Written by The Scribbler

The official Mary Kay Facebook page recently posed the question, “We are looking forward to the long weekend ahead. What are your Memorial Day Weekend plans?”

Since Memorial Day occurs at the end of the month, I’m guessing there’s going to be a whole lotta workin’ going on amongst Mary Kay directors and consultants.  Month’s end on planet Mary Kay typically brings with it a frenzied buzz of activity, as directors far and near race to wrap up any production quotas hanging over their heads.  Same goes for directors-in-qualification; being one body short of the required 24 recruits needed renders months of recruiting and pulling production null and void.  It’s a bad scenario to be caught in, and so the chances of catching a Mary Kay lady working on the 30^th or 31^st of the month are quite good, holiday or not.

Does the Mary Kay world promote the working of one’s business over enjoying a holiday MK-free?  Judge for yourself:

“I actually cut a family vacation short so that I could attend [Career Conference]…it was worth the money and the time spent away from my family!”  ~SSD Brenda Bennett from an article in Applause.

“Are your relatives visiting you over the holidays?  Practice on them!  Are you going to see travel to see friends and family…take your beauty case with you, practice on them, and write off a portion of your trip!” ~From the document, “Why You Should Start your Mary Kay Business in October, November, or December.”

“You can bake cookies and send Christmas cards that no one will remember, or you can earn the use of a Cadillac and everyone will remember!”  ~NSD Karen Piro (again, from an Applause magazine piece.)

Will this “Mary Kay First!” mindset apply to the women on MK’s Facebook page as well?  How many posters will actually celebrate Memorial Day the way it’s meant to be celebrated:  honoring the fallen who died to defend our freedom, throwing down grilled meat, and pelting their children with water balloons filled to a capacity that is outlawed in some counties?  Let’s find out!

I divided my tally count into two groups:  those who would be working their Mary Kay businesses this weekend and those who wouldn’t.  Out of the 243 comments used, I did not include ones where individuals implied they would be working real jobs, as Mary Kay culture regularly uses the whole “You’ll have more time for family doing the things you love!” as a selling point in the recruiting interviews.  No real-world job will lay that mess on you, soul-brother; can you dig what I’m layin’ down?  I also did not include comments that did not answer the question presented, as well as any double-posts.  This left me with a total of 220 comments to work with.

So how many women are having a pink weekend?  I’m pleased to say that it’s less than the women who truly are putting family second and career third.

59% (or 130) out of 220 women polled revealed that they would be camping, grilling, visiting relatives, going to weddings, going to the zoo, and honoring soldiers with parades and cookouts.  No references to holding facials, haunting fishbowls, or dialing for dollars were found in their posts, and Laura C’s comment was undoubtedly the best of the bunch:  “It is Memorial Day, so my focus will be on remembering those young men and women who have sacrificed their very lives in defense of our country and freedom around the world. God bless them all. I will attend a ceremony at our state veteran’s cemetery on Monday. Mary Kay can wait till another day.” Now that’s a woman who has her priorities arrow-straight.  Family second, career third.  Way to go, Laura!

I cannot offer the same kudos for a Susan M, who was one of the 90 women (41%) who planned on spending their Memorial Day holding debuts, booking parties, attending meetings, and attempting to convince others to do what they do so they can spend their Memorial Day weekends working their businesses, too!  Here’s what Susan had to say:

“Just booked 3 referrals for parties on Sat/Sun. Have 3 other parties already booked, with more on the way. It’s year-end & I have goals to hit. No break for me…people are around & not everyone is going somewhere, so I am going to make the most of it & work, work, work! Will honor those on Monday at our parade in town, but am working before & after.”

Just between you and me, spending my holiday weekend working harder than a child laborer in a 1912 cotton mill and being released to attend one parade before going back to the grind is not my idea of putting “career third.” Isn’t that one of the reasons women join Mary Kay in the first place?  Recruiters squawk, “Get away from mean ol’ Corporate America; they don’t care if you have to work on a holiday!”  yet they’ll gleefully admit (as one MK poster did) that she’s “Going to Niagara Falls with my hubby for our 1-year anniversary. Might meet my next recruit there :)”

Now some might argue “Hey, she’s going someplace with her husband, that’s family time!”  but if this newlywed is thinking, “Ooh!  I might meet my next recruit at Niagara Falls!” she is living out the MK teaching that one must always be thinking about recruiting.  And if that’s true, she can’t devote her full attention to her husband while being with him because hey, she’s thinking about pitching the Mary Kay opportunity to that sharp lady over there.  It’s a sad state of affairs to be in, and it’s helpful to know that putting one’s career first can potentially result in affairs of a very different sort.  So come join Mary Kay’s latest campaign, Hyphenate America! String together more than three hyphenated last names and be eligible for the prestigious Mary Kay Wagner-Rogers-Louis-Miller-Eckman-Weaver-Hallenbeck-Ash Circle of Excellence.  You’ll get a sassy chair cover, a sash, and 5 seconds of standing recognition at Seminar, so start now!

Active directors and consultants, Mary Kay gets invited to nearly every aspect of your lives, day in and day out.  Doesn’t it make sense to leave her off the guest list for once and enjoy some time with your family and friends unhitched from all things pink?  59% percent of these women are, so why not join them?  Have a wonderful Memorial Day and God bless America!