The Company
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Mary Kay Ash |
Founded in September 1963 by the visionary Mary Kay Ash, over the last 47 years Mary Kay Cosmetics has become a global leader in offering high quality skincare, colour cosmetics, and an amazing working opportunity to women everywhere. Operating today in more than 35 markets and with an independent sales force exceeding 2 million, the company’s triumph is clear. In 2009 alone, Mary Kay achieved $2.5 billion in wholesale sales, continuing to grow on the strength of a great product line and an opportunity for women to achieve personal and professional success that resonates around the world.
The Opportunity
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Company HQ in Dallas |
In launching her company, Mary Kay Ash used the positive and negative experiences of a twenty-five year career in direct sales to create a company that promised something different, something unique, to women: opportunity. The opportunity to work for themselves in a business that has unlimited potential for self-advancement; the opportunity to organise life’s priorities in a way that suites them; and the opportunity above all to be successful in a company that encourages and supports women to be all that they can be.
The How
Focusing on bettering people, not profit, Mary Kay Cosmetics operates based on the golden rule of treating others, as you would wish to be treated. In practice, this makes for a simple business model that emphasises rewarding women fairly for the work that they do.
Independent sales force members have the opportunity to earn handsomely in Mary Kay. They purchase products from the company at a set wholesale price and then sell to their customers at a retail price. In the UK, Beauty Consultants and Directors typically make 40% profit on the products they buy, though as independent working women they can give customers discount in the same way that they decide what hours they want to work.
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A bestseller: The Miracle Set |
The career path
Armed with great products, a proven business plan, and the support of other women in Mary Kay, the sky really is the limit. Everyone starts out as an Independent Beauty Consultant providing beauty advice and selling skincare and colour cosmetics to friends and family. It is then up to each individual how fair they rise in the company.
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The 2011/12 Director's Suit |
Many join Mary Kay only to earn a little extra money and are happy to stay at the Beauty Consultant level, making great money through their sales, and even a small commission through sharing the career opportunity. Others have bigger dreams such as fully replacing another career, and work to move on to Directorship, the first position of leadership in the company.
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The 2011/12 National Sales Director Suit |
Independent Sales Directors are special women, who have proven themselves as sellers and team-builders. Continuing to earn great money through selling the products, and continually seeking out new customers to make this happen, they are also experts in spotting the potential to be great in others. Working hard to help other women make a success of their business, Directors benefit from increased commissions for their efforts.
The Mary Kay career ladder culminates in the position of Independent National Sales Director, and unlike in other companies, this position is open to all if they’re prepared to do the work for it. The reward? Increased commissions based on the productivity of those they shared the career opportunity with, and the honour of being a National Sales Director. As sales force leaders they are in a unique position to promote the company’s ideals and really help women to achieve all they are capable of. Inspirations, they do this by focusing their time of teaching, motivating and mentoring other women, both within their sales force area and throughout the company.
