Mary Kay’s Price of Success
This piece downplays the price of success in Mary Kay. Sure, they say not to sacrifice your family, because it’s God first, family second, career third. But in the same piece, they tell you thatyou should spend less time with your family to gain some financial security.
What they don’t tell you is just how much time you will have to leave your family in order to attempt Mary Kay success. Nor do they tell you that you have almost no chance of success, since nearly everyone loses money in MLM. That even if you DO make money as a sale director, it will only be because hundreds of women below you are losing money.
In Mary Kay, you are expected to try to get to the top at any cost.
The Price of Success
You’ve probably heard that you must pay a price for success. While hard work and sacrifice are necessary, Mary Kay always believed that there was a way to balance the two — and maintaining balance was the true meaning of success. It’s not how much money you have or how many awards you’ve won — it’s how good you feel about yourself, your family and your place in the world. If you can come home at the end of the day and feel good about what you’ve done, that’s success. So how do we get there? You can start by keeping things in check.
1. Having It All Means Being Creative. Let’s face it — a woman can’t be in more than one place at a time. So how can she be there for her kids and continue to work? Be a positive influence even when you’re not there. A note tucked inside a lunch, being present for important events and passing on a healthy self-esteem can be very positive and powerful relationship- building tools. Find ways to make a difference even when you’re not there.
2. The Big Trade-Off. If your career is on the rise, and you decide you want to start a family, you may have to compromise a bit in both directions. Do you give up your career to be a stay-at-home mom? Or do you spend less time with your family because your career allows you to provide them with financial security, stability and independence. When the time comes, you have to decide what’s most important to you and prioritize you life to fit your goals.
3. Tick-Tock Biological Clock. Before embarking on a wonderful career and taking the path toward success, think about having children. If now isn’t the time for you, then proceed full steam ahead! But if you want children, consider your timeframe before getting yourself in a situation where your career could overshadow your desire to be a mom.
4. Prioritize, Please. Remember not to work so much that you neglect your children and family. We have to raise our children and enjoy the friendship we have with our husbands — that’s what family is all about. And working too many hours can rob your life of the joys of family if you’re not careful. What good is a successful career if you sacrifice your relationships in the process? Balance is essential for professional women. We all want to spend quality time with our children, family and friends while we climb the ladder of success in our careers.
That’s why the Mary Kay definition of success puts God first, family second and career third. It can work. You can have it all! Mary Kay wisdom taken from Mary Kay: You Can Have It All by Mary Kay Ash.
In Mary Kay, if you want to try to get to “the top,” it’s all Mary Kay all the time. Your family just has to wait for you!
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Tick-Tock biological clock? Ew.
Yep. They seem to assume that all women are exactly the same and want the same things. Just another way they’re stuck half a century behind the real world.
“Or do you spend less time with your family because your career allows you to provide them with financial security, stability and independence.”
ROFL! Good one. The only folks with “financial security” in Mary Kay happen to work for Mary Kay Corporate, with a proper salary and benefits. Paying $1000/year for the opportunity to sell overpriced make-up in a saturated market from your home can never provide “financial security” or even “stability”. No one is making money in Mary Kay via retail sales. The few that are making any money at all are recruiting, heavily, non-stop.
That hamster wheel just keeps on spinning as your downline quits as fast as you are able to recruit. If only they paid you to spin the wheel…but they don’t.
I have been lurking on pink truth for a while ….
I am a Canadian woman who started Mary Kay in January 2004 at the age of 43 after being given a severance package from my almost 25 years of working for the same job. I did work in cosmetics and was very good at my job. I think the reason I joined was I had to ‘show’ them I could make it and get some of my customers back. And I did. I was not overly interested then to become a Director but I was hooked with the recognition. When my adopted Director came to meet with me, and I saw the bling on her finger…boy! I ended up going to Seminar as a Red Jacket that summer and I loved it! Then recruiting was ok and in June 2005 I became a Director. Then like most of you Directors, I started buying my production every 3 or 4 months. I did that till April 2008. I did send a letter to Mary Kay I was stepping down as a Director. And I was over $50;000 in debt. I had to declare bankruptcy. My husband was somewhat supportive. But it did eventually break up my mariage. We separated in 2016 after almost 32 of mariage and 4 years prior to mariage. I did have a good husband. Do I have regrets? Yes absolutely. I wish we were still together.My son was 30 when we separated. At the beginning before I became a Director, I could have lived on sales alone. I became a little greedy I think and I wanted to show my family that I could make it.
Anyway, I met a wonderful man in 2017 and we are getting married in June 2023. For the first time, I let my website expire. I am giving up Mary Kay. I will be missing some great customers who have been with me from the very beginning. When I told my son I was finally done, he said he was very happy because it was a pyramid scheme. I never told him that but he did some checking. I did not raise a fool.
One GoPro the most positive thing Mary Kay did give me was I am a makeup artist and did a lot of bridal shows w I did the makeup for all models. So it was easy for me to get brides booked for their weddings. At least I did really good money from that. I just turned 62 and finally I am happy. Very happy.
Thank you for allowing me to write this. I have been wanting to for a long time but I was ashamed…….