (www.marykay.com, 2008) • The expert team of scientist uses the most advanced skin care technology available to ensure that consumers get what they want: innovative products they can believe in and a price that they can afford. These same wonderful products and going the extra mile for customers helped the independent sales force earn national recognition in 1996. They were ranked by Sales & Marketing Management magazine as one of the top 25 sales forces in the nation. (www.marykay.com, 2008) It’s very simple to join the Mary Kay Independent Sales Force all it takes is your vision to start living your dream today. What do you desire from a job' Is it the desire to live a balanced, rewarding life, or shall I say would you mind discovering financial success while nurturing your faith and your family' For just $100 plus tax and shipping, you can purchase your Starter Kit. It contains products and step-by step education to introduce women to the beauty of Mary Kay (www.marykay.com, 2008). I must say that this business does allow men to join the Independent Sales Force also, but there are very few, but they have also had the opportunity to earn career cars as well. If you are interested in exploring the possibilities contact me your Independent Beauty Consultant. The possibilities are endless when you learn about the company and learn the in’s and out’s of the business, you will go far. You not only gain employment through the Mary Kay company, but you become proprietor, as an independent contractor in your own business and you then have a piece of the American dream which is a piece of the pie… Mary Kay Inc. is not just the average corporate business. There are no glass ceilings; you can promote yourself as fast or as slow as you want. You would come in at the entry level which is titled Independent Beauty Consultant and work your way to Independent National Sales Director at your own pace with 100% help along the way. As An Independent Beauty Consultant you can receive: • 50% product discount. • Quarterly rewards and prizes • A free subscription to Applause magazine Senior Consultants~ with 1-2 active personal team members, you can receive: • 4% personal team commission Star Recruiter~ with 3-4 active personal team members, you can receive: • 4% personal team commission • $50 red jacket rebate • $50 team-building bonus with fourth qualified team member Team Leader~ with 5-7 active personal team members, you can receive: • 9% or 13% personal team commission • $50 team building bonus • On-target Grand Achiever Status Future Independent Sales Director and Independent Sales Director-in-Qualification (DIQ)~ with 8 or more active personal team members, you can receive: • 9% or 13% personal team commission • $50 team building bonus • On-target Grand Achiever Status • DIQ program eligibility Independent Sales Director~ you can receive: • 4%, 9% or 13% personal team commission • 9% or 13% Unit Volume Commission • $500+ per month Unit Volume Bonus • $100 personal team-building bonus • $500 Unkit Development Bonus • Luxury Top Sales Director Trip qualification • Premier Club or Cadillac qualification • Term Life Insurance Award program • Disability Award program Independent National Sales Director~ you can receive: • 4%, 9% or 13% personal team commission • 13% Sales Director Personal Unit Volume Commission • 10% NSD Personal Unit Volume Commission • 7-10% first-line offspring commission • 4% second-line offspring commission • 2% third-line offspring commission • $5,000/$1,000 new first-line offspring bonus • $10,000 annually paid new NSD debut bonus • Luxury National Sales Director trip • Use of a Cadillac • Beautiful 14-karat gold and diamond bracelet • Enroll in Family Security program • Term Life Insurance Award program • Disability Award program References Mary Kay Website. Revised 08 from http://www.marykay.com/ Miracles Happen-The Life and Timeless Principles of The Founder of Mary Kay Inc. The Mary Kay Ash Autobiography. 1994 harpers Collins Publishers Inc. Imagine The Possibilities- Team building notebook. Revised 2007 Mary Kay Inc.