The work of a make-up artist is connected with the art of make-up and the creation of images, and it is no secret that many famous masters work on show programs, where up to 50 models are present per evening. Each model has to create its own bright style, which would remain impeccable throughout the evening and does not require additional amendments, and it is simply impossible to do without high-quality cosmetics here.

Mary Kay cosmetics meet all the high requirements that make-up artists make for high-quality cosmetics. The stroke, after applying with a brush with an applicator, turns out to be perfectly transparent, requiring no additional shading, the color is always pure. Catwalk makeup is especially bright, and consumption decorative cosmetics quite large, therefore, the cost of Mary Kay cosmetics pleasantly pleases with its optimality.

The uniqueness of Mary Kay products is in its technologies, which were used in the production of cosmetics long before the advent of nanotechnology. Dissolving a coloring pigment to a molecule in a unique water-based solvent, which is a proprietary invention of Mary Kay, a solution is obtained, which is then sprayed in a vacuum chamber, where the water instantly evaporates, and the molecules form particles of exactly the same round shape.
Unlike the technologies of other companies, where dyes are obtained by grinding and have an uneven splinter shape that can injure the skin, Mary Kay decorative cosmetics can be easily removed without leaving a trace and does not injure the skin of the face.

A few more facts.
Since 1949, a law has been in effect in the United States that prohibits the use of hormones in the production of cosmetics, since 1976 such a law has been adopted in Europe, and since 1998 in Russia. Therefore, the assertions are groundless that the effect that cosmetics has in the fight against early skin aging and the elimination of wrinkles that have already appeared is associated with the use of hormonal agents. Even Mary Kay's anti-aging cosmetics use only active plant substances that stimulate the subcutaneous layer to accelerate the renewal of skin cells.

Product quality control in Europe and the United States is carried out at the stage of retail sale, and in Russia, this process is carried out at the stage of issuing a certificate, which does not guarantee the authenticity of the cosmetic product and compliance with the certificate.
Carrying out an expert trip to Russia, several years ago, representatives of leading companies such as Lankom, Christian Dior, Este Lauder, were quite surprised when they met cosmetics that were never produced by their firms on sale.
Often unscrupulous sellers put up samples of original products, and sell pseudo Chinese-made cosmetics. Maybe that's why, there are dissatisfied statements about this or that cosmetics, which causes irritation, maybe it is worth thinking about where and from whom it is worth buying cosmetics.

Mary Kay cosmetics are not sold in retail chains, they are distributed through consultants or directly from Mary Kay. Consultant Mary Kay receives products from the warehouse, without intermediaries, uses these cosmetics herself, and conducts a class on the correct use of skin care cosmetics. Manufacturers of other firms "Mira-Lux", "Oriflame" have much more intermediaries, for example, in the Russian Line up to 6 levels.

Mary Kay cosmetics belongs to the luxury class, on a par with Lank and Este Lauder. Cosmetics such as "L" Oreal "belong to a class lower in terms of their requirements for product safety and suitability. Cosmetics of extra luxury class differ only in the price per package, which can cost more than $ 400 for an empty perfume bottle.
Mary Kay cosmetics are professional, elite cosmetics with affordable price for most girls and women, which guarantees quality and justifies the expected result in skin care.

In 2011, Mary Kay was the sixth largest direct selling company in the world. Net revenue was US $ 2.9 billion.

The peculiarity of the company is that only women are hired as salesmen ("beauty consultants"). Men, however, are present among the staff and on the board of directors. The company's philosophy is designed to help women achieve career success, while maintaining the ability to fully pursue their families. The company strives to make optimal use of the peculiarities of female psychology in its activities: to advance in the company, you need to help others to succeed, because consultants receive bonuses for the success of newcomers brought in and trained by them; various awards are practiced for successful work such as discounts, cosmetics and perfumes, handbags, branded suits, jewelry, travel, pink cars; a magazine "Applause" is published with photographs of consultants who have achieved success in the company.

The company's symbol is a bumblebee: it is believed that, according to the laws of physics, he cannot fly, but he needs to, so he flies.

Golden Rule: Treat people the way you would like to be treated.

The corporate color is pink.

The company's mission is to improve the lives of women around the world.

Mary Kay is headquartered in Addison, Texas, near Dallas. The company was founded by Mary Kay Ash in 1963. Her son Richard Rogers is Chairman of the Board of Directors, and David Holl is President and CEO (since 2006).

Business model

Mary Kay was the first company to train women to take care of their skin - before that, cosmetics companies simply sold blush. lipstick or new shades of eyeshadow. Sales are carried out through a network of sales consultants - "beauty consultants". To become a consultant, you need to take a short free training course on sales and skin care programs (more in-depth trainings can be taken throughout the entire time of work in the company), as well as purchase a starter "beauty package", which includes the company's products. The initial beauty package is sold at a discount to market value, which allows consultants to profitably, easily and quickly resell and thereby generate income and better understand the specifics of the company. It is very important for a company to abstract from pyramid companies, the basis of which involves the illegal receipt of money from customers. Unlike pyramid companies, Mary Kay sells its products to absolutely all consultants at a single discount.

Training of consultants is extremely important and priority for the company. Such seminars are often held in a format of no more than 6 people, at home. Delivery of the goods, as well as its payment, must be carried out strictly on the spot.

Mary Kay deliberately limits the range of her products: this is done so that consultants have excellent command of the existing range of goods and easily remember new items. And also so that consultants, if desired, can maintain a mini-warehouse of products and provide instant delivery of the ordered goods. Unlike many companies, Mary Kay does not restrict sales.

A beauty consultant can hire other consultants in any number and from anywhere in the world. The company has no fixed territories. Mary Kay Ash writes in her autobiography: “I remembered that when I was making $ 1,000 in commission per month for the sales of my division, my husband got a new job in St. Louis. I couldn't take my division with me and so I lost all commissions on the sales of people I had attracted, trained, and motivated for eight years. In my opinion, this is an obvious injustice. I put my energy into developing my territory, but someone else inherited these great salespeople and their sales commissions. ”

The company also has incentive programs, such as the famous pink Cadillac. Methods are also used to encourage husbands to be proud of their wives and to encourage their careers. For example, at one of the seminars, each of the husbands of the consultants received a badge "She is just Fantastic!", And another time - a sticker for a car bumper "Ask me about my wife's career." The company sometimes receives gratitude from the husbands of clients, as their wives began to look better, and from the husbands of the consultants, who got to know their children better when the wife started working and the husband began to take part in their upbringing, as well as from the husbands of the consultants who were able to change their unloved more productive work for them due to the fact that their wives began to earn more and could provide for their families during the transition period.

Mary Kay, having carefully considered the issue of working on franchising, abandoned this idea. The refusal was due to the fact that many women will be forced to turn to men for funding, and this in turn will significantly reduce their independence and, ultimately, affect the company. Instead, in 1967, the company went public with an IPO. This made it possible to significantly increase funding and expand the circle of its expansion into the market. Mary Kay cosmetics company became the first company on the New York Stock Exchange led by a woman... In addition, Richard was the youngest president of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Over the next decade and a half, sales grew steadily by an average of 28 percent per year. But between 1974 and 1978, sales stagnated and even slowed down a bit. To restore them, the company has increased the bonuses for its consultants. Sales began to rise again, averaging between 29% and 84% per annum, over the next four years.

The companies offered to sell their products in shopping centers, but this did not suit her. Mary Kay specializes in personalizing the art of beauty, and in in public places it is less convenient to conduct consultations, as women are embarrassed to remove cosmetics in public and do not want to waste time allotted for shopping on consultations.

In 1977, construction was completed on a new 8-story headquarters in Dallas. In 1993, Mary Kay's total manufacturing facility was the equivalent of 3 football pitches. The company was also licensed by the FDA to develop and market pharmaceuticals such as sunscreens and other products.

The 1980s saw a sharp decline in economic growth and now includes full-time employment for women. In the period from 1983 to 1985. the number of beauty consultants has almost halved and amounted to about 100,000 people. Sales fell from $ 323 million to $ 260 million. Mary Kay's share price on the stock exchange has dropped significantly. Mary Kay and her son Richard decided to independently buy out all the remaining shares of the company for a total of $ 315 million. There was also a problem with IPS about the timely payment of taxes, but this was resolved in 1993 when Mary paid IPS $ 3 million. In 1989, Mary Kay's company attempted to take over its largest competitor, Avon, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

Mary Kay Cosmetics was named one of the Top 100 Companies to Work in America in 1984 and 1993. In 1992, the company's retail turnover exceeded $ 1 billion. More than 200 products were distributed, and the number of beauty consultants increased to 250,000 in 19 countries around the world. And already in 1993 the number of consultants exceeded 300,000, and the number of clients was more than 20,000,000. More than half of the national sales leaders earned over $ 1 million during their careers at Mary Kay, and the total bonus fund of the company was $ 38 million annually. In 1993, the Mary Kay brand became a bestseller in the face and cosmetics industry in the United States, and wholesales grew more than $ 735 million. In 1995 Mary Kay Ash resigns from the position of the company manager for health reasons.

The company celebrated its 35th anniversary in 1998 and, in honor of this holiday, has established a new award for consultants - leaders, a white GM sports jeep. That same year, Mary Kay was again voted one of America's Top 100 Employers by Fortune Magazine.

Sales

In 2005, global revenues exceeded $ 2.2 billion, and in 2010, $ 2.5 billion, excluding product returns.

Mary Kay Sales

Year	Total revenue, USD	Consultants	Leaders	National leaders
1963	198 154	318	0	0	623
1983	300 000 000	195 000	...	...	1538
1989	400 000 000	200 000	...	...	2000
1991	511 000 000	220 000	...	...	2322
1992	500 000 000	250 000	...	...	2000
1993	735 000 000	325 000	...	...	2261
1994	850 000 000	...	...	...	...
1995	950 000 000	...	...	...	...
1995 in Russia	25 000 000	...	...	...	...
1996	1 000 000 000	...	...	...	...
1997 in China	12 000 000	15 000	...	...	800
1998 in China	$7,200,000	...	...	...	...
2001	1 400 000 000	800 000	...	...	1750
2001 in the USA	There is no data	500 000	...	...	...
2001 in Mexico	20 000 000	...	...	...	...
2002	1 600 000 000	850 000	19 000	More than 300	1882
2002 in the USA	...	...	13 000	...	...
2002 in China	120 000 000	120 000	...	...	100
2003	1 800 000 000	1 100 000	18 500	Over 100	1636
2004	1 960 000 000	1 300 000	27 000	410	1507
2004 in the USA	...	...	...	210	...
2004 in Canada	125 000 000	29 357	661	16	4257
2004 in UK	7 700 000	3500	Over 70	0	2200
2005	2 200 000 000	1 600 000	31 000	500	1375
2005 in China	300 000 000	400 000	...	...	750
2005 in the USA	1 300 000 000	715 000	...	...	1818
2005 in Canada	...	32 820	673	17	...
2005 in Argentina	...	20 000	500	8	...
2005 in Mexico	...	175 000	...	...	...
2005 in the UK	...	5000	140	2	...
2006	2 250 000 000	1 700 000+	...	About 500	1323
2006 in Canada	C $ 62,000,000	34 272	724	18	CAD 1809 / person
2006 in the USA	...	...	14 000+	...	...
2006 in UK	...	5000	140	2	...
2007	2 400 000 000	1 700 000	...	...	1411
2007 in Canada	...	31891	659	25	...
2007 in the USA	...	700 000	14 000	215	...
2008	2 600 000 000	1 800 000	34 000	500	1444
2008 in Canada	...	30 679	608	24	...
2008 in the USA	...	600 000	13 000	...	...
2009	2 500 000 000	2 000 000	37 000	600	1250
2009 in China	600 000 000	200 000	...	...	3000
2010	2 500 000 000	2 000 000	...	600	1250
2010 in Australia	AU $ 25,000,000	10 000	...	...	AU $ 2,500 / person
2010 in Canada	...	29573	...	24	...
2012	3 000 000 000	...	39 000	600	...
2012 in Russia	...	...	3500	...	...
Year	Total revenue, USD	Consultants	Leaders	National leaders	Revenue, USD / Number of consultants

Notes:

• Data are shown excluding inflation;
• Official Mary Kay, Inc. includes rounding up of revenue and rounding down of number of consultants.

Factories

The main manufacturing plant is located in Dallas, Texas, USA. A second factory in Hangzhou, China, manufactures and packs products for the Chinese market. A third factory was opened in 1997 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, for the European market. The Swiss factory was closed in 2003.

Cars

In 1968, Mary Kay Ash bought her first pink Elvis-style Cadillac, repainted by a dealer in Mountain Laurel Blush pink. This publicity stunt was so successful that Mary Kay in 1969 decided to award five of her best sellers with pink Cadillacs at the expense of the company. Pink was the obvious choice, matching the company's palette of eye and lip products. Since 1980, this shade has been used exclusively by the Mary Kay fleet. Every two years leader or national leader can participate in the competition for a new Cadillac. At the end of the two-year lease, the cars are repainted and sent back to auction. The shade of pink has changed over the years. In 1998 it changed to Pearl Pink. GMC Jimmy sports car offered in USA in honor of 35th anniversary white, a special edition for the Mary Kay Company. As of 2007, top-sellers can still earn themselves the coveted pink Cadillac.

In 2005, the company's vehicle fleet consisted of 9870 vehicles manufactured by GM (USA).

In the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Ukraine - pink Mercedes-Benz cars. In Argentina, you can make money on a pink Ford, and in Taiwan, a pink Toyota. In Australia, there is a choice between the Ford Falcon and the Volkswagen Beetle. In China, a pink Volkswagen Santana. In the Nordic countries, a pink Volvo V50.

The specific requirements for picking up a vehicle depend on the country and the model you want. If the requirements are not met, then the driver must pay a portion of the car lease fee for that month. If the requirements are met, the driver pays 85% of the insurance and does not pay the monthly lease, or receives a pre-agreed amount of monetary compensation.

Since the introduction of this program, more than 100,000 sales consultants have already met the requirements to be able to use such a car, or to receive monetary compensation. It is unknown how many leaders chose to get money over a car, but GM estimates that the company made a total of about 100,000 pink Cadillacs for Mary Kay.

In 2012, the following brands are available: Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota Camry and Cadillac CTS, SRX & Escalade Hybrid, and a newcomer, a black Ford Mustang, is introduced to increase the motivation and productivity of sellers.

Sellers earnings

As a privately held company, Mary Kay Inc. does not disclose all of its financial information to the public.

There are two ways consultants can make money at Mary Kay:

• Attracting new consultants;
• Retail sales;

Earnings by attracting new consultants

Earnings from recruiting new consultants reflects commissions and bonuses for the team's overall sales. They do not include revenues from retail sales and revenues from the Mary Kay Instruments business.

• 29,675 people were salespeople during the year;
• 1,878 consultants raised over C $ 100 in commission fees;
• 276 of 553 top sellers earned over C $ 17,471 in commission;
• 15 out of 23 national top sellers have earned over C $ 100,000 in commission;
• the standard commission was 50% of the proceeds.

Earnings from retail sales

There is no reliable data on this. The quoted figure of $ 1250 per year (2010) for the average consultant was obtained by dividing Mary Kay Corporate's total annual revenue by the number of Mary Kay consultants. This figure is obviously incorrect, as it does not take into account product returns, discounted sales, auction sales, purchases by consultants for personal use, all of which would reduce this figure.

Staff turnover among consultants

Employee turnover is estimated at 68.6% per annum based on data provided by Mary Kay (USA) to the FTC.

According to Mary Kay (Canada), employee turnover is estimated at 85% per year. Subtracted from this data are consultants who earn a commission but have been with the company for less than a year, as well as those who are in the company. more than a year but do not receive a commission.

Lawsuits

Woolf v Mary Kay Cosmetics

In 2004, the case of Woolf v. Mary Kay Cosmetics was initially decided in favor of the applicant, Claudine Wolfe. This is the first time that labor law has been applied to independent consultants working from home. This decision was overturned on appeal and finally overturned by the US Supreme Court on May 31, 2005.

Ms. Wolfe was fired as a leader (director) because her division did not generate sales for three consecutive months. Wolfe insisted that the dismissal was illegal due to her medical condition - she suffered from cancer.

Claims against liquidators

In May 2008 Mary Kay Inc. filed a lawsuit against the Touch of the Pink Cosmetics website, which sold products from former Mary Kay consultants at substantially discounted prices. The company believed the website was interfering with its business and was illegally using the Mary Kay trademark.

July 20, 2009 Mary Kay Inc. filed a lawsuit against Pink Face Cosmetics for trademark misuse. This company sold Mary Kay products on eBay and other online resources at below average prices.

Animal testing of products

In 1989, the company announced a moratorium on animal testing under pressure from animal rights groups. She was one of the first in her industry to do so and signed PETA's petition.

However, in 2012 Mary Kay Inc. reintroduced animal testing as required by law in China for all health and beauty products.

Mary Kay in Russia

Mary Kay is a member of the Russian Direct Selling Association. She complies with the code of honor and conduct of the members of the Association, which regulates fair treatment of the buyer, compliance with the established standards for product sales.

Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation

This charitable foundation was founded in 1996 for two purposes:
Fight cancer in women by supporting leading medical scientists seeking cures for breast, uterine, cervical and ovarian cancers;
Fighting the epidemic of violence against women by providing grants to women's shelters and supporting community programs.

In culture

Links

1. Direct Selling News, June 01, 2012: DSN Global 100: The Top Direct Selling Companies in the World Retrieved 2012-07-14
2. Mary Kay. Business fundamentals. An Independent Beauty Consultant Guide.
3. 2011 Press Kit The Company
4. Mary Kay At-A-Glance - June 2006
5. http://www.marykay.ru/company/facts/%7C accessdate = 13 December 2012
6. Autobiography of Mary Kay.
7. Mary Kay Ash. 20th Century American Leaders Database... Harvard Business School. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
8. Company Retrospective
9. Stanley, Alessandra... Avon and Mary Kay Create Opportunities for Women, Moscow: New York Times(August 14, 1996), p. D1. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
10. (2005-06-21) "China consumer goods: Still off the doorstep" (Economist Group). Retrieved on 2010-10-20.
11. Monthly Calendar, 2002. US Mexico Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
12. (2001-11-22). Mary Kay Inc. 2003 Fact Sheet... Press release . Retrieved on 2010-10-20.
13. Just the FAQs. Mary Kay (UK). Retrieved October 20, 2010.
14. Mary Kay Corporate Press Kit 2005
15. Kaye, Marcia Parent Time: Mary Kay Cosmetics. Today "s Parent(December / January 2005). Retrieved October 20, 2010.
16. 2004
17. Mary Kay Cosmetics (U.K.) Ltd. ... Hoovers, Inc .. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
18. Glick, Julia... More Chinese Women Donning Mary Kay Uniforms, The San Diego Union-Tribune(August 4, 2006). Retrieved October 20, 2010.
19. Mary Kay (Canada) Reported earnings
20. Mary Kay (Argentina)
21. Mary Kay (Mexico)
22. The Mary Kay Opportunity. Mary Kay (UK). Retrieved October 20, 2010.
23. Mary Kay. 2007 Press Kit... Press release . Archived from the original on June 27, 2008. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
24. Mary Kay Around The World
25. Oberbeck, Steven... Utah woman a star in pink, The salt lake tribune, Sequence, Inc.(May 15, 2008). Retrieved October 20, 2010.
26. Mary Kay (Canada) Reported earnings

Mary Kay cosmetics cares for the skin and protects it from harmful effects environment; a huge selection of cosmetics, provides an opportunity to care for any type of skin, nourishing it with minerals and vitamins, slows down the aging process and makes a woman young, beautiful and attractive.

Mary Kay cosmetics catalog- all categories of Mary Kay products are presented in this section.
To date, Mary Kay's catalog contains more than 200 names of cosmetic products, which are conveniently distributed according to their purpose and category.
Mascara, lipstick or powder can be found in the decorative cosmetics section. Mary Kay catalog, and perfumes and eau de toilette in the perfumery section.
But the main directions of Mary Kay's company were skin care products, which are divided by age.
In the Mary Kay catalog, it looks like this:
- Botanical Effects system for ages from 16 to 25 years old;
- TimeWise system is suitable for women from 25 to 45 years old;
- TimeWise Repair system is good for women over 45 years old.

Also, in addition to the main systems in skin care, the Mary Kay catalog has a section "Additional skin care", where Mary Kay's cosmetics are presented that help the main systems, to care for the skin around the eyes and skin of the lips.

For people with acne problems, in Mary Kay's catalog there is a system of cosmetics for problem skin

The impact of the environment and the rapidly flying years negatively affect both the condition of the skin of the hands and the condition of the skin of the body. Using cosmetics from the "Body Care" section of the catalog, you can turn ordinary procedures into pleasure.
This section includes several systems:
- Collection of Lotus and bamboo;
- Satin Body System;
- Collection of Red tea and figs;
- Hand care products;
- TimeWise body care

The collection of cosmetics for men is not to be missed, in the catalog it is placed in the section "Men's collection", it is often used by men shaving foam, face tonic, after-shave cooling gel and several varieties of eau de toilette for men.

Why choose Mary Kay cosmetics

Mary Kay's three age systems are three diamonds among Mary Kay's large selection of cosmetics. It is the age systems that have become loved and popular by millions of women who use Mary Kay cosmetics.

In addition to Mary Kay's age systems, among cosmetics Mary Kay, there is good and high-quality decorative cosmetics, which are in demand in the professional work of makeup artists, stylists and cosmetologists.
Create flawless makeup and make-up ability Mary Kay hold on all day without additional correction, put on Cosmetics Mary kay on a par with professional cosmetics. World renowned makeup artists use Mary Kay cosmetics in their professional activity and is preferred for its quality and value.

In the Mary Kay catalog on the site, not all Mary Kay products are presented. There are no latest novelties and limited collection, and there may not be products that are rarely used. But on the Mary Kay price list page, there is a complete list of all Mary Kay products with prices.
You can order any cosmetics from this list on the site through the contact form in the "Contacts" section or by phone, the numbers of which are indicated on all pages of the site.

Whether it is possible to call sites about Mary Kay cosmetics and sites of consultants online stores, in our opinion, this comparison is not true. The websites of consultants are catalogs of Mary Kay cosmetics, where you can get acquainted with the company's products, ask any questions about cosmetics and get answers to them. In addition, the consultant can be asked to conduct a master class and try the agent of interest for free at the master class.
Many girls already know about cosmetics, and they do not want to waste time at all, so they are ready to buy Mary Kay cosmetics in an online store, or place an order online on a consultant's website. For this, sites are created to help find the necessary information or the necessary product. But at their core, these are ordinary sites about cosmetics, not online stores.

Mary Kay Ash (Mary Kay Ash, years of life 05/12/1918 - 11/22/2001) - American entrepreneur, founder of Mary Kay Inc., specializing in the production and sale of cosmetics and skin care products.

In 2018, the company celebrates its 55th anniversary with excellent achievements: the company, which started as a small family business, now has over 2.5 million distributors of products in 40 countries.

In 2017, with $ 3.5 billion in revenue, Mary Kay Inc. took 5th place in the Global 100 list - a ranking of direct selling companies.

Mary Kay, in addition to the unofficial title of "Queen of Cosmetics", has a number of official awards:

• Dale Carnegie Leadership Award (1977)
• American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate (1980)
• the title of "Honorary Citizen of the United States" according to the Alger Horatio Prize (1978)
• Texas Woman of the Century (1999)
• Lifetime Television's Most Influential Businesswoman of the 20th Century (2000)
• the title of one of the 25 "greatest business leaders" according to The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (2004), and others.

Mrs. Ash founded her firm at the age of 45 and amassed a fortune of $ 98 million, starting with $ 5,000 in her pocket. She multiplied her capital thousands of times - the coefficient “there was money: there was money” was 1: 19,600!

Biography of Mary Kay will tell how she managed to create a giant cosmetic empire practically from scratch.

Mary Kay Ash (Mary Kay Ash) was born in the United States 05/12/1918 in Hot Wells, Harris County, Texas. The future queen of cosmetics was then called differently - Mary Kathlyn Wagner, she had the fourth child of the Wagner couple.

Her father, Edward Alexander Wagner, was seriously ill with tuberculosis and could not support his family. The responsibility to provide for the family fell on the shoulders of Mary's mother, Lula Vember Wagner (née Hastings).

3 years after Mary's birth, her father was sent to the hospital for treatment, where he spent 4 years. The treatment kept him healthy, but he still returned home disabled.

By the time of his return, Mary's two older sisters - Dealia Koch, Daisy and brother Cecil Dewitt - had left their father's house. Mary's mother, a registered nurse, got a job as a restaurant manager and worked from 5 am to 9 pm 7 days a week. The girl was only 7 when grocery purchases, cleaning, caring for her sick father fell on her.

Later, Mary admitted that these duties were too heavy for the little girl. When she didn't understand something, she called her mother. Mother, issuing instructions, kept repeating "Mary Kay, you can do it." From childhood, the child dragged an unbearable burden, but "every cloud has a silver lining" - the ability to overcome difficulties and take responsibility came in handy for Mary and during adult life.

Mary Kay's education

In 1920, Mary's family moved to Sixth Ward, Houston.

The girl received her education in primary school Dow Elementary School, and in 1934 she graduated from Reagan High School in Houston (Reagan High School).

And yet she will manage to get a degree from the University of Houston - the persistent lady will go to Heights High School, University of Houston at the age of 28.

She first married at 17 in 1935.

The spouse was Ben Rogers (J. Ben Rogers), who worked at a gas station and played in a local band. In marriage, Mary gave birth to three children: two sons, Ben Rogers Jr. and Richard, and a daughter, Marylin Reed Rogers.

Early marriage was not happy, the spouse turned out to be irresponsible. To help the family financially, Mary had to go door to door selling child psychology aids. A similar situation happened with the mother, who was also looking for work from house to house.

After changing several part-time jobs, in 1939 Mary got a job at Stanley Home Products. Here she was responsible for the demonstration of the company's products at parties organized in private houses. Advertisements for household items that weighed, at times, a lot, was not easy for small in physique Mary.

At the beginning of World War II, Mary Roger's husband goes to the front. By the end of the war, Mary had saved enough funds and entered the University of Houston. In 1946, when Mary Kay was in her first semester, her husband returned home and asked for a divorce. Their marriage, which lasted 11 years, was not happy, and yet Mary Kay felt humiliated and depressed.

28-year-old Mary found herself "at a broken trough": behind her shoulders - an unsuccessful marriage, with health - problems (Mary started rheumatoid arthritis). But now the upbringing of three children is still on her!

But the single mother did not have time to whimper, Mary goes headlong into work. She receives rewards for her professional achievements, but when it comes to promotion, she is refused "promoted" because she is a woman.

Mary did not accept the injustice and left Stanley Home Products in 1952.

She moves to Dallas and takes a job at World Gift. In a new position, she succeeds: in a year, she independently increases the company's turnover by more than 50%! Mary becomes National Director of Human Resources Training.

However, in 1963, the position for which she applied is occupied by a man whom Mary taught at one time; at the same time, he is given a salary that is twice her salary. With a bitter sense of resentment, Mary Kay leaves the company.

In 1963, after spending a quarter of a century in direct sales, she retired.

The beginning of my story may seem to many to be its end. recognized as "retired"

How the idea of ​​creating a company was born

Not everyone succeeds early and becomes youth billionaires, like or. There are also life-worn "labor veterans" who decided to retrain as entrepreneurs at an advanced age - like, for example, the 52-year-old founder of the McDonald’s restaurant chain. Mary Kaye started working for herself at 45.

She ponders how to help women who have suffered injustice at work. She was not satisfied with the state of affairs when men were paid more because "they need to provide for their family."

Mary was annoyed when her male colleagues criticized her proposals and reproached her for "feminine thinking." She decides to write a book and talk about her work experience. Sitting at the kitchen table, Mary makes two lists: in the first she lists the advantages of the companies where she worked, and in the second she describes their negative aspects.

It is then that Mary Kay thinks about the ideal company where women are treated with respect: “If such a company existed, it would, of course, be a“ dream company ” » .

And then she comes up with a bold idea of ​​her own company: there she would have eliminated injustice and discrimination! "Why not actually do it?"

All great accomplishments begin with an idea, a dream. Pragmatic businessmen are not afraid to confess about the "romantic dream" that became the starting point on the road to success - remember the story of the founder of Nike, and his "crazy idea."

Mary Kay's savings at that time amounted to $ 5 thousand. She contacts Ova Spoonemore, whom she knew from her work at Stanley Home. Ova's father, J. W. Heath, developed a cream formula to soften the skin of the hands. Mary Kay buys the formula for $ 500, and invests the rest of the money in a direct selling company.

At the same time, Mary Kay is going to remarry. The new chosen one is chemist George Arthur Hallenbeck. It was agreed with the future spouse that he would take over the finance of the new business, and Mary would deal with sales.

This was my only chance to start working for myself. We burned all the bridges behind us.

Two months before the opening of Mary Kay Cosmetics, in 1963, 45-year-old Mary Kay is getting married. But misfortune happens - a month after the wedding, her husband died of a heart attack.

Mary could not postpone the opening of the first store, everything had already been agreed upon. The role of the financier in the family business had to be taken over by Mary's 20-year-old son, Richard.

My son Richard quit his job, where he was receiving $ 480 a month, to help me implement this crazy idea, agreeing to a salary of only $ 250.

8 months after the founding of the company, another son, Ben, joined the family business. In 1981, Mary Kay's daughter, Marilyn Reed, joined Mary Kay.

Experts predicted Mary Kay's failure. The accountant said that with such a commission scheme, "it's not worth it," the lawyer shook the list of bankrupt cosmetic companies, and the Californian cosmetics manufacturer offered to buy its formulas for a symbolic amount "because you will never be successful on your own." But the aspiring businesswoman was optimistic:

I was determined to prove them wrong

09/13/1963 in 1963, the first Beauty By Mary Kay store was opened in Dallas. The office occupied an area of ​​150 square meters, and now the total area of ​​production facilities is more than 3 million square meters!

The first shop had only 9 female salesmen offering 5 types of goods. On the counter were: Cleansing Cream for $ 2, Nite Cream at $ 4.95, Skin Freshener for $ 3.50, Day Radiance for $ 1.50, and Magic Masque for $ 4.

I not only sold products and trained others, but also took out the trash

The company finished its first financial year with - Mary Kay and her sales agents sold $ 198,000 worth of cosmetics.

What was the secret of the company's success?

The secret of her success

The history of Mary Kay Inc. has become one of the 20 best-known examples of business development published by Forbes magazine.

Team

Women who, like the founder of the company, were discriminated against at work, reached out to Mary Kay. The salespeople who sold her products could also hire their own consultants, receiving a percentage of their sales and increasing their income.

Mary Kay had an “equal pay for equal work” policy and referred to salespeople as “Independent Consultants”.

The famous athlete "his Air" knows very well that talent can win a single match, but team play will bring victory in championships.

The creator of the cosmetics empire was convinced that “a great company is made up of great people”:

A company is only as good as its employees.

At every stage of the company's development, Mary Kay looked for the best specialists, and paid a lot to the most talented:

By generously paying employees, we have created a hardworking, successful team

It was the employees, and not the numbers in the accounting reports, that Mary Kay called the firm's main asset.

The formation of a management team from people within the company contributed to the prosperity of the business. According to Mary Kay's son Rogers, by 1980, Mrs. Ash had become the head of "leaders who make leaders."

The corporate culture of the Mary Kay company has received worthy recognition in the business sphere, it is the subject of study in a number of scientific institutes in America.

Mary Kay recalled in her autobiography how, being an employee, after a regular seminar she wanted to thank the commercial director for his presentation. She stood in a 3-hour queue for him, and when it was her turn to shake hands with him, the director did not even look at her, but looked behind her - are there many more people?

He acted as if I did not exist at all.

It was then that the business woman made a decision for herself: if she becomes the person to whom the queue is lined up, then she will devote her attention to everyone, even if she is very tired.

Therefore, the following phrase became Mary's guide to action:

Do to others as you want to be treated to you

Mary Kay has been able to motivate thousands of sales representatives while respecting their sense of self-worth.

In 1964, she held the first seminar, a sales agreement. The meeting took place at a wholesale warehouse in Dallas, decorated with balloons. The seminar was more like a holiday than a training. Mary Kay treated her salespeople to self-made chicken and salads.

Seminars have become a tradition and their scope has increased. Mary Kay realized that people need to be given a sense of their own worth and rewarded for success. Employees travel to Dallas every summer for a three-day meeting. It is comparable to a high-profile theatrical performance, and the awards procedure is reminiscent of the coronation of Miss USA.

Mary Kay has proven that good team relationships can dramatically improve productivity. It would seem, not a "Newton binomial", but such simple things are not often laid down in the basis of the postulates of corporate culture.

In 1966, Mary Kay created the Golden Glass Club: gold-plated wine glasses were awarded to every sales consultant who sold $ 1000 worth of goods per month.

In 1968, Mrs. Ash began rewarding agents with diamond bumblebee pins, a token of the highest recognition. Why did the founder of the business choose bumblebee as a symbol of victory?

Mary Kay was interested in the results of research by professionals in the aerodynamic field: experts found that this insect is not capable of flying, because it has weak wings and a heavy body.

“Fortunately, the bumblebee doesn't know anything about this,” smiles Mary Kay. "At Mary Kay we teach people how to spread their wings and fly themselves."

Employees receive a portion of criticism, but comments are served "in a sandwich": between two layers of praise. This leads to employee loyalty.

Hard work

In her autobiography, Mrs. Ash quotes that he has repeatedly faced setbacks during his scientific career. Mary Kay believes that everyone should be grateful to Edison for an example of perseverance and fortitude.

In the company of this business woman, the saying goes: "Before they succeed, people fail." It will take even more effort to stay at the top you have reached.

Gratitude

If you think about it, you will agree that gratitude is often inherent in successful people. Let us recall an illustrative example - the classic performance of the winner in the Oscar nomination, which consists of continuous thanks: "Thank God, parents, team."

Sometimes, simple human gratitude can bring unexpected results. The richest woman in China, quitting her first job, thanked the manager for the job and impressed the “boss” so much that she got a promotion.

The activities of the company and the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, founded in 1996, are permeated with gratitude. The foundation invests in cancer research and works to eradicate domestic violence. Charitable foundations were founded by others outstanding people- Melinda's foundation and, Angel Network organization, foundation, etc.

According to their experience, the national leaders of the company called the first three points the most valuable and effective, as for the last point - it is generally fundamental. Mary Kay has repeatedly emphasized the distribution of prizes among her priorities:

Some facts about Mary Kay

• in 1968 it went public and the shares were listed on the over-the-counter market. Since 1976, the shares have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1985, when the share price declined, Mary Kay bought a controlling stake for $ 450 million, turning Mary Kay into a privately-owned family company.
• in 1979, turnover reached $ 100 million, over the next decade the figure doubled
• production lines at the Dallas plant operate 24 hours a day, 6 days a week. The enterprise occupies 131 thousand square meters and is capable of producing up to 1 million units of products per day
• in 2006, a second manufacturing facility opens in Hangzhou (China)
• the head office does not have a separate dining room and showers for management

Let's take a closer look at Mary Kay's headquarters because it reflects the character of the company as much as the offices of Google.

Head office of the company

Mary Kay did not consider the number "13" unlucky; rather, on the contrary, the store opening took place on September 13th. Gage Hunt, Chief Executive Officer, confirmed that 13 was “Mary Kay Ash's lucky number. The Mary Kay building has 13 floors and 13 passenger lifts. Unsurprisingly, her office and executive offices are located on the 13th floor. "

The headquarters in the new building opened in 1995. The head office was subcontracted and the interior was designed by Mary Kay Inc. The office is located at 16251 Dallas Parkway in Edison, Texas. Anyone can visit the Mary Kay Museum, the entrance to which is free - according to the information on the museum's website www.MaryKayMuseum.com.

This architectural creation has over 10,000 windows and won the title of "Favorite City Office Building" for two years in a row. The boardroom was even used as a movie set during the filming of JR Returns (1996).

Women's happiness Mary Kay

Mary Kay was a feminine lady - she chose pink for her products.

She loved pink in clothes

... and drove a pink Cadillac.

A real lady in pink! Even her Dallas mansion was pink.

Only in the third marriage did she find her female happiness. In 1966, Mary Kay married retired Melville Jerome Ash salesman. She had a chance to survive her husband - Mr. Ash died of lung cancer on July 7, 1980.

The world is full of people who gush with ideas, but never put them into practice. Only by bringing what has been planned to the end, you can achieve success.

I have always believed that any work should be done as well as possible and enjoy it.

You can put on rose-colored glasses and live in a pink world, or you can take a brush and decorate this world yourself.

Opportunities have always been and will be. You just need to use them

Tips from Mary Kay if you want to fix a problem:

• admit the problem
• analyze the problem
• find alternative solutions
• you are taking the best way
• apply the selected solution
• observe and evaluate the results

Mary Kay's legacy

In 1981, Mary Kay's autobiography was published. The book has sold over a million copies.

Mrs Ash has written three more books: Managing People (1984), Mary Kay: You Can Do It All (1995) and Miracle Happens (2003).

In 1987, 69-year-old Mrs. Ash became Emeritus Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mary Kay was active until she suffered a stroke in 1996. After the blow, she could not fully speak, but she continued to show interest in work until death.

Mary Kay passed away on Thanksgiving, November 22, 2001, at the age of 83. At the time of her death, her fortune was estimated at $ 98 million, two-thirds of which consisted of the company's shares.

The creator of the cosmetics empire is buried in Dallas, in the Sparkman-Hillcrest Cemetery Memorial Park.

Her plaque reads "beloved mother and founder of Mary Kay Inc."

A devout mother of three, Mary Kay has outdone herself by unleashing her entrepreneurial potential. “Most companies use salespeople to improve the sales of their products,” said her son Richard. "But Mary Kay created the product to improve the performance of her salespeople."

Mary Kay is one of the largest direct selling make-up, perfume and beauty products in the world. Mary Kay is one of the most recognizable brands in the world, and the company excels in competing in the marketplace and is recently ranked sixth in the list of well-known cosmetics manufacturers. The popularity of Mary Kay products among women is explained not only by their high quality and relevance, but also by the company's motto, which calls for a better life for women around the world. The history of the development of the Mary Kay brand is inextricably linked with its creator Mary Kay Ash, a businesswoman who inspired thousands of women by her example and personal strength to strive to realize their potential and create their own successful careers at Mary Kay.

A company created by a woman

The idea to create a new cosmetic brand belonged to Mary Kay Ash. The impetus for running her own business came from a book Ash wrote after she faced inequality at work. Ash intended to release a kind of instruction that was supposed to help women defend their rights and advance in business, but after detailed study and reflection, the book turned into an effective business plan. Mary Kay Ash founded a cosmetics company in 1963.

It is logical that a brand created by a woman is aimed specifically at the fairer sex. Their intuition, personal qualities and psychological characteristics help the promotion of products and the development of the company. Mary Kay employs predominantly women, although there are still men on the staff and in leadership positions on the board of directors. The fundamental principle of the company is democracy. By starting at the bottom, female employees can move as high up the corporate ladder as they would like. Career drive, dedication, intelligence and perseverance are qualities that have helped many women find success at Mary Kay.

The symbol of Mary Kay is the bumblebee - an insect that, according to the laws of physics, cannot fly, however, without realizing it, it continues to do the impossible.

Mary Kay's signature color is pink. The motto is to do better life women all over the world.

Mary Kay at the center of a scandal

In 1989, Mary Kay was one of the first cosmetics manufacturers to declare a moratorium on animal testing. In 2010, the company was blacklisted by the PETA organization, as it was convicted of resuming testing of its products on animals. Mary Kay took this step to ensure that it does not lose ground in countries where animal testing is required by law.