A Former Cadillac Director One Year After Quitting
Written by PoppingThePinkBubble
That’s right. I wasn’t a lazy loser. I was very successful in Mary Kay, just like several of the wonderful ex-directors here on Pink Truth. I was Top of Class, Fabulous 50s, a pink Cadillac driver and had 3 offspring.
A year after I returned to a full-time J.O.B. (Joyful, & Overwhelmingly Blessed!) I reflected on the fact that with my J.O.B. – I actually spend MORE time with my family than I did in MK — and more time with family was the whole reason I joined Mary Kay Cosmetics.
One Year in J.O.B.: More time with Family
One Year in MK: Less, much less, time with family
One Year in J.O.B.: FOUR [yes, 4!] Family Vacations! Disney was my fave!!
One Year in MK: Four trips (Seminar, Leadership, CC, Fall Retreat) NONE with Family!
One Year in J.O.B.: Feared there would be no flexibility; realized today’s employers are different
One Year in MK: Perpetuated that fear to emotionally recruit people
One Year in J.O.B.: Spend evenings/weekends with Family
One Year in MK: Spend evenings/weekends at meetings, interviews, classes or on the phone
One Year in J.O.B.: I know what will be deposited in my bank account
One Year in MK: Wonder from month to month what –if anything – will be deposited
One Year in J.O.B.: I work with integrity – truly making a difference in people’s lives
One Year in MK: I compromised my integrity – making the WRONG difference
One Year in J.O.B.: Occasional dinners with girlfriends to catch up
One Year in MK: Girlfriends fear you only want to go to dinner to get something from them
One Year in J.O.B.: Look at the world with optimistic; hopeful eyes
One Year in MK: Look at the world with pink tinted eyes and brain washed mind
One Year in J.O.B.: Bonus pay on top of salary – and my bonus will not be taken away a yr later
One Year in MK: Commissions paid – be ware – they can be taken away!
For me, one year after going back in the real world, the biggest realization was the time factor. Oh my! Was I ever duped! I cannot believe what I put my family through and what I missed of my children’s lives – preaching – “short term sacrifice for long term gain”.
I shed so many tears over the things / events I missed – that I will NEVER get back – all in the name of building my business. I am so grateful that I stepped away from the pink bubble long enough to realize Mary Kay was ruining my family, finances, friendships, reputation…
Some other “successful” directors might say that I didn’t know how to balance my time. I say – LET’S GET REAL GIRLS! Put on your big girl panties and deal with the fact that to be a “top unit” a “Cadillac unit” or whatever else, you have to work days, nights & weekends and put in more than 40 hours a week – and while you are at it, recruit a slew of young, hotshots with credit for a full store even though you know by Mary Kay’s own teachings… that only 1/3 of them will ever do anything with their business – the rest of those full stores — well…..
And if that is what you are after, good for you. Not me. I’ll take integrity along with the steady paycheck, being home nights & weekends, being with my children and four family vacations a year any day!!!
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Thank you for sharing your story. ❤️
This just makes my day. I felt the same way when my mlm went out of business (here’s hoping this occurs soon to MK!). I suddenly had more free time for my family even though I took a committed part-time job. I was also definitely joyful & overwhelmingly blessed when that happened!
How many former MK ladies felt like wadded up Kleenex in the garbage after they quit and left MK? If you had pink truth, it might have been easier. But I did not. I felt so used, lied to, manipulated and scammed out of my money. It was like a toxic boyfriend who sneered that all his mistreatment was my fault. Furthermore I was too much of a lazy loser to make it anywhere else, according to MK defenders. Nobody else would want me. Is this what they mean about empowering women? I wanted to bury my head in shame. I was back where I started but much poorer. Obviously, I thought, those MK success stories were just much better than me! Better at sales. Better with people. Smarter and prettier and richer. Then I come here and realize they weren’t successful either. Thank you Pink Truth.
Leaving MK was so weird for me because I basically ghosted and NOBODY acknowledged it. If they did, they certainly didn’t acknowledge it to me. It was as if I had never been there at all. The “sisterhood” and “friends for life” thing stops at the edge of the pink bubble. I almost feel like being ridiculed and bullied and blocked would have been more satisfying than just being…ignored. Which is a ridiculous thought, I know, but as humans we desire acknowledgement. Which MK and all the other MLMs capitalize on. They feed us acknowledgement and recognition, dangling it like a carrot just out of reach in front of us. Y’know what’s interesting, the Harvard case study on Mary Kay examined how Mary Kay motivated its sales force through recognition and rewards. The whole recognition and rewards system of Mary Kay is one of the things touted as a brilliant idea of Mary Kay Ash because she wanted women to feel seen and appreciated. But examining it from the outside, it’s also sinister. If you can get people addicted to it, they’ll keep going and going and going and going.
Didn’t mean to write an entire essay in response to your comment. LOL I’m just talkative today I guess! <3
“Popping” was clearly unqualified to be in Mary Kay; she knows how to spell “loser.”
OK, sorry for that; I couldn’t resist. Thanks for sharing your story, Popping!
One of the worst things about MK (and there are many) is that no employer wants to see Mary Kay on a resume.