FALSE!
First of all, you could sell $200,000 of Mary Kay this year and you wouldn’t earn a car.
Second…notice how I said “earn?”
Those cars aren’t free. And you don’t earn them by selling tons of products.
You earn cars by recruiting others into the company. Then, those recruits of yours need to place a product inventory order. That’s the simplified version.
Once you earn the car, you’ll find you’re in a two-year lease agreement with Mary Kay Inc.
You will be required to make a car lease payment every month, unless the production of your unit is high enough to completely cover your lease payment.
You can find more info on the Mary Kay Car Program on this site and on the Mary Kay InTouch site.
Wow! I wish I could sell $200,000 in MK this year! That would mean that I’d earn $100k in 2008, I’d not care if I ‘earned’ or even ‘won’ a car, as I’d buy myself a jaguar xj6 convertable out-right and still have money to spare!
As for the car production… you mention marykayintouch. You’re right. The Mary Kay Corporate office does indeed educate you enough to detail the car production with all of it’s requirements.
But, you failed to mention the cash compensation plan, for those consultants and directors who don’t want the car. A car earning consultant or director can always choose to take the extra cash instead, earning – and truly earning – up to the maximum amount for each car category each month. For the Cadillac – $900 per month. If unit production fluxuates, then the amount may be less than that.
So, no, you don’t have to lease a car if you don’t want to. You can take the money compensation instead, and never pay the company for any portion of the use of the car should unit production fall at any time below the level. And, if you look at this monthly check as a bonus and extra, instead of necessary for the budget, money – well, then, sounds like a fine program to me. 🙂
On top of the money earned – and truly earned – for all of your sales of the product!
Yes, you can choose the cash compensation.
However, you aren’t “truly earning” that either. The amount of cash compensation you receive depends solely on the production of your team. And the production of your team is based on their wholesale orders from the company.
NOT sales.
That’s kinda the point, but from your comment I see you missed the point of the article.
The cash compensation is really simply commission earned on the production of your team. No production, no cash.
Right. Problem is, you wouldn’t have $100,000 AT ALL. There are far too many expenses that would have to come out of that $100K. Plus, you wouldn’t wind up with $100,000 in the first place because most Consultants cannot sell every product at full-price. This becomes apparent very quickly.
Consultants get hyped into buying lots of new stuff and then a lot of it just isn’t as “super-duper” as the Directors make you think. But once it’s in your home, it’s too late. Consultants end up having to discount lots of products just to try to get rid of them and get a little profit out of them.
“Consultants get hyped into buying lots of new stuff and then a lot of it just isn’t as “super-duper” as the Directors make you think. But once it’s in your home, it’s too late. Consultants end up having to discount lots of products just to try to get rid of them and get a little profit out of them.”
NOT TO MENTION…the inventory you are hyped into buying isn’t at all what you need. You get the order placed FOR YOU, but your director (at least I DID) and I had every color from 100 to 400 in M/C and F/C not to mention at least 2 because that’s what she sold!
Yes discounts out the wazoo!!! UNLESS YOU are WISE enough to send it back to corpse!
Wow!, I am reading all of this and I see various people, some level headed that see the truth, and some gullable who see the sparkle. What is often misunderstood is that the big earners in MK can sell shit for $5 per pound. It is a sales job. And they are damn good at it too! These people have my wife contemplating leaving a $40,000 per year job (no degree and 27 years old) on a whim that she could be a Mary Kay millionaire. Well, whoopty friggin doo. I tell her to quit because she is not happy at work, but Don’t feed me some crap about being a MK millionaire. The only way to become a millionaire is hard work, wise investing, and patience. These people want you to think you can actually pick up a turd by the clean end. If you are going to be filthy rich, you have to get shit on your hands more often than not. Bottom line, if you can’t sell heat to an eskimo – you can’t be a Mary Kay millionaire. On the other hand if you can lie to young gullable people and get them to fork over their hard earned money, give up irreplaceable jobs and commit their families to nights without wives and mothers, husbands being Mr. Mom, and children saying, when is Mommy coming home, THEN THIS IS JUST RIGHT FOR YOU. But don’t go expecting your husband to enjoy the process.
“Wow! I wish I could sell $200,000 in MK this year! That would mean that I’d earn $100k in 2008, I’d not care if I ‘earned’ or even ‘won’ a car, as I’d buy myself a jaguar xj6 convertable out-right and still have money to spare!”
“Right. Problem is, you wouldn’t have $100,000 AT ALL. There are far too many expenses that would have to come out of that $100K. Plus, you wouldn’t wind up with $100,000 in the first place because most Consultants cannot sell every product at full-price. This becomes apparent very quickly.”
PLUS – You forgot the 60/40 reinvestment plan!
johndoe,
PLEASE stand firm with your wife.
DO NOT let her quit a $40,000 a year job to
chase the “Mary Kay Dream”!
In the starting stages, the money is not there.
A typical Saturn Director makes around $25,000 after expenses. (Sounds like a paycut …)
I make more than your wife on a J.O.B.
For a long time, I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t want to quit. The upline pushed it.
Finally I understood. I was loyal to the JOB because it not only paid my expenses, but also benefits with peace of mind. Mary Kay could not do that in the short term.
Look at the weekly income on the job, then look at the typical sales at a weekly meeting. $300-$500 divided by half, less expenses of the SCC. No comparison. Examine a Unit Newsletter for Recruiter checks. Very few at $1000+. Most at $100 or less for the month.
Quit a job for that? I don’t think so.
And with Car/DIQ, with no discretionary income, how does one “top off production”???? Debt/Credit?
Frontloading of others – get used to it, because that’s where the recruiting income is.
johndoe, hold firm for your wife and your family. Help her keep that job. Less than 3% of MK are at that “executive income” level. That means 97% don’t succeed. Your family is so much more important than that.
If she can work MK around her job and her family, more power to her. But without that foundation, it probably will not work. And that solicitous upline will not care if/when she fails, when the wholesale $$$$ runs out. They will turn around and blame it on her. Sad, but true.
Protect you both, and your family too.
Someday she will thank you.
Yes, it’s based on what you purchase from the company. Have we forgotten that this is a business? The idea is to purchase an inventory to get started (and isn’t it great to be rewarded for investing in something that’s only going to help you be successful – if you’re serious about making it a business), and then only purchase items that you have sold from there – or invest in new products. I see nothing wrong with that.
From my understanding, the corportate office has never advertised it as a “free car you can win if you sell enough”. If a director is advertising it as such, she is sorely mistaken and will probably be sorry. When we talk about the cars in my unit, we always talk about exactly how you earn the car. I’m sorry it was ever explained in a different manner.
I thought it was advertised as “you earn the use of a car” but actually, “you” don’t, your team does because only a certain % of what you purchase is allowed to count and the team must make up the rest. What gets my goat is when the “car driver” calls the team, asking them to place an order (ie, make her car payment).
Sorry, that $’s got to go toward MY car payment (non MK) that will be PAID for soon !
WOW…. SO MUCH ‘HI-HATER’ GOING ON!!!
IM SURPRISED THAT GROWN ADULTS ARE SOUNDING SO NEGATIVE! THERE ARE & HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MANY MLM COMPANIES OVER THE YEARS, BUT SURPRISINGLY (OR NOT-ESPECIALLY BY THE MEN) SINCE THIS IS A COMPANY FOR, BY AND ABOUT WOMEN (ALTHOUGH MK DOES HAVE MENS PRODUCTS AS WELL) THE COMPANY GETS THESE TYPE OF REVIEWS. I FEEL THAT IF WOMEN CHOOSE MK AS THEIR ‘WAY OUT’ OR WAY TO ‘GET RICH QUICK(ER)’ , WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT TO CHOOSE. AS WITH ANY SALES JOB, QUOTAS MUST BE MET OR YES, YOU MAY NOT BE PAID WELL. BUT ONE OF THE BENEFITS MK OFFERS IS FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE NOT TO ‘JUST’ SELL, BUT RATHER TO BUILD A ‘TEAM’ WILL BE REWARDED GREATER. AGAIN, AS WITH ANY SALES, PERKS GO TO THOSE WHO ARE ON THE ‘EXECUTIVE LEVEL’. JUST AS WITH BIG COMPANIES, THE ‘LITTLE’ PEOPLE OFTENTIMES WORK HARDER BUT THE ‘BIG WIGS’ ARE PAID GREATER AND GET THE PERKS SINCE THEY DO THE ‘OVERSEEING’. HELL…SOMEONES GOT TO BE THE ‘BIG CHEESE!’… IM ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT GETTING INTO MK SINCE I WAS LAID OFF 2 MONTHS AGO FROM A $40,000/YR JOB (SALES) WHERE I BUST MY A** WITH NO PERKS, NO CAR, AND NO COMRODERY OF WOMEN WHO UPLIFTED ME…HOWS THAT FOR ‘PEACE OF MIND’ FOR STAYING LOYAL TO A ‘REAL’ JOB? AND BASED ON JOHN DOES COMMENTS, WE AS WOMEN STILL NEED TO UPLIFT EACH OTHER! WE CAN STILL BE WIVES & MOMS, BUT CAN ASPIRE TO SOMETHING THAT NOT ONLY BEAUTIFIES AND BENEFITS US, BUT EVENTUALLY OUR FAMILIES AS WELL….GOOD LUCK TO THOSE MK WOMEN WHO ARE SO EMPOWERED NO MATTER WHAT LEVEL YOU CHOOSE TO BE ON! AND MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE SO INSECURE WITH THEMSELVES THAT WHEY HAVE TO WRITE SUCH NEGATIVITY ABOUT A WOMAN GROWN/OWNED COMPANY….CIAO!!!
Okay Fancy, 1st when you use cap locks it’s a form of computer shouting….no need to shout here.
2nd, You are not saying anything I haven’t heard before….plenty of MK/ MLM scripts that are designed to keep their “employees/consultants” in line.
3rd, If you choose to spew said scripts…be sure to research them first…the car in MK is NOT free and MK is not all it’s cracked up to be. You claim to be just thinking about getting in to MK…well my dear it sounds to me like you’ve had some experience.
4th, I welcome you to the site and I challenge you to look past what you call negative and learn more about MK and other MLMs. It’s an enlightening experience! 🙂
FancyGirl, I hope you pause for a moment and will listen to the wisdom Sassy has given you. She is a very wise woman, fair, honorable and very well respected in our Forum and she has been where you are thinking of going.
If you are seriously considering MK as a career opportunity and you are as you say out of work, you owe it to yourself and your family to investigate this opportunity further before you invest money that could feed and clothe your family and keep a roof over their heads.
Please accept our invitation to come into the Forum and read about the experiences of others and ask questions of those who have been in MK. If nothing else you will gain some knowledge that would greatly help you navigate the mine fields of MK and avoid losing precious money that your family needs in these tough economic times!
You will find warmth, truth, and many women eager to help you understand more about the pitfalls in MK.
Please go to the top of the page and click on the word FORUM and read more!
Fancygirl, were you the cashier/MKlady that pestered my husband while he was just trying to buy some groceries the other day? lol
You really need to take a step back and look at all of it objectively. At MK and this site, and do your research, find other reviews too. Just keep in mind MK is not going to tell you anything negative about itself, when in fact there is alot of dirt behind the wool. I challenge you to find a woman IRL (in real life) who has left MK (and there are lots of us!), preferably someone who was in for many years, and just listen to what she has to say. Ask why she left, if she thinks the overall tone of things has changed, if she was disappointed when she found out things that MK hid from her until she achieved higher levels, etc. What have you got to lose? You’ll certainly hear things that your upline/NSD won’t tell you. Or, if you like, we have women here on this forum who were Directors. Maybe turn the all-caps off and come visit in the forum sometime. 🙂
PS, here’s how my ex-SSD advertised her pink caddy, right on her liscence plate: EZ2WIN !! Yep, she bragged all the time about how many of those gas-guzzlers she’d won, and did make it out to seem like they were free. In 3 years of being in MK I never heard of a Director paying anything to help w/ the car or not getting the full amount of the cash plan. She conveniently never mentioned it. When I asked her upfront one time (it was just her and I in the room – I thought I’d get more of a straight answer w/o an audience) how much the expenses are when one becomes an NSD (since acheiving that level was what she preached), she said she “couldn’t go into detail” but that she knew for sure that “the higher up you go the more money you get to keep”. That is a lie.
Another lie I’m sure you’ve been told and witnessed others being told is the lie that you can sign up to become a MK consultant and if you change your mind w/in the 1st year, you can send your starter kit and products back for 90% of what you paid, so you’re not really losing much. They fail to tell you right there that you can return your complete inventory at any point in your MK “career”. I used their 90% buyback plan after I’d been in for 3 years. Just another lie perpetuated to keep people in. Please take a good look around this site to find the truth about more MK lies you’ve been told. Have a great day! 😉
FancyGirl, I was in MK for 8.5 years and returned my product. I still had $11,000 sitting on my shelves! I felt like a failure because I never could get my team above 8-10 members. They do keep dropping off! One of my problems was I didn’t want them to make the mistakes I did. I never pressured them into buying more than they felt comfortable with and I alwaysy held their first 2-3 classes for them! I wanted them to start out successful and to know all the things I fell for, so they wouldn’t be in debt!
Listen to the voices of those who have been in MK and got out and take what they have to say and put it into place.
As RTP says, we have former SD’s in our Forum as well. If SD’s make so much money why did they leave? You owe it to yourself and your family to get the answers!
Don’t waste a minute of precious time…get into the Forum and find out what YIU need to know to avoid the pitfalls! RTP is right!
Most of these types of companies are the same. But there is money to be made if you work at it. I would suggest keeping a job even if it is part-time. Plus many of these co workers will be your first customers. Also possibly working on another project at the same time that may relate to what you are already doing. For example, I am selling beauty products not MK but similar and then I picked up selling a cooling pad/heating pad, I already had the audience. I chose sleeptemperature.com they pay a good commision, I got word of this from a friend and I do both. Sometimes you just cant put all your eggs in one basket and this pad I sell from there website has actually been paying my daily bills month to month.
Well, Well
its funny how many people like to waist their time trying to tell people shit about MK.
Yikes! Frances…..that’s an awfully nasty thing to say! 🙂 LOL!
I agree Sassy! I just hope some people do not feel it a “waste” of their time to read it! I would STRONGLY urge anyone interested in joining any MLM to fully and completely investigate – learn as much as you can about the actual cost/time/return you can HONESTLY expect!
MK is a great company! The only problem I have with it is Directors pushing women into DIQ and making them (or suggesting) that they quit their jobs. NOBODY should quit their job until they have a customer base of 100-200 customers and have a unit size of 150 or more and a third of those are consistent sellers (wishful thinking). I am PRO mk but Im a realist and if you LOVE to recruit and have those muffins and makeovers and can bring 10-15 new recruits in a month and you have a DIQ or you are married OR you have 3-4 classes a week its not the business model to quit your job on. I think the ONLY way a consultant could quit their job is if they are selling to tons of businesses. GMB didnt even quit her job until she had tons of recruits and was a top director but she could sell ice to the eskimos she is that good
hi every one! Its funny how most of you talking negativity about Mary Kay haven’t been a director nor even had the chance to win a car. Let me just say, Mary Kay is a business is which you invest your money wisely. If in your situation you can make an inventory of 1,800 then you will do it. You dont just throw your money out there “hoping” someone buys the products. If you are a good seller ( as are the ones who actually win the cars) you will get many benefits. Another thing is, Mary Kay’s car program is not at all false nor “too good to be true”. If you get AT LEAST five people to become a consultant, then you qualify to get a car. Among all of you together, you must make AT LEAST 4, 500 dollars in four months. But if you only make 4,000 the company will leave it at that and you will get the car. You will get the car and only have to pay TWENTY percent of the insurance. that’s correct ONLY 20. meaning they pay eighty percent of your insurance. Every two years, the company renews your vehicle. Meaning, a car i won in 2008 I will get to exchange with Mary Kay for one of the year 2010. AS LONG as I am an active consultant of Mary Kay, I will get this benefit. DOes this mean that I have to make 4,500 every four months? NO. after you have two years of the car, you will get a trade for a newer one (like i said before) as long as you have kept a sales minimum of 200 dollars in eight months.
SO, please stop informing people WRONG information. Wether you have been scammed, or you have not learned to be a productive sales person, that is not Mary Kay’s problem. Stop trashing a business that has helped women like myself. I bet you if you try the business and put the effort in it you will get an actual FREE CAR.. but then again, you just might have to come in here and erase the nonsense you wrote.
IF anyone in here reading this is looking for REAL information on Mary Kay, you can contact one of the consultants.. we will be honest. Just remember, if we are in it its because it is a good business. All take care and i hope you stop looking down on others unless its to help them up. ciao!
My myspace is /Kramirezintouch
(dont add if its for drama)
hi every one! Its funny how most of you talking negativity about Mary Kay haven’t been a director nor even had the chance to win a car.
kathy…How do you know? I do, since I am a member of the group of ladies on this site, we have former SD’s , DIQ’s , Red Jackets, Team Leaders, and cadillac drivers!
If you get AT LEAST five people to become a consultant, then you qualify to get a car. Among all of you together, you must make AT LEAST 4, 500 dollars in four months. But if you only make 4,000 the company will leave it at that and you will get the car.
This statement proves you have not even read the requirements for earning the privilege of driving a car. You must have at least 5 active recruits and between you and your recruits must do a minimum of $16,000 wholesale production in a maximum 4 month period, of which you personally may only contribute a maximum of $1000 wholesale per month.
I don’t know where you got the idea if you can only make $400o wholesale they let you have the car anyway! That is laughable, and I am really trying to be courteous.
Every two years, the company renews your vehicle. Meaning, a car i won in 2008 I will get to exchange with Mary Kay for one of the year 2010. AS LONG as I am an active consultant of Mary Kay, I will get this benefit. DOes this mean that I have to make 4,500 every four months? NO. after you have two years of the car, you will get a trade for a newer one (like i said before) as long as you have kept a sales minimum of 200 dollars in eight months
After qualification, if you fail to make the minimum of $4000 wholesale in any one month you have a 3 month grace period to get back on track, if not you “lose” the privilege of driving. During the time frame you are below the minimum production requirements you must pay the lease payment monthly!
The insurance provided by the company will cost you a minimum of $82/month if you are not meeting production requirements. The insurance is no bargain at $984 annually. My husband and I don’t pay that for 2 vehicles per year on our personal vehicles!
You must requalify every 2 years to get a new car and continue to meet the same requirements each and every month.
Stop trashing a business that has helped women like myself. I bet you if you try the business and put the effort in it you will get an actual FREE CAR.. but then again, you just might have to come in here and erase the nonsense you wrote.
Sweetheart, you are doing a good job of trashing MK yourself by revealing your ingnorance on the basics of the business. The info I have posted regarding qualifications, etc was taken directly from the car qualification information posted by MK on the MK In Touch website…which you can access at any time as a consultant. READ IT, THEN YOU WON’T MAKE A FOOL OF YOURSELF!
IF anyone in here reading this is looking for REAL information on Mary Kay, you can contact one of the consultants.. we will be honest
kathy, everything you posted is dishonest…so much for getting accurate information from MK consultants!
I hope and pray you will read your consultant agreement and all the information on your MK InTouch website, so you can be properly educated. Smart women research and read their own facts on a company, they don’t just take the world of somebody who recruited them so they could make a commission from your ignorance.
If you are too lazy to read the information yourself, why don’t you read the facts on this web site and prepare yourself before you get yourself in a pile of debt?
If you choose you can click on the word “FORUM” in the black toolbar at the top of the page and enter the forum for more truthful inforamtion from those who have been on MK and have no reason to lie to you. We will not profit from telling you lies.
Ciao, yourself!
IF anyone in here reading this is looking for REAL information on Mary Kay, you can contact one of the consultants.. we will be honest
In my original post the above should have been highlighted as it was a quote from kathy, not me! IMO most of the honest MK consultants are former consultants!
Kathy, I find it highly entertaining that you come on here saying how upstanding and honest MK consultants are while posting incorrect and misleading information.
You should listen to Lipstick, she knows what she’s talking about. You should also read the fine print on th ecar program. It’s apparent you have no clue what you’re talking about.
As Lipstick said, you don’t win a car. The car is NEVER yours. Titled to MK, leased by MK and if you fail to make production, reposessed by MK.
Apparently in the God first, family second crap actually knowing the business you’re in & lecturing others on is not a priority.
Good job Lippie for stating the facts to this huge misconception that many women are led to believe.
Kathy, please stop spewing your hatred and false “truth” to people. Read before you speak. I understand that it gets you upset when other people are talking “negatively” about something you have a passion for. I’ve been there too. But once your eyes are opened up to the actual truth about Mary Kay, you will feel very foolish. All the ladies on this site have gone through so much more than most women have and have been lied to by women in Mary Kay. We dont say that all women are lying but there is a false veil wrapped around it that nobody inside is willing to shine the light on. The women on this site have been in Mary Kay for many many many years and know the in’s and out’s of the business. As a human, who are you to be trying to put down their opinions and what they know? Open your eyes and if you dont believe us, ask the company you “work for”.
That’s why so many loose their cars!
So I just became a consultant myself, really it’s just fun to say. 😉 But I’m also young- I’m 23, I’ve been waiting tables for 8 years, I live in a good sized city and I can’t go anywhere without knowing someone. I invested $115 in initially (I have bar tabs that are that big sometimes), so losing that wasn’t a huge deal. In 3 weeks, I’ve since made that back, plus the $700 I invested on inventory (which I chose to, no one forced me), and am now purely making profit off of what I sell. My director is annoying as shit and is always trying to get me to recruite my friends who don’t give a crap about Lemongrass Mineral Eyeshadow, so I ignore her 90% of the time (really, unless I need her) and I know she still has to be nice to me, because it’s her job to be. haha, she probably hates me. But, I don’t care what she thinks about me or my sales- remember, when I signed my soul over to MK (have a sense of humor! these ladies are like the stepford wives sometimes…;)), she told me “this is YOUR business, I can’t fire you, scold you, yell at you if you don’t sell, it’s all up to YOU.” Damn straight. They want me to wear a business suit…that’s laughable. My skirts are torn and made of denim and half my jackets have thumbholes (granted, that damage is intentional)- I still sell lots of product. They also say they accept ALL women. Well I’m pretty different from a lot of them so I’m not giving them a choice.
Really, we, as women buy into shit all the time. My stepmother, a level-headed, well read, witty, intelligent, OB-GYN RN, did tons of research on soy before she ingested too much (like every meal it seemed sometimes!) and ended up having severe uterine problems. There are college professors who have made this same mistake. We all want a quick fix, a guarantee, to believe something about ourselves or someone else that’s not ever going to be true, can happen if I “just do this”…haven’t we learned by now it’s never that easy? When it’s too good to be true- it is. But now we understand better that soy in moderation is fine, and that maybe quitting the job that feeds your family and investing everything you have into something you’re not 100% sure about, is stupid. Duh.
If you can’t sell something, if you don’t wear makeup or care about skincare, if you’re aren’t atleast a little vain, don’t invest your money into a cosmetic sales company, regardless of what some dimwit director tells you. And unless you plan on investing 40+ hrs a week and some blood, sweat and tears into your job, just like everyone else who makes 6 figures does, don’t quit your job- atleast until you get a feel for what you can make off it and if that’s going to work for your life. I don’t know, it’s seems to be common sense to me, not that I’m always winning that race…;)
I’m young and you seasoned bloggers who are very proud of your infinite wisdom (sorry, i’m just teasing a little) are surely going to tear my little diddy here to shreds, but to the rest of the MK curious- unless you can go out there and sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves, you’re not going to reap the benefits of being a great corporate saleswoman just cuz some stranger in a red jacket says you are. But you can definitely make some money off of this stuff. I only make 20% of what I sell to people at my bar. I’m making 50% off this product, and I don’t have to deal with drunken old pervs grabbing at me and making lewd comments, shitty tippers, and people unloading their garbage on me over a reuben. Hell, I do half of this work from my couch. That’s pretty sweet in my book. 😉
oh, and about the free car thing…it’s a program. It’s not a guarantee, if you don’t like the stipulations, don’t take it. It’s incentive to increase the size and breadth of a business, most businesses require that those working for them expand these dimensions without incentive. I am required to meet sales quotas at my bar and no one pays the lease, insurance, license and registration on my car if I meet them. I have to meet them (or atleast come pretty damn close) to stay employed. Nothing in life is free. I feel like my great grandmother used to say that and people are still fighting it.
Just passing through,
you sound like you have your eyes wide open…best of luck and feel free to check out the spew of your director here in the forum….there are many, many people experienced in the ways of the MK business!
Kathy…you could take a good lesson from “Just passing through” I hope you heed Lipstick’s advice…she’s a smart lady that KNOWS her MK business very well!
Just passing through – welcome! Congrats on doing it YOUR way! You don’t seem to be blown away by the “fog” as so many newbies are!
As for the making 50% on the products – are you buying books? paying shipping charges? meeting fees? driving anywhere (gas)? giving samples? making calls? spending time doing facials? using products for classes? All of these are expenses, which are tax deductible, but do cut into your profit, so I’d have to beg to differ that you are making 50%. I would suggest you keep all of your time and expenses down – you will need them for taxes too, but determine what you actually make.
If you like doing it, and I assume you do, you can make some money, but only if you work it! I would also advise that you only order what you have orders for and NOT try to stock a “full store” as most SD insist!
I think you will do good with this business and wish you much success! Stay out of the fog! Good luck!
JPT, it’s not the car program we take issue with, it’s the misrepresentation that goes on surrounding it.
Kathy’s post is a perfect example. What she has been told and is telling others is a blatant lie, but the lie has been spread so widely that many people both in & out of MK believe you get the oppourtunity to earn a car.
It’s incentive to increase the size and breadth of a business, most businesses require that those working for them expand these dimensions without incentive – JPT
This sounds a bit like you’ve been drinking the kool-aid…
In a regular job your guaranteed paycheque & possible bonuses are the incentive, and the company assumes the expenses associated with running the business.
Comparing bar work and MK is apples and oranges. Bar: maintain your sales quota and keep your job, recieve a paycheque. Fail to maintain & possibly lose your job. Fail to keep quota with MK and you lose commission off the downline, car and possibly job. Not really the same.
Also, a bar is a guaranteed market, everyone knows what they’re going to be sold when entering a bar. If they don’t purchase you have the option of removing them. Try approaching women to sell them skincare when they set out to buy groceries & compare your sales numbers to the bar. Unless EVERY person you approach buys from you you’re already at a loss and not being paid for your time…harsh.
I’ve read just about every post on here and realize that this is just one excruciatingly long bitch session for failures that love to point fingers at MK as the cause for their failure. Wake up! The cause of your failure stares at you everyday when you look in the mirror. There is no company and no job that will guarantee you anything. Mary Kay, Amway, Bank Of America, AT & T, Joe’s Bait Shop you name the company. They don’t owe a thing. They will fire you whether you a “good” worker or a “bad” one. It’s driven by the bottom line and if your safe and secure job doesn’t fit on the bottom line…it goes. Those of you that think security is found in working for someone else are delusional. The only thing that Mary Kay or another other self employment opportunity provides is just that…an opportunity. And maybe …just maybe if you work your ass off everyday like your future depends on it (because it does) you’ll reach the point where you’re not at the mercy of anyone and you live the life you’ve imagined.
Listen folks, if you can’t make a success of yourself in American you’re not trying hard enough. We still have believers from every corner of the world clawing their way to get to America anyway they can. Why? Because they see the opportunities that you bitchers and complainers are blind to. That’s why in just one generation they go from having nothing to having everything. You’re spoiled people…spoiled! You expect success to fall into your laps without expending the energy needed to make it happen.
So bitchers and complainers…keep on bitching and complaining. Until you see the light you’ll live in the dark prison that your doubts and fears have created and never live the life that could be yours.
MK Winner…. The next time I need an unsolicited and uninformed opinion, I will know where to go…Thanks for you rant…When the pink hazing you are in is over… we will be here for you! See you shortly! =)
MK Winner,
To take a line from MK, “If it’s free it’s for me!”. So glad I am free of MK and free to be me!
If you think there is security in MK then you ARE delusional…thanks for posting your ideas; I hope you will also take time to read more of what is on this site and perhaps have your eyes opened.
MK is not the perfect opportunity for most people, the problem is that most of those recruiting will tell you the exact opposite “MK is a wonderful opportunity, you can make a 6 figure income working only 20 hours a week, you don’t have to be a pushy or the sales type, MK sells itself and the product will fly off your shelves.”
We have listened to many people like you full of anger and bitterness call us “lazy losers” and “negative Nellies”, but few have said it in a more hateful way than you have. Have a blessed day!
I’m glad my post got some enthusiastic reactions! . I’ll address you individually…Baby Blues…your post stated that “The next time I need an unsolicited….”. This whole website is dedicated to open solicitation of opinions. You may not like what you read. Oh well!
Lipstick….valid point on MK recruiters selling the upside of the opportunity and not disclosing the downside. We can’t honestly say that every MK recruiter does business that way. Some do. Some don’t. I hope that anyone thinking about a self employment opportunity would take the time to do their due diligence about any opportunity before proceeding. Yes, it might not be for everyone but it might be for you. You have to try it and find out. That’s why they call it an opportunity and not an entitlement.
Tam writes….”IMO, most companies will guarantee you a regular check if you do your job, on a regular basis, without you having to invest your money! If you don’t do your job, you should get fired. The “bottom line” right now is the economy and with things as they are, a lot of women, whether they work outside the home or not, don’t want to fork out the cost for Mary Kay, and few want to go to the trouble of hosting a party, class or whatever you want to call it.”
Tam , have you read the news lately. Job layoffs by the thousands! Good, dedicated, loyal employees laid off. They had the same thoughts running through their heads as you do. In the end their loyalty meant nothing to their employers. There are no guaranteed paychecks anymore. Self employment is the only real opportunity left to secure your future. At least you’re in control of your financial destiny and not some suit pulling millions in salary while cutting thousand of dedicated employees off the payroll.
Forking out the cost of MK? Any business opportunities have start up costs. $100 bucks can get you started with MK. That’s a whole lot more budget friendly than most opportunities out there. But if a person’s inclination is to be an employee the rest of their life there is no convincing them otherwise. Their security is in the illusion that the company they work for loves and cares for them and will do everything to secure their future. That’s what every company wants you to believe. But in the end you’re just an expense. It’s hard to accept that fact but a fact it is.
Your observation that it takes a 24/7 dedication to make it work is 100% correct! Success is like that. That’s why there are a few at the top that are enjoying the benefits and then the masses below who just grit their teeth and find a myriad of excuses why they couldn’t make it themselves.
Thank you for your thoughts everyone. I enjoyed the lively discussion.
MK Winner, I am just guessing that you probably aren’t as successful as you want us to think you are in your MK business, and that is OK as long as it makes you happy!
I still am inclined to agree with Tam that if you have a full time job with benefits and a regular pay check, MK might not look so good.
If you have no job, $100 extra for an opportunity (not a guarantee) might not be doable. Bills still need to be paid and children fed; most unemployed would not have the money to invest in inventory, books, samples and everything else involved.
I was n MK for 8.5 years and believe me I worked way too hard for a very small amount of money when all the costs and hours were tallied. I stayed in longer than I should have trying to achieve the “dream” of SD.
I would never advise somebdy who is unemployed to get involed in MK or any other MLM..but that is just my opinion and everyone is entitled to a different one.
Quoting MK Winner , “Self employment is the only real opportunity left to secure your future. At least you’re in control of your financial destiny and not some suit pulling millions in salary while cutting thousand of dedicated employees off the payroll.”
But with MK you DO NOT OWN your own business, one that you could sell, leave to your heirs, or hire someone else to run for you. You can still be dismissed from MK and unless you are ordering regularly, you will be “inactive” and “terminated” from MK.
I guess my main complaint is that, in our area, the opportunity is ‘sold’ as a hobby – something you can do a few hours a week while out doing all your other regular stops and drops around town, then you are expected to operate 24/7. I was PUC so 24/7 was NOT what I wanted.
Just wondering, how long have you been in? Do you hold regular SCC’s?
I’ve read just about every post on here and realize that this is just one excruciatingly long bitch session for failures that love to point fingers at MK as the cause for their failure. Wake up! The cause of your failure stares at you everyday when you look in the mirror. There is no company and no job that will guarantee you anything. Mary Kay, Amway, Bank Of America, AT & T, Joe’s Bait Shop you name the company. They don’t owe a thing. They will fire you whether you a “good” worker or a “bad” one. It’s driven by the bottom line and if your safe and secure job doesn’t fit on the bottom line…it goes. Those of you that think security is found in working for someone else are delusional. The only thing that Mary Kay or another other self employment opportunity provides is just that…an opportunity. And maybe …just maybe if you work your ass off everyday like your future depends on it (because it does) you’ll reach the point where you’re not at the mercy of anyone and you live the life you’ve imagined.
Listen folks, if you can’t make a success of yourself in American you’re not trying hard enough. We still have believers from every corner of the world clawing their way to get to America anyway they can. Why? Because they see the opportunities that you bitchers and complainers are blind to. That’s why in just one generation they go from having nothing to having everything. You’re spoiled people…spoiled! You expect success to fall into your laps without expending the energy needed to make it happen.
So bitchers and complainers…keep on bitching and complaining. Until you see the light you’ll live in the dark prison that your doubts and fears have created and never live the life that could be yours.
Opinion… as defined:
a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty; “my opinion differs from yours”; “I am not of your persuasion”; “what are …
a message expressing a belief about something; the expression of a belief that is held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof; “his opinions appeared frequently on the editorial page”
public opinion: a belief or sentiment shared by most people; the voice of the people; “he asked for a poll of public opinion”
the legal document stating the reasons for a judicial decision; “opinions are usually written by a single judge”
the reason for a court’s judgment (as opposed to the decision itself)
impression: a vague idea in which some confidence is placed; “his impression of her was favorable”; “what are your feelings about the crisis?”; “it strengthened my belief in his sincerity”; “I had a feeling that she was lying”
Rant defined:
harangue: a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion
talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
bombast: pompous or pretentious talk or writing
I stand corrected make that an uninformed Rant! Thank you! =)
MK Winner, MK is not a business you can own, as Tam said, you can’t sell it, leave it to your heirs, hire somebody to run it for you, you can’t even run it the way you want to. Every avenue of advertising, or selling is controlled by MK Corp.
So IMO, based on my experience, anyone who fails in their MK business can and should blame it on MK”s flawed business plan, unless they didn’t work at all. You see the only people who really make any substantial amount of money are the owners of MK Corp, or to be more precise Mary Kay’s heirs and employees.
I know you are going to say, that’s why they have the business, and that is true, but without the IBC purchasing product from them to sell, they would be out of business.
I believe if MKC thought they could make more money selling in Dept stores, they would drop the IBC in a heartbeat. They could not compete in CVS, Walmart, Walgreen’s, grocery store market , much less the high end Dept. Store market, for one simple reason, they have no idea which of their products really sell, because they only track the first sale to the consultant and they have no idea how much of that product is sitting in boxes in garages, basements, elaborate home business offices, bedrooms or trash cans.
In MK land the only one taking a risk is the poor IBC who pays to join the company and continues to purchase product from MK. The IBC absorbs all the risk and all the cost of conducting “her” business and everything she needs to conduct business is sold by MKC, ranging from busines supplies, class supplies, hostess gifts, sales brochures, sales tickets, product, samples, you name it!
The real truth is that MKC has made a business of selling the dream of owning a business to millions of women each year. They train their SD’s and NSD’s to fill IBC’s heads with the idea that they can make a lot of money with very little effort, and much less time than they would spend on a real full time job and that if they carry a full-store inventory “customers will come”.
The worse thing about MKC is that they wrap it all in a pretty package and convince women that their (MKC) sole purpose in life is to enrich women’s lives, empower them to reach new heights all the while putting God 1st, family 2nd and career 3rd. What they actually do is exploit, enslave and lie to women!
Immmmmm backkkk i got the booze and chips… what i miss so far? lol
We missed you! Have you been on vacation? We had to resort to chocolate….the drug of choice!
Geez, So many different opinions. lol. I want to know everyones opinion on my current situation. I am about to go to college and really just need a part time job. Something basic, that pays decent and doesn’t demand a whole lot of hours. I’m hoping to get around $50 every week. If i could just have maybe one party a week, do you think i would be able to make a little money, while still having time to study for my classes, and be involved in extracuricular activities. Please comment back with Wisdom filled comments!! Thanks =]
If you only need $50 a week, you can do that yourself. I’m sure there are several businesses, especially in a college town, where you can work part-time.
Start a dog walking service or babysit or something like that. You’ll probably end up making much more than $50 a week and won’t have the hype and debt of Mary Kay to deal with.
You won’t be able to have one party a week in MK, most likely if you look at what the average consultant is doing, and even if you do, you may not come out with $50 of profit in your pocket.
If you decide to do MK I would recommend passing ut catalogs to friends andleaving them in public areas of the campus. Only place orders that are already paid for and charge a shipping fee to recoup some of your shipping. Every order no matter what the size costs $8.95 to ship. It won’t hurt to sign up and just see how may people would place orders on a regular basis. You don’t have to take it further.
Don’t let anyone talk you into going to meetings or into ordering inventory! Depending on how large your campus is, how many people you know who actually use skin care and makeup and what the campus guidelines are on soliciting…it would be hard to “make” $50 a week
My guess is that most students on campus are going to be as busy as you are and you won’t get many Skin Care Class bookings…I could be wrong! Talk to your friends and acquaintances first and see what their interest level is!
Read the stories on this page and inside the forum so you can be aware of other people’s experiences, the pitfalls, costs and the scripting your SD and recruiter may use! The products do not sell themselves, nor do they fly off your shelves. Customers are not loyal to you alone!
Good for you in getting more information before you join!
DustyRose,
Personally, I’d try to find a house to clean or dogs to walk, kids to babysit, gas station to work in – you get the idea, for that extra $ 50 bucks. Do typing for fellow students even!
You will not be able to hold 1 class per week, every week. Plus, how many college gals are going to fork out $ 13 for a lipstick? You will have costs of supplies and samples, and all college girls will want samples of everything. Plus, you’ll have to be available 24/7 for Mary Kay, and of course, they’ll want you to come to the weekly meetings (and depending on where they are held and your SD, you may have to pay to attend!), then you will HAVE to do Fall Retreat, Career Conference, and you MUST be a star consultant and order $ 1,800 each quarter. Oh, I forgot the dress code, hope you have that already, or there’s more $$ plus the time.
Please – post an ad in the college paper to do typing, babysitting, dogwalking, cleaning, etc. You’d come out much better off! JMO – Good luck!
Thank you so so much Lipstick, Tam and LJ!
i don’t know what in the world i was thinking. I don’t even really want to be a Mary Kay consultant. My friend was so convincing though! Since reading your comments, i have already called three on-campus jobs and have gotten a reply back from the campus postal center. They pay $8 dollars an hour and are interested in hiring me… and i thought i would never be able to get a job… i guess nothing is impossible! Thanks so much for getting me back on track to a bright future… hehe ;] Now i need to just work on not being so easily persuaded. LOL
If you are looking to MAKE money, don’t do it with something that requires YOU to have to invest what money you have in! Best of luck!
Hi everyone on here. I’ve been looking over this forum for a little while now and I like it. I really like the fact that people are being real. I appreciate that. I also see that there are a few women here who were MK consultants/Directors? for a while. There is so much hype that is everywhere when I am around the MK people, it feels like a good environment, but I know that there is more to it. I’d like someone to be honest with me and upfront. I really do want to give this business a try. I know that it can work…and I know that it will be hard work. I am pretty stubborn and have been sitting on this decision for almost a year, I am still a consultant and I have a couple of customers. I decided not to grow my business for a while because I wasn’t sure If I wanted to continue for the long haul so I kept my few customers and still service them, but I now think I’m ready to give this a shot. I understand that I will be diving in to a *Positive* MKcave-mine and I need the facts. I don’t want to hurt people, I want to help them. I actually like many of the products that we have. I am a natural, happy & bubbly person and I don’t shy back to hard work. I also don’t like giving up until I’ve really tried (and I haven’t put my best foot in yet). Do you ladies have any input for me that you wouldn’t mind sharing? I decided I wasn’t going to recruit or even try until I really knew the ropes of things (I hate blindly joining people to something that I’m not even sure about, or even know much about) Its like trying to feed a baby when I can barely hold the darn spoon. Thank you all.
– Nicky
Nicky,
Come in the forum, we have a place for current consultants there. Feel free to read around in the forum section by clicking at the top of the page on “forum” and registering. There’s a LOT of different things in the forum! Definitely worth a look!
Hello Nicky,
Definite come in…This site is full of information. MK and otherwise! The ladies and men here are all so helpful. The input in here is vast and varied…and a must read for all interested in these types of ventures. There are also active IBC in here…So come on in!
Nicky,
These women will not steer you wrong! They are pro and anti MK (a little bit of both) you will be supported either way the wind blows.