Mary Kay Does Not Work For Everyone
A Mary Kay consultant
tells us how easy it is to make money in Mary Kay. After all, with minimal effort, she sells $400 to $500 in reorders. And if she worked more, she’d make more. She was told there is no quick and easy way to make money in Mary Kay. Huh, that’s funny. I’ve always heard directors say how easy this “business” is. Here you go, ladies. We all just did it wrong.
Does Mary Kay work for everyone? No. There are plenty of reasons why that might be. You may not enjoy the work, you may not have the time to really focus, you may have trouble selling, you may not have access to customers, you may be at a disadvantage you can’t overcome, etc. But this is true of any sales job. And true for any job really. Haven’t we all seen people be hired at our own jobs and they don’t last? Some people are just not cut out for certain types of work and maybe they have extra hurtles that don’t help. But why blame Mary Kay for something that happens with every career? I love my full time dance teaching job. But you know what? Some people hate it and that’s fine. We’re not all built the same.
I’ve been with Mary Kay for two years now. I came in to make a few extra hundred a month and that’s exactly what I do. I make about $400-$500 a month with minimal parties. I essentially built my customer base at the beginning and now the bulk of my income comes from reorders. And during Christmas time, I pull in almost $1000. One thing is for sure, when I spend more time on it, that’s when I make more money. I know that, at least for me, I could make more money if I had the will power to work it more. But I didn’t get in to make it a full time career and that’s okay. My friend did make it her full time career and she’s doing very well for herself.
Can some women be pushy and desperate? Of course. But haven’t we all met sales people like that? Why the focus on this particular company? I’ve been hounded by car salesmen who don’t stop calling me. But I still go back later when I need to shop for a car. I don’t blame the entire Carmax company for a few desperate individuals.
Do they recommend you buy product? Yes. Right now, if you opened up a jewelry store, for example, guess what you have to invest in? Jewelry to sell. I didn’t start off with product right away. I had to learn that a lot of women will cancel or not buy if you don’t have the product on the spot. So by month three, I invested in a good amount of product. No one had to trick me into doing it. I had to learn it for myself. And my director was still nice enough to pretty much lend me her product when she could. Nothing of what they recommend you do is unlike starting any kind of retail business.
I’m sure there are plenty of bad consultants and directors. Just like you can find bad employees and bosses at almost any job. But that’s not the experience that all women have in Mary Kay. I’m happy with the decision I made. I move my products well and I definitely make way more than my mom did when she sold Avon or my friends selling DoTerra. It’s worked out for me for what I was personally chasing. I was a customer long before becoming a consultant and I and my customers stand by this product. So to me, when I spent $100 on a kit worth more than $400, it was a deal. If I decided to quit, I could either return my starter kit or keep it. I knew I would keep it if I quit because I was accustomed to spending $95 on the Miracle Set anyway and at least this way, I was getting the Miracle Set plus mascara, my foundation I adore, makeup remover and there were a few extra things when I signed up. And I could still give away the stuff I wouldn’t use as gifts to people. I have struggled with acne since I was in 5th grade. I have adult onset acne now. I’ve tried everything under the sun. The ONLY thing that has ever actually improved the pH in my skin is Mary Kay. I still have friends who haven’t seen me in a few years who ask me what I’ve done for my skin. So yes. I’ve been genuinely recommending MK since before I was a consultant.
What I’m reading is a lot of people who had bad experiences with their director or unit. My experience has been wonderful. My director was honest with me. She told me I couldn’t make a few hundred just doing catalog sales. That I’d have to do at least some parties. She told me from before that I’d likely lose sales if I didn’t have product on hand but she didn’t push me into it. I learned on my own that she was right. I’ve done pretty well. I didn’t go in expecting to get rich. The day I went to the studio meeting and signed up, all of the directors said, “There’s no easy quick way to make good money. You have to work for it.” They were pretty honest before we were even given the chance to sign up. If you’re going to really invest in your store, then yeah. You’re going to make somewhere closer to 40% so you can keep up with new products coming out and your demos. But to be fair, they strongly recommend you set no more than 10% of your 50% to that kind of stuff. Why new products? For the same reason Sephora and Macy’s are constantly releasing new products as well. To compete with the market. 40% for me has still proven to be good for me and what I wanted and 40% is still high compared to other direct sales companies. For example, I know DoTerra gives a 25% commission.
I write this only so that people can know that these bad experiences are not representative of all units, all consultants and all directors.
Visit the
One question. If everything is all sunshine and roses, how did you find Pink Truth?
So, you can make way more than a few hundred a month at a measly part time job. How much are you really make/hour hawking MK? Also, you seem oblivious that you’re fueling the abuse machine that’s MK.
Does Mary Kay work for everyone? No. There are plenty of reasons why that might be.
The main reason it doesn’t work is that the system is set up for nearly every-one to fail.
You may not enjoy the work, you may not have the time to really focus, you may have trouble selling, you may not have access to customers, you may be at a disadvantage you can’t overcome, etc.
You really can’t overcome a lack of access to customers when they are jaded by too many MLM companies vying for their money.
But this is true of any sales job.
No, that’s not true. Given that most sales jobs offer a salary and then sometimes a commission and, more importantly, people who go into those shops know what they want be it a winter coat, a bed, a car or food.
And true for any job really. Haven’t we all seen people be hired at our own jobs and they don’t last?
True, but they aren’t “paying to work” first. No-one had to buy their own lab coat, laboratory glassware, chemicals et c. in order to work alongside me.
Some people are just not cut out for certain types of work and maybe they have extra hurtles (sic) that don’t help.
Except Mary Kay sells the lie that everywoman can and will succeed selling make-up.
But why blame Mary Kay for something that happens with every career?
Because most jobs aren’t set up with a 95% failure rate almost guaranteed.
I love my full time dance teaching job. But you know what? Some people hate it and that’s fine. We’re not all built the same.
And now we see just where your customer base is. Leeching off your students and/or their parents.
PTC, it’s so easy to say, “I make $4-500/month selling Mary Kay.” The way your post is worded, I don’t believe you are keeping an accurate ledger, and those numbers are gross sales, not profit. You did not even mention whether your customers are paying full retail. We all know they are not.
Since you don’t have a downline, you don’t get commissions, so no 1099. Your Sched C would show the $5-7000 you claim to be “making” with Mary Kay annually. Can you share it with us? Or just the value on line 31?
Did your SD recommend setting up an accurate business ledger? I doubt it. Now might be a good time to get that started.
I’ve been with Mary Kay for two years now. I came in to make a few extra hundred a month and that’s exactly what I do. I make about $400-$500 a month with minimal parties.
That nets you a massive $4,800- $6,000 per year before taxes, gas and other expenses. But I’m sure your up-line loves the extra commission she gets each month.
I essentially built my customer base at the beginning and now the bulk of my income comes from reorders. And during Christmas time, I pull in almost $1000.
You have a captive audience.
One thing is for sure, when I spend more time on it, that’s when I make more money. I know that, at least for me, I could make more money if I had the will power to work it more.
You’ve certainly started to drink the Pink Flavor-Aid.
But I didn’t get in to make it a full time career and that’s okay. My friend did make it her full time career and she’s doing very well for herself.
Have you seen her 1099 or schedule C for yourself or is this just her self-reporting to you.
Can some women be pushy and desperate? Of course. But haven’t we all met sales people like that? Why the focus on this particular company?
Because Mary Kay Wagner Rogers Eckman Weaver Louis Miller Hallenbeck Ash’s company is the company most of us have experience with. Lots of other companies also have websites and blogs here they are criticized by current and former employees.
I’ve been hounded by car salesmen who don’t stop calling me. But I still go back later when I need to shop for a car. I don’t blame the entire Carmax company for a few desperate individuals.
I wonder if these employees have been told “no doesn’t mean no, it means I need more information”, or “it means ask me again later” or any of the other phrases MKBots repeat to make themselves feel better.
Do they recommend you buy product? Yes.
At least this one is honest about having to buy up-front.
Right now, if you opened up a jewelry store, for example, guess what you have to invest in? Jewelry to sell.
If I were to open a jewelry store, I would first look into my competitors, ask family and friends which items they would buy, et c. not blunder in and hope for the best.
I didn’t start off with product right away. I had to learn that a lot of women will cancel or not buy if you don’t have the product on the spot. So by month three, I invested in a good amount of product.
Guided helpfully by your director and her up-line no doubt.
No one had to trick me into doing it. I had to learn it for myself. And my director was still nice enough to pretty much lend me her product when she could.
She was probably only too keen to get rid of it herself!
Nothing of what they recommend you do is unlike starting any kind of retail business.
Apart from the whole “book, sell, recruit” aspect of it.
I’m sure there are plenty of bad consultants and directors. Just like you can find bad employees and bosses at almost any job.
No-one is arguing otherwise.
But that’s not the experience that all women have in Mary Kay.
That doesn’t invalidate the point though.
I’m happy with the decision I made. I move my products well and I definitely make way more than my mom did when she sold Avon or my friends selling DoTerra.
You realise that this is not an overwhelming endorsement of MK?
It’s worked out for me for what I was personally chasing. I was a customer long before becoming a consultant and I and my customers stand by this product.
Ok, I guess.
So to me, when I spent $100 on a kit worth more than $400, it was a deal. If I decided to quit, I could either return my starter kit or keep it.
You will be strongly discouraged from returning it since your up-lines will lose their commissions when/if you do.
I knew I would keep it if I quit because I was accustomed to spending $95 on the Miracle Set anyway and at least this way, I was getting the Miracle Set plus mascara, my foundation I adore, makeup remover and there were a few extra things when I signed up.
It’s worth it if you are happy with it.
And I could still give away the stuff I wouldn’t use as gifts to people.
I’m sure that they will be happy.
I have struggled with acne since I was in 5th grade. I have adult onset acne now. I’ve tried everything under the sun. The ONLY thing that has ever actually improved the pH in my skin is Mary Kay.
There’s probably other products that are effective for you should you wish to research again.
I still have friends who haven’t seen me in a few years who ask me what I’ve done for my skin. So yes. I’ve been genuinely recommending MK since before I was a consultant.
Ok.
What I’m reading is a lot of people who had bad experiences with their director or unit. My experience has been wonderful.
So far, at least.
My director was honest with me. She told me I couldn’t make a few hundred just doing catalog sales.
Twist.
That I’d have to do at least some parties.
Twist.
She told me from before that I’d likely lose sales if I didn’t have product on hand but she didn’t push me into it.
Twist.
I learned on my own that she was right. I’ve done pretty well. I didn’t go in expecting to get rich.
There’s that lovely shiny lure.
The day I went to the studio meeting and signed up, all of the directors said, “There’s no easy quick way to make good money. You have to work for it.”
Oh, but they hooked you well.
They were pretty honest before we were even given the chance to sign up.
You and I have a different meaning of honest, it appears.
If you’re going to really invest in your store, then yeah. You’re going to make somewhere closer to 40% so you can keep up with new products coming out and your demos.
Buy, buy, buy.
But to be fair, they strongly recommend you set no more than 10% of your 50% to that kind of stuff.
Holy Contradictions, Batman! Is it 40% or 10%?
Why new products? For the same reason Sephora and Macy’s are constantly releasing new products as well.
Those companies aren’t making those products, though. They can afford to gamble on new lines.
To compete with the market.
If one line of products fails at Macy’s, then they stop selling it at full price and discount it heavily and still not lose money. In MK, it’s the salesforce who are encouraged to purchase new products and if they can’t sell it at full-price, then they lose out on MK Corp.
40% for me has still proven to be good for me and what I wanted and 40% is still high compared to other direct sales companies. For example, I know DoTerra gives a 25% commission.
You only get commissions if you have a down-line, a team, a unit, recruits which ever term they are using this month to hide the fact that this is an MLM.
I write this only so that people can know that these bad experiences are not representative of all units, all consultants and all directors.
It seems that your directors haven’t told you everything since the previous paragraph is a mix of misinformation and outright contradictions.
I hope you run your dance studio better than this. You would be best served by using the accounting skills you use in your studio to fully evaluate your MK endeavours.
“I make about $400-$500 a month with minimal parties.”
Is that before or after expenses? If it’s before expenses, then the max you’re really earning is $250/month. That’s assuming you sell everything at full suggested retail and have absolutely no overhead. If you’re selling any products at a discount, paying for hostess gifts, and buying gas to get to the parties, you’re earning even less.
You also claim that you’d sell more product if you put in more time and effort. Maybe you would, but maybe not. Maybe you’d find that you’ve already tapped out the only potential customers in your circle or geographic area, so that extra effort would bring diminishing returns.
Just once I’d like to see one of the Friday writers offer a full and complete account of expenses, revenue, hours worked, and length of time with Mary Kay. Without all of that information, neither we nor you can really know whether you’re actually making money or just indulging in an expensive hobby.
This whole thing about women not buying if they can’t have it instantly is confusing to me. I order a lot online including make-up. And I’m a forgetful procrastinator so if I run out of something I do still have to wait and that’s A-OK. And then there’s that whole Amazon has taken over the world – and that’s all waiting.