Blessed Says You’re Just Mad Because You Couldn’t Make It Work
Written by L J on August 6, 2008 – 9:10 am -Your Name: Blessed!
Date Joined MK : 11/07
When Left MK or Still Active?: Active
Initial Inventory Purchased: $3500
How were you recruited?: By a friend.
Memorable experience you had in MK:
The wonderful people I meet.
What did you learn from MK?:
Still learning.
What are you doing now? :
Working the business full circle.
Additional Comments:
I can’t believe all the negativeness at this site! That might be one of the reasons your business was not successful. Who wants to be around a bunch of negative people.
MK does not twist your arm to participate in any of the training, Seminars, events, etc. It is all optional.
Sounds like you’re just mad at everyone else because you couldn’t make it work. Just continue to work for someone else for the rest of your life!
Tags: initial inventory, Mary Kay, Mary Kay Consultant Stories, Mary Kay training, mk
Posted in Mary Kay Consultant Stories |
Colleen on 
Tam on 
Sassy_C on
August 6th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I didn’t think we were negative, I just thought it was stating the truth. But evidently the truth hurts.
I guess she is right, I really wouldn’t want to be around “negative” people all the time. BUT the ladies I have met here are nothing but negative. We have had negative experiences but who hasn’t, you live you learn! I couldn’t stand to be around chipper, FAKE, pushy girls all day long.
No, MK does not twist your arm to participate in anything. It’s obvious she can’t! HOWEVER, some directors do, and criticize you if you don’t attend or give up your family time for meetings or whatever!
“Sounds like you’re just mad at everyone else because you couldn’t make it work. Just continue to work for someone else for the rest of your life!”
Why is this chick so horribly mean! Someone must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed this morning…or maybe every morning for this type of behavior!
I actually don’t mind working for someone else…its a FIXED income and I don’t have to randomly go up to women and pass out fake comments or bother them. P.S. I have health insurance PAID for by my employer! So working for someone isn’t all bad, especially with the flexability of some jobs!
August 6th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I’m proud to be one of those “negative” people you are talking about. Most of my MK experience was negative my director constantly chastised me and everyone else in our unit for not working hard or long enough…..making people feel inadequate all the time is NOT a good way of motivating. I’m very glad that my MK business didn’t work out or as Kathy said I’d be one of those FAKE happy, pushy girls. UGH!
I wish you all the success in the world, I hope MK turns out to be everything you dream of…..however when you realize that it is not you will be welcomed here with open arms. Matter of fact you are still welcome here with open arms, this site also has a portion dedicated to active consultants. Just don’t try to convert us back to MK or talk down to us because of our choices. Best of luck and I hope you stick around to read and learn more about the business you hold so dearly. Cheers!
August 6th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Oh no, not another one.
“I can’t believe all the negativeness at this site!”
Maybe your incorrect english is why Mary Kay is the only job you can get.
Secondly, I was successful - but I still saw through the bullshit. Maybe you will, too… I doubt it.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
I’m so glad to hear that you are “Blessed.” I’m blessed, too, to be out of Mary Kay. I was actually very successful, but working 3-4 nights a week, plus weekends and then having classes cancel (you WILL have more cancelations than not, trust me), when you are depending on making $400+ at each of those classes is not a very dependable income. Like Kathy said, we have jobs that have a reliable income and our employers pay for our insurance and life insurance…does Mary Kay do that for you? As for being negative…I’m very positive and upbeat…even when things are not that great. I’m positive because I have Christ in me. Mary Kay professes God first, family second, work third…NOT! It’s Mary Kay first, Mary Kay second, and Mary Kay third. It only took me 3 months, “Blessed,” and my director had plans for me to become a director…that’s how well I was doing with Mary Kay…so don’t preach to us that we’re negative and couldn’t make it work…I was making it work, but got totally fed up to my eyeballs with the lies and deception. Oh, bye the way…let us all know how beautiful the prizes are that you earn. REALLY expensive! Loose settings in the gaudy 45th anniversay ring, other jewelry that looks as if it came out of gum ball machine, and the wonderful, long sought after dream catcher. Yep…we’re negative, alright! I wonder why?!?
Is “negativeness” even a word?
August 6th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Hmmm… “blessed”? Or just in denial?
“Working full circle”? Or just running in circles trying to make it work? I supposed they lied to you about the 1 year return policy on that whopping $3500 initial inventory of yours too. I’d be trying to make it work too if I had that much junk on my shelves. BUT, I came here, found out that MARY KAY Inc.’s own policy is to accept the 90% buy-back returns at ANY TIME in a consultant’s career. They just accept product in the dollar amount that you have ordered in the last year. Go ahead, call MK Repurchasing Dept. and see for yourself. It’s one of the 1st lies told to a potential recruit and perpetuated in MK although directors know the truth.
Set, fixed hours for work = Set, fixed time OFF work to fully devote to family, without having to warm-stalk the grocery clerk, bank teller, ladies in the Wal-mart makeup aisle, etc. My mind can be focused on family, God, leisure, or whatever I choose - I don’t have to constantly be “on”, trying to think of ways to steer every conversation towards MK. *Real* time off is “great!”
Negativeness? Really? Perhaps you meant negativity, and yes, anyone would feel quite negative towards any company that told them mountains of lies and made a profit from their deception. I consider this site a loving, caring WARNING to others. There’s also a section devoted to active MK consultants on the dicussion forum, and we have loads of fun talking about many non-MK related topics as well. You should take a peek. You will find info your director won’t tell you, including info on any upcoming MK product changes. This site usually has that info before MK or directors release it to consultants.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
We are not negative or “mad at everyone else because you couldn’t make it work” - we are HONEST, perhaps BRUTALLY, but most of us were working MK regularly, just not making any serious $ due to the structure of the company. There are MANY here who were in MK for DECADES as IBC’s, SD’s and many car drivers. If you would take time to check out the site, you will see this.
Your MK business is NOT your business. You are basically a MK franchise - you can’t sell your business, can’t advertise, can’t sell except in company approved venues - anything you do that MKC doesn’t approve of could get you “fired”.
“Just continue to work for someone else for the rest of your life!” And make a REGULAR, GUARANTEED SALARY, get PAID VACATIONS, INSURANCE, training that the COMPANY PAYS for, PAID SICK LEAVE, mileage reimbursement, stable employment, experience that will transfer to other jobs - sounds good to me!
Take a look at your taxes for MK for last year, watch your expenses for this year - all expenses and actual time spent, not the time quoted at sales meetings. I have found that “tax deductions” do NOT buy groceries!
Best of luck - Hope your inventory is not on cc!
August 6th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
You know, instead of attacking the girl just let her think her way. Everyone has a different experience with the company, and unfortunately there can be a lot of negativity when involved depending on those you work with. I personally am not having a negative experience as of yet, but I’m keeping myself informed and ready with sites like these for anything as such; just in case. I choose not to intertwine myself into the bullshit and do what I feel is best for myself. If this girl wants to believe that everyone that gave up Mary Kay is ONLY mad because they couldn’t make it work, then she obviously has a very large ego problem. It’ll deflate once she realizes the world isn’t all pink and fuzzy.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
I never had a lot of negative experience with Mary Kay either, but you better believe I’m going to attack a girl that’s spewing stupidity out of her mouth.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
SweetBriar, you make a good point!
I don’t think we have a negative site and I don’t think anyone was attacking Blessed. I know these ladies and call them friends.
We are all passionate about making sure nobody else loses money or goes into debt because of being captivated by the pink fog and the positive BS that permeates the MK world.
Unfortunately few can readily see through the smoke and mirrors and most are taken in by the
scripted lies, the fake recognition, cheap prizes and RAH RAH.
I also want to warn you that although you’ll hear lots of talk about God, and lots of quoting scripture….it’s really all about how to trick you into believing that MK is all about God 1st, family 2nd and career 3rd. If you think that’s not true, just try to tell your SD you can’t come to the next meeting or MK event because you have to go to church or you have a family obligation.
Our mission is to educate and alert those in the fog to the “pink landmines” they will eventually encounter if they stay in the “pink bubble” very long.
Blessed, friends don’t recruit friends into an MLM. Keep your eyes wide open. I hope you realize if you haven’t sold $7000 retail to pay off your $3500 wholesale debt by now (9 months later), it isn’t going to happen in the next 9 months either.
Get out now and return all your unsold product while you still can recoup 90% of your initial
investment!
The people you meet in MK all seem so wonderful for 1 of 2 reasons: 1) they are in the fog like you
and unaware of impending financial doom 2) they are making money off your purchases and of course that makes them happy and they LOVE you!
If you think I’m negative, just do a simple balance sheet and list everything you have spent in one column and in the other column list what you have sold. Subtract the expenses from the amount sold and I’ll bet you see how much you have already lost!
Be smart and come inside and read and educate yourself about the pitfalls of MK and other MLM’s.
You won’t be sorry.
August 6th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Quoting Lipstick, “If you think that’s not true, just try to tell your SD you can’t come to the next meeting or MK event because you have to go to church or you have a family obligation.”
HOW TRUE - My NSD told me to reschdule my son’s birthday party so I could attend her awards event.
Quoting Lipstick, “I hope you realize if you haven’t sold $7000 retail to pay off your $3500 wholesale debt by now (9 months later), it isn’t going to happen in the next 9 months either.”
How much of this inventory is discontinued now? How much is remaining? And with all the new colors out, the million dollar question, how much will sell? How many regular customers do you have now, have you run thru your ’soft market’?
I sincerely hope Blessed does do well; however, that would not be the norm. We (in my opinion) are passionate about trying to help others from getting into debt and to learn from our mistakes!
August 7th, 2008 at 5:29 am
Here is an outsiders opinion: I do not work for Mary Kay and never have, but my experiences with every single MK Consultant have seemed shady. I have encountered quite a few in my life.
I don’t like be called and pestered constantly about products or events. That borders on harassment.
I don’t like conversations that start out with “Can you help me out by…” and “I get bonuses for the amount of people…” and being guilted into solicitation.
I do not appreciate being misled- like being invited to a “Girls Nite Out” and told “we will be playing with makeup and having so much fun” when it was really 30 minutes of pure chaos and slapping products on my face at warp-speed, and 2.5 hours of brainwashing recruitment speeches. THAT IS RUDE!!! If this company is SO great- why do you need me SO bad. Plus, every consultant in the room was a fashion emergency. Seriously. And it looked like none of them wore makeup. Now, why would I want to buy cosmetics from THAT?
When being pressured into joining by a woman who knew I was going through family drama, I said to her several times-”Its something I’m thinking about, but not ready to do now. I need life to settle down a bit first.” and the exact quote I got from the consultant was, “Really…but… why don’t you just sign up now so that when you ARE ready, everything is set up.” THAT is when I decided this company was weird… I mean, right there she neglected my personal, Family needs, and tried to manipulate me into seeing dollar signs.
In my experiences, and there are more, I can tell you to use caution with MK. I do think you were a bit insulting- and negative yourself. You are passionate about your position, but failed to respect the passion of the women who have a different position. These women are upset, and feel they have been hurt. Belittling someone who thinks outside the MK jargon only confirms how misguided many MK consults appear to be- as those within and outside the business can see.
With that said, I wish you, and everyone, God’s richest blessings. May the Lord lead and guide us all to fulfill the plans he has created us for.
August 7th, 2008 at 5:34 am
My monster looks like you took Mr. Potato Head parts and stuck them on a meatball. LOL!
August 7th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I don’t like be called and pestered constantly about products or events. That borders on harassment.
I don’t like conversations that start out with “Can you help me out by…” and “I get bonuses for the amount of people…” and being guilted into solicitation.
I do not appreciate being misled- like being invited to a “Girls Nite Out” and told “we will be playing with makeup and having so much fun” when it was really 30 minutes of pure chaos and slapping products on my face at warp-speed, and 2.5 hours of brainwashing recruitment speeches. THAT IS RUDE!!! If this company is SO great- why do you need me SO bad. Plus, every consultant in the room was a fashion emergency. Seriously. And it looked like none of them wore makeup. Now, why would I want to buy cosmetics from THAT?
Kirsten,
Thanks you for your comments. Your statements confirm that the scripts and sales model taught to consultants by MK are pure pink BS.
This also proves without a doubt that when we told our SD’s that these scripts felt unnatural and we felt “funny” using them we were right! Nobody in their right mind thinks that women will “do anything to help you” and they enjoy being lied to just to get them to come to a recruiting event!
Thank you Kirsten for speaking out in truth about how you feel when the MK sales model tactic are used on you!
To all of you still in the fog or thinking about joining MK, read Kirsten’s comments. People will run from you! Your friends will avoid you, strangers will think you are a nut and your customers will eventually see your number on caller ID and just let your message go to voice mail where they can promptly hit the “delete” button!
August 7th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Lipstick,
I totally agree with everything you’re saying. I personally did not sign up with MK because of the God first thing. Personally, I need to make some extra money to pay for books this semester and so far I have profit. I chose not to buy inventory, and I believe it was the smartest move I could have made. I know every director will say, “Well, golly, you need inventory because customers do not like to wait.” My response will always be that “I’m conducting MY business the way I choose.”
For those who are pestered by MK ladies—I promise you I do not pester my customers. Before making an order, I simply ask if they need any more product and I only expect a simple yes or no back. After all, I know how I feel when I walk through the mall and those darn nail technicians have to literally, and embarrassingly, pull you by the hand in order to show off their product. No need for that, in my humble opinion. Not every MK lady is as described—just those (which happen to be a lot) that are seeing dollar signs in their eyes as an innocent bystander walks by.
Anyway, who knows where I’ll be a few months down the road, and because I have no inventory I feel no money loss. I’ve earned back the amount I spent on the starter kit and more. Frankly, that’s all I care about. I realize the dangers of MLMs, but I’m taking that risk with expectations to either reap the benefits or repercussions—whichever comes first.
I do very much feel pain for those who were tricked and bamboozled. I also completely understand why they feel the way they do about MK, and because of this I do not feel offended by anyone’s opinion and I certainly hope none of you feel offended by mine.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
SweetBriar, I respect your opinion and I think you are wise in the manner you have worked your business. I hope I didn’t come across as being disrespectful of you or your opinion.
August 7th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Absolutely not, Lipstick! I just wanted to make sure you understood what my own opinion is and that I do respect yours as well. :-D!!
August 8th, 2008 at 1:22 am
I with her there im fellin what she is sayin. Look ladies I dont know if you realize Mary Kay is a BUISNESS not a hobby or a hangout spot there are some people who love what they do and if some of your team members are like me its their INCOME.
im so sorry if you felt pushed by your director actually trying to teach you how to work YOUR buisness. But keep in mind you choose who you want to work with, if you didnt like your trainer then find another one. But because you had a negative experience you used your emotions to make your buisness decions you gave up. Thats all fine and good but dont turn off someone who may need something different to better their life.
August 8th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Hollie,
I don’t know how long you’ve been in the fog, but I didn’t use my emotions to give up a business. You stated that this is YOUR business…no, it’s not YOUR business or MY business…it’s Mary Kay’s business. As far as doing something different to better your life…MK is not going to better it. Not when you spend all of you waking and sometimes sleeping time thinking about how and where you are going to get your next customer or book your next class and if it’s going to hold or not, when tha class cancels and that class could have been possibly a $400 class, and when you reschedule your life with your family to hold a class, it’s a total pain. When Mary Kay says that they give to cancer research, while at the same time producing and selling products that contain talc, which causes cancer, there is something wrong with that. When a consultant has to use dishonesty if a product doesn’t work for her because the company does not see us a customers (we’re a customer when we’re buying product and we’re the number one customer for MK), then somthing’s wrong. That’s not God first. It’s lying and there is a lot more deception going on in here. Sorry that you feel that we used our negative experiences to give up. By the way, I have many negative experiences in my job, in my family, in my church, as I’m sure all of us have and we didn’t give up on all of those things. We didn’t use a negative experience to give up on MK. We saw the truth behind the company and that’s what made some of us decide to get out.
Oh, and I have a steady income with paid holidays, sick leave, vacation leave, insurance, a company car that I can use when I need it, an employer that will even pay me a monthly stipend to drive my personal car and pay for my oil changes. Does MK provide you with all of that? I do get raises and bonuses when I do well, too. Plus I have the satisfaction of seeing the clients that I am working with make progress with their mental health illnesses. So my work is very rewarding. MK does not provide that kind of reward.
So please do not stereotype us by making statements that we used our emotions to make our business decisions that we gave up. Nor are we necessarily turning someone off who feels that MK will lead to something different to better your life. Just have the facts and make sure that you question things…don’t take everything they tell you for truth. Because there is a lot of deception with MK. If you can continue to sell MK when you learn the truth, then more power to you. Some of us could not continue to sell once we saw the truth. I’d think that you would see that there are too many of us on here who are saying the same things for us to have just given up. Take time to research it out further with an open mind and you’ll see that we’re not bad or emotional people. Just women who saw MK for what it is.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:33 am
First of all dear, please reread your comments before you hit the submit button because your poor grammar and sentence structure make it extremely difficult to read and understand what you are trying to say. I really do want to understand your point of view but your writting difficulties make it very hard.
“im so sorry if you felt pushed by your director actually trying to teach you how to work YOUR buisness.”
Okay, if I understand what your trying to say with this very interesting sentence is that we felt pushed by our SD for wanting to train us to work our business. Correct? I have been in two units, one my original unit and a second adopted unit in a different state. Never in the five years I was a BC did I ever receive training on how to work my business or finances or anything. I was told that in order to be successful in the business I had to recruit - NO ONE TAUGHT ME HOW TO SELL THE PRODUCT! My adoptee director (and I had three different ones in my new state) all just pushed the elitism angle and how they were all better than I was because they were directors and I was only a lowly team leader.
I could actually go on and pick your entire “arguement” apart but reading it and trying to honestly understand what you are attempting to state is just giving me a headache so I’ll leave it at that.
Good luck with your business and please come back here after you’ve finally hit your wall and decide that you no longer want to be a BC. We’ll be waiting for you with open arms and lots of advice on how to get over it all.
August 8th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Hollie, I think you are totally wrong. IMO joining MK was the decision made on emotions. Getting out was the decision made with logic and my brain!
Take this test:
1) List all your costs for MK; starter kit, inventory, business cards, web site, PCP, hostess gifts/discounts, samples, books, meeting dues, MK Event charges, cost of special MK clothing in one column and total
2) LIst your total retail sales
3) Subtract column 1 from column 2, divide the difference by the number of hours you have put in (include, meetings, preparing for skin care classes, phone calls to customers, prospective hostesses and guests, driving to andfrom your appt., cleaning up after the class, filling orders, delivering them if you didn’t have all the order with you at your class,
4) Divide the amount you made (or lost) #2-#1 by the number of hours worked (#3). That my friend, is your net loss or net pay per hour
5) Ask yourself if you are getting paid what you’re worth.
Let us know if you still feel Blessed or if you now feel cursed?
August 8th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I just happened to stumble onto this site. WOW!!! Ladies, I have been in Mary Kay for 6 years. This is my second time around. My first experience was not all that great, but, I have been a user of the product since my teens and I love the product and the people.
I got out if Mary Kay the first time because of my conflict with my director, but I came back with my adoptive director who helped me every step of the way.
This Mary Kay business is very good. I have fun, like meeting people, and enjoy all the company events. Everyone does not achieve the same results. You can only share your personal experiences and be sure to tell each person that their results are based on their activity. Plus, find out if they really want to do this. It sounds like some of you really didn’t want to do it. I believe in saying “NO.”
So, make sure each person knows why they signed up, what they want out of it, and let the director train them so they can do it. If you feel like you were tricked, got back to the person who recruited you and tell them, don’t just blast everyone. There are some really good people in Mary Kay. Just remember, we’re dealing with humans. They are not all good, but you have to take the bad with the good.
Well, that’s my $2 worth. Everyone have a blessed and productive day. I sure am.
August 8th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Divine Diva,
For starters, I did not have a really bad experience, but I saw the deception of the company as a whole. You really need to go back and read deeper into what most of us have stated in our discussions. It’s been more about the lies of the company, the cheap “prizes” that you get, the craziness to me at least, that MK produces a product that is known to cause cancer (talc) in all of their powder products, and then give to cancer research. You need to research how talc causes cancer, just like inhaling asbestos. I just find that it’s all a lie and very deceptive. Not to mention the promises that you’ll make all kinds of money, all you have to do is keep your inventory in stock and keep ordering from the company. There are a lot of lies that go on with this company and it sounds like you did the right thing when you got out the first time. Not sure why anyone would return to work for a company after they quit working for it once. Good luck with your new director. I hope that she gets you outside of the MK box and gives you good, honest training and that she will encourage you to be honest with your customers.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Personally I have been a Mary Kay Consultant for 13 years “this time”. This is my 3rd time joining. I work my business “my way” and right now, I supply my long time customers with the products they need. I like the products and pretty much sell enough to keep myself in the cosmetics I need. I have an awesome relationship with my customers. I am cool and LOVE to have fun but I am certainly not a phoney! I have NEVER BS’d anybody about the company or the products. I am straight up about everything MK when asked about it. I have had several ladies joing the Co. with me after being in before because I flat-out tell them that they can be a MK Consultant and only purchase $200 per year and get $400 worth of products and ladies, we can use that ourselves. I relocated to my current area 13 years ago and I can honestly say: in this area ALL the Directors suck. My Director is my initial one I joined with years ago the first time back home, loyalty is important to me. She has never (in the 20 years I’ve been involved with MK) asked or required me to do anything. She knows me and I know what I need to do. I will say, do be careful because many in MK do fill you with pink dreams but fail to tell you what is required of you. You can make lots of money in MK but you have to work it like a “real job”. Trust me, very few will come knocking your door down because you now sell MK. Anyway, I know both sides but, this is my deal and I will work it how my personality likes it and I bet I have some of the funnest and coolest customers on the planet. Hugs ladies, just be wary, read the fine print.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Buck, you sound like you’ve got it figured out! Congratulations! I really mean that! Many consultants are duped and fed many, many lies and sunshine up the wazoo! To the point of serious pink foggy thinking! You are the exception to the rule! Congrats on doing things your way and never being/feeling pushed to do more!
Cheers!
August 9th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
I think what gets my goat is that friends stalk and harass friends. I was kind enough to let a friend of mine have a MK party at my home and I told her from the beginning I would not be purchasing anything but hopefully my friends would - which they did (but not much). Then I get a call that she wants me to be a “model” at her next sales meeting and she invites my 15 1/2 year old daughter as well. So we go…and what do you know…after we did our own make-up (when has a model ever really done that) they begin the “we are so happy and successful motivational talks”. Well, after getting my daughter hooked on the mineral powder (which I bought so I would not get killed on the way home by her) I actually started to consider joining MK. I have been a SAHM since October 2007 - I was a Real Estate agent for a local builder until my son was born - so Sales is my calling. All I can say is thank you to sites like this one that give me a second look, reopen my eyes and mind before I waste my money. The thought of being self employed and successful (which I know I could be as I am an exceptional sales person) was very tempting and the thought of working my own schedule not driving 100 miles a day to show homes was very exciting. Glad I had time to sleep on it and think again. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE ADVICE, INPUT, and INFO!
August 9th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Kristin, thanks for posting. I’m glad you found this site before you signed on the dotted line and invested in inventory! Best of luck to you in whatever you decide to do career wise.
Just be mindful that MK isn’t the only MLM out there, trying to sell the “own your own business, work when you wnat to work spiel.”
Visit our forum for more info on other MLM’s and read some of the posts. You’ll find that many of our regualrs have been “burned” by more than 1 MLM.
August 10th, 2008 at 1:26 am
I have been a consultant for all of a month, and I must admit after attending my first unit meeting I thought to myself “What have I done?!” While I know that it is still early, my am not feeling so confident that I will even the slightest amount of extra income, since I placed my $600 inital order with the MK Visa, so now when I make I sale, it goes right back to pay that card. I refuse to let Mary Kay ruin my decent credit just to boost my sales director to the next level! I am a pretty smart woman, but I will admit that I had I done my research, I would never have signed the agreement. My recruiter left out a lot of information was left out information on how MK really works. While I do believe you can make extra income with it, you won’t do it by charging $3400 to your credit card and having people cancel their facials, or “parties” with only two or three people. In the month that I have done this here is what I have learned about the women who do this; there was obviously some void in their lives that MK has now filled. They have derived some level of importance from this, especially when they become red jackets and directors. They now have something to hinge their identities on. Praise and recognition is great, but when its false and used to manipulate it is very dangerous.
I would love to team build, but knowing how I am, I problably won’t. I fully intend to tell women everything that I was not told and allow them to make a fully informed decision before they sign that agreement. You will not be able to quit your job and your earning could fluctuate significantly. Do not be mesmerized by the pink cadillacs,the “free” cars, or the size of a NSD’s home. Trust me when I say MK alone did not put them there. My NSD is the wife of pastor who presides over a mega church. Her husband could very well buy her a pink escalade if she wanted one.
Bottom line, do you! It is not up to you to keep your sales directors in their cars. Your priority is taking care of yourself and your family, and it would be best if you did not bankrupt yourself financially or emotionally trying to sell MK. If you do not have a true sense of who you are MK will eat you alive!
August 10th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Hollie,
Surely you must know from MK’s own recruiting scripts that MK teaches recruiters to tailor an image of MK to fit any prospects’ needs. If one woman wants a full-time-plus job, then you present MK like that. If another swears she doesn’t have any time for it, you show her how she can do it anyways. If one wants it to be part-time, or even just 2 hours a week, MK says to present it however they want to hear it. To convince women that it takes minimal effort and that they can commit to only low hours and still make it work is deceptive, plain and simple.
So, a woman looking for a hobby, not a business, wouldn’t have been told the truth. Also, a real business can be sold for profit or passed on to heirs by the owner. Not MK though. It works more like a franchise than a business you own, the same way a person who “own’s” a Wendy’s franchise. MK sets the rules to ensure their maximum profit without regard for yours. Otherwise they’d let you advertise any way and anywhere you please!
The whole 3 years I was in MK I didn’t know I had the option of trying out another director, because of course, my director never mentioned it.
August 10th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Ladies, so sorry about the typos in my previous post. It was late and I didn’t have on my glasses, but you get the point that I was making. Anyway I thought more about this MK thing when I went to bed and again this morning. I have decided that I will not be attending any more team or unit meetings. I brought a guest to my last meeting and while she did seem to enjoy herself and purchased over $80 in product from me, I must admit I felt a little embarassed. They made the guests sit through all these preliminaries and pseudo recognitions for a good half hour before they took guests back to have their facials. Plus, my SD said that I would be pinned as an Elite for having a production of $1000 for the month. Well I was not pinned! Was I duped? I sure feel that I was. It’s like this, I still have a decent amount of inventory to sell. As I sell it I will be paying off the MK Card with the sales. I will not be “reinvesting”. Customers who are willing to wait for their product can pay me and I will order only what they have requested. The way I see it if they wanted their makeup and skin care at the time of purchase they would go to their nearest Macy’s or Nordstrom and buy it. Most women are aware that MK and Avon reps do not keep all the company’s product on hand at all times so they will have to wait, just like they do when they order Girl Scout Cookies. When I move from my current apartment this month I will be applying the security deposit that I get back to the MK Card, so that I can put a dent in the $700 balance. But if that inventory isn’t sold by the end of October, it is going back to the company or to a consultant who needs it. Now that I am thinking, I should have known that something was wrong when my recruiter, who is now a DIQ, said that she didn’t qualify for the MK Card when she began as a BC because her credit was so poor about five years ago. I wonder where she came up with the cash for her first inventory purchase? I wonder how her credit is now, with her “free” car and all?
Any way God bless all the Mary Kay consulants and directors who feel that Mary Kay is “enriching” their lives. I guess that all depends on how you define enriching. Don’t let me stop you if you truly feel that MK will set you on the path to financial wealth and prosperity. Just make sure you get all of your information and decide what you want to get out it. You do not have to adpot the all or nothing principles of the SDs and NSDs. They are thinking that way because they have to now, if they want to stay in those cars and keep the commission checks coming. Oh yeah, the car thing, they will tell you that you can drive a “career car” but your recruiter will not tell you how to get one or more importantly how to stay in one. I’ll save that for next time, or anyone else please feel free to share what you know to any new unsuspecting consultant. Until then, don’t think pink, think smart!
August 10th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I have been a consultant for all of a month, and I must admit after attending my first unit meeting I thought to myself “What have I done?!” While I know that it is still early, my am not feeling so confident that I will even the slightest amount of extra income, since I placed my $600 inital order with the MK Visa, so now when I make I sale, it goes right back to pay that card.
I’m glad you saw the light early on and are being smart about your debt. Did you know you can return your product for 90% of what you paid and get your retail sales tax back also?
I would love to team build, but knowing how I am, I problably won’t. I fully intend to tell women everything that I was not told and allow them to make a fully informed decision before they sign that agreement. You will not be able to quit your job and your earning could fluctuate significantly. Do not be mesmerized by the pink cadillacs,the “free” cars, or the size of a NSD’s home. Trust me when I say MK alone did not put them there. My NSD is the wife of pastor who presides over a mega church. Her husband could very well buy her a pink escalade if she wanted one.
I am having a hard time understanding, after your experience with MK why you would want to lead another woman down this path of debt & deception. Bravo to you for being honest when building your team, but I still don’t understand why you still want to after what you have been through.
August 10th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Blessed I am a very positive person,in fact I am soooooo positive you will be out of the pink fog soon and will see why e say what we say about MKC! I’m sorry, but attending meetings and Seminar and all the other crap are NOT optional, at least not if you had my director!!!!!!! Get over it Mary Kay is an MLM, it doesn’t work for anyone who is truly an honest person!!!!!!
August 10th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
“Just continue to work for someone else for the rest of your life!”
Thanks, but I really won’t have to. I have a retirement plan and I don’t have to be one of the VP’s to earn that benefit.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Hey Lipstick, you ask why do I want to continue, and I guess my answer is that I don’t want this thing to totally defeat me. I made an error in judgement, but I guess I feel that I can still salvage something from this. Now, I also said that fully intend to tell the full truth about MK, which basically means after women hear what I tell them, they probably won’t sign the agreement, nor will I let them. For one I would not dream of allowing women that I know are struggling financially to put themselves in further financial bind, and two I just can’t see myself delivering a tired spiel to a cashier at Target about how MK will deliver her from punching the time clock.
I must say this sight along with my own observations has opened my eyes, so I thank all of you for that. I know that there is good and bad in everything, but I just hope that the women are feel they are doing well with MK have done so by keeping their identities and finances in tact. Oh, I and I will be unloading some of my unsold product to my good friend who needs the product. She been a great friend since high school, and she has echoed a lot of what was said hear. Now she is doing MK on her terms and she is satisfied with it. She has other goals and so do I. I just hope these other ladies set other goals too. Very soon.
August 10th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
My Beauty, sounds like you are in MK with eyes wide open and I commend you for not trying to “sell” the dream with false promises to others.
I truly believe that was what Mary Kay Ashe intended when she founded the company, but greed somehow overtakes ethics when money becomes the main goal in life.
August 10th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
LoL Dang girls, I didn’t know us having fun talking to each other about life is negative. Now if you want a negative site, go to pinktruth.com….I hated that site!
Plus, I honestly didn’t know that being a singer (still working on my first demo sadly) is considered working for someone else….oh well…so be it….blah blah blah…
I like working though, it gives my life meaning a little and when I have my kids, I can be at home working as a mom. One of the most important jobs in the world! And my director taught me not to put my dreams of being a stay at home mommy in front of my MK career.
Plus my “business” did work. I just hated it. What kind of a business is that?
Love and Peace to you
August 12th, 2008 at 4:03 am
Kashu, I’m LOLing at your PT comment! That’s why I left that site. If you look for my old posts, you won’t find them though - along with many others who were booted out for asking too many questions. Tracy deleted them all and then revamped her site. Newbies had no clue… and still probably don’t. I’m glad you found us! Much friendlier over here!
MyBeauty, I’m glad you’re on your way out. MK is a life-sucking, money-draining road to nowhere.
August 12th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Rethink, I ended up getting into a verbal fight with Tracy on PT. All the women on there at the time seemed to worship her and follow what she said. I questioned it and she started a fight about something else and said I had no proof of it even though I kept telling her over and over again my proof….I stopped going on there because they made me want to cry….and I don’t cry that easily. lol
I am glad I found this site though. It opened my eyes up wider of MK and I am free of it all. And I’m glad that other women keep finding us as well.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
PT…the other cult! lol
Those that do not followtheleader are shunned!
August 15th, 2008 at 1:24 am
I just wanted to say that I have been reading Pinklighthouse for three years now and you all
are great! I am pro MK and I love the product
and I have a hassle free director! I have met a shady one though. Anyway I just wanted to say
that this is my first time posting but Im glad that you all welcome any and all opinions without shunning people like that PT site that place is a site to behold. Im glad the lighthouse exist so at least those who want totally out will respect those of us who are still totally in. I respect you all and Im glad that its civil. Thanks for helping the ladies out without shunning them and making them feel stupid if they dont follow the leader. Its good to know they have a safe haven here.
August 15th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Hi Colleen! I’m glad you’ve been a faithful lurker here. ;) So glad you came out of the shadows to post.
rethinkingpink, English Kashu, Lipstick…Your experiences on PT aren’t unusual in the slightest. I’ve heard lots of nasty stories about that site, although I usually don’t comment.
The main goal of PinkLighthouse is to educate and inform. We respect all opinions here, but we don’t tolerate misleading or false information. Our responses to the same old MK and MLM lines may be strong at times, but no one here gets banned just for having a strong opinion.
August 15th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I could spend all day saying why I think MK is a great opportunity or why it is “network marketing” and not MLM (it is a slight tad MLM) but I just wanted to say that the lighthouse is more than giving people opinions on MK. Its about people moving on with their lives and discussing other things along with MK. Lighthouse gives the women a chance to speak with others who have had good and bad experiences and how they can help and lean on each other. Its just like the Lisa situation I saw how you all came out and treated her and encouraged her and said you were sorry about her house. Lisa Im glad your MK business is helping you with overseas money by the way.
I cant express to you how I think that those who leave MK can appreciate the lighthouse. Yes Im still in MK but for those who are out being here you can see the light. By the way if anyone wants to join MK or stay in MK do what you want to do not what your director wants you to do.
August 16th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Hi All,
This is my first time reading this site. I am very impress by the comments posted. I too came out of the “Pink Fog” 2 years ago and since have worked this MK business based on MY family and MY life needs. What brought me out of the fog was when I was conducting another “no sales” class(I had more of these than actual selling classes) with “no jobs twenty-somethings” who wanted to be made-up for free for a Saturday night out. Of course I did not know this until 1 1/2 hours later when it was time to buy. The kicker was that the hostess called me constantly before the class to make sure I would show!
Orignially I did not want to schedule the class for that day because I was to spend time with my mother as I do every other Saturday. I asked my Mom, could I take her out on Sunday instead and she said ok.
At the end of the class as I was packing up, my sister called to tell me my mom had a massive stroke and was in the hosipital. Can you imagine my guilt! I was to spend the day with her and here I was conducting another un profitable MK class. Once at the hospitial I realize I needed to make changes in my life and with the MK business. I now conduct classes around my and my family schedules. I have went from 4 classes and facials per week to 1 - 2 classes every month.
My director was not happy about that and yelled at me for making this decision. I did not care. I have gone to every Seminar, workshop, weekly meeting, recruiting event she has asked me to. I spent money gong to these events and I was not making enough money from the classes I held. I listened to all those women lying about what they made each week. When I asked for specific details on how they made the money, all I got was generic answers. Going to these events meant missing out on family time. Also not making enough money from the classes was causing tenision between my husband and I because he was not seeing any money comming in from the work I was doing with the MK business (you would not believe the inventory on my shelf).
I have not regretted my decision. I work MK the way I want to work it. This has made me more successful than I was before. I am selling down the excess inventory I have. I am keeping only what I need to run the business. No I am not bringing home hundreds of dollars every month. After taking out expenses, I clear $120 to $150 per month. But it works for me since I may only conduct 1 class and I have my reorder business. I am much happier and I spend more time with my family. My family is important to me!
Lesson learned: Don’t fall for the hype. MK is a business, treat it as such, but tailor it for YOUR needs.
August 16th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Marie, good for you! I wish you luck in selling off your excess inventory. The next time your Director fusses about how you are running your business, tell her it is YOUR business and you work it around YOUR priorities, not hers!
August 19th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Your MK business is NOT your business. You are basically a MK franchise - you can’t sell your business, can’t advertise, can’t sell except in company approved venues - anything you do that MKC doesn’t approve of could get you “fired”.
Okay, is it legal for consultants to use advertising, such as yard signs offering “free facials” and gift baskets, with the Mary Kay name on the sign? This is currently being done by team member, with to the knowledge of our recruiter and future sales director. I couldn’t do that if I wanted to because I live in an apartment complex, but this looks like something the company would not approve of. I was also at a beauty salon, where the owner has some of the discontinued MK items for sale in her glass counter. What about something like CraigsList? I have seen an Avon rep advertised on there. These women have oblivously broken all kinds of rules in efforts to sell these products. It seems that everyday I can reference yet another reason why need to step away from this insanity that is Mary Kay. If you have to resort to doing things that could have legal ramifications to remain with Mary Kay, you have seriously lost it. Send that product back, pay your bills and focus on your real job. Get a damned education in something that you are good at, and go from there. With respect to the late Mrs. Ash, you CANNOT have career with Mary Kay. Don’t break laws and jeopardize your family for this.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Hey everyone. I’ve been exploring this site a bit, and for the most part I’m pretty impressed with all of you! On the one hand I really appreciate everyone’s honesty! But I also feel like SOMETIMES MK isn’t being honestly presented, although it’s basically just coming from each individual lady’s experience. Of course, our own experience and perspective is always TRUTH to us, isn’t it?
At any rate, I have seen both sides of all of this. :) My MOTHER is an extremely successful director, in MY eyes anyway. She only has one red jacket so far, but our unit is about 40 strong (maybe 41? not sure). And the girls who are really active are so sweet, and wonderful team players. Now I REALIZE that my unit is probably WAY outside the norm! But it’s due to my mom, 100%. She is HONEST with her consultants, and isn’t pushy at all, which is nice. If she were I wouldn’t like it. :(
I however do not have NEARLY her success, and that’s for one simple reason: work. Not my JOB, but my LACK of working my MK business. I understand you ladies who have families and have so many more obligations. But really ANY business that we have where WE are our own bosses are reliant on our own efforts we put into it.
The only thing I’ve seen negative on this site is that some of you are so upset about not seeing success you expected and it makes you kinda bitter towards Mary Kay as a whole, and that is sad. Look, my entire upline, all the way to my National Sales Director, encourages honesty and integrity in EVERYTHING we do. If you DO read the fine print on the agreement (which most do not, unfortunately - and once I DID I SWORE that I would ALWAYS make ALL my team members read it first!!), you will see that even THAT says that you should NOT ever misrepresent the company in ANY WAY!
What I’m trying to say is this: I hear you guys about the credit card debt, etc. And I think most of you WOULD blame your director, but it comes accross like the whole entire company is corrupt and evil, and that’s SO not true! And I think most of you know that.
MK is NOT for everyone! First of all, you DO have to enjoy it! I mean, goodness, the whole POINT of direct sales opportunities (the good ones anyway) is so that you find something you LOVE to do that will allow you to TRULY give you more freedom than the TYPICAL job. (Now there are LOTS of jobs out there that ARE great, so if you have one of those, MK may not be for you!) MK is not for everyone!
Ooooh, I think I got off my point. :( I’ve heard SO MANY horrible stories about different consultants and directors. A co-worker told me about an MK consultant (a college student) who told her that because my friend only wanted to buy a mascara (or something small, not sure exactly what it was) she wasn’t interested in her “nickles and dimes”. She made my friend feel AWFUL because she didn’t want to spend more money than she had!! That APPALLED ME!! I’m a Pastor’s Kid, and my Mom is a Pastor’s wife, and a minister herself! We keep our businesses with integrity! And if you want just an EYE SHADOW I will treat you as tho you are JUST as important as a lady who wants to buy $300! I also hate hearing about those pushy directors.
Sorry, I’m saying a lot and skipping around a bunch! :( MY business hasn’t been as successful as my mother’s SIMPLY because I don’t work as hard or as often as she does. Does she have cancellations? Yes. Does she give up? No. And that’s what I admire so much about her.
Our NSD says to get the dollar signs out of your eyes and look to see who you can help out. Mom really does that. And our girls love her for it. As a result, as a UNIT we have set a goal to get Mom in her cadillac this year. She can’t do it alone, but my unit wants to help her. By helping HER they are helping THEMSELVES, and vice versa. And I truly feel THAT is what Mary Kay Ash envisioned.
At Seminar this year one of the FIRST classes we had was “Legal-Ease”. It went over WHY we can’t sell/display products in stores, etc. YES you CAN advertise, and they have beautiful ads available that you can customize for whatever event or product you want to feature. NO you can’t display products in stores because that is in the agreement and it makes it unfair to consultants who are just getting started, don’t already have a business or whatever.
It’s just unethical to do things that way. And I know my upline well. They are beautiful (inside :P), loving, encouraging women who REALLY DO want to enrich other women’s lives. I think that if you see the opportunity in Mary Kay, and ENJOY it, and are HONEST, then you’ll be okay.
I made the committment to myself to NEVER order product unless I used MARY KAY money to do it! On the other hand, I honestly feel that if a woman wants to start her own business, and has GOOD BUSINESS SENSE then it is a benefit to invest in initial inventory. My Dad actually teaches the girls on finances and tax information, and Mom is very careful to teach that stuff too. We focus on a 60%-40% split of MK profits to keep from embezzling from your own business and still making sure you’re earning for yourself. (10% for shipping, and section 2, etc.)
UGH ok I know I’m getting annoying now! I’m just really 100% convinced that the commission structure, prizes, etc are AMAZING if they are honestly presented, and ethically carried out according to the way Mary Kay herself would have done it!
BTW - cheap prizes? Are you guys kidding me? Last year (my mom’s first year selling - she did personal use for 5 years) her national queen’s court of sales prize ring was a diamond star ring, in white gold. Worth almost $600! This year she chose a blue topaz, citrine, and pear drop necklace valued at $690. Ummm… that’s not cheap, ladies! And she LEGITIMATELY sold enough product to earn those prizes! So… I’m not really sure where those ideas are coming from :(. If a prize was damaged or something… why not contact the company and ask about it?
Yes, some of your directors and recruiters didn’t do things the right way. But I feel honestly that any past mistake can be remedied. And if MK Inc DIDNT care about people… why WOULD they offer the 90% buy back guarantee? Seems to me if they were so horrible they’d say “screw you, you ordered it, you’re stuck with it! Muahahaha!*
The very successful MK women I have met (all in person) TRULY believed in God first, Family Second, and Career Third. But it is up to each individual woman how she defines that! One director I know (a SSD) had a baby not long ago. She is able to care for him much of the time, but also has to forego some play time for her business. She said, would she rather be playing with her baby than conducting a beauty show? Yes! But she invests time in BOTH so that she can give him the life she wants to give him. But that is HER CHOICE, and she and her husband are happy with it, as a family unit. What I’m saying is, you can’t let a director tell you how to prioritize your own life! It is her job to encourage you in YOUR dream. I really hate to hear some of you disparage ALL MK directors or leadership because they discouraged your family and faith priorities. However, that is NOT true accross the board, and you wouldn’t ever hear anyone at corporate say anything outside of God, Family, Career either.
I know ya’ll are prolly like “SHUT UP!” but I just feel very strongly that I wanted to portray the GOOD things about Mary Kay, that it’s not for everyone, and that unfortunately some ladies don’t have the integrity that Mary Kay Ash herself espoused. I hope all of you can forgive the women who wronged you, chalk it up to bad leadership, but that in all fairness MK as a whole is not bad!
August 19th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
My Beauty, no that is not alright to post signs like that, MKC would not approve and the city where they are doing that could force them to apply for a business licence.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Sarah
I don’t even know how to reply to you! You sound like a sweet person, but………
O.K. Were you kidnapped by the MK pod people? Your rhetoric was really hard to take at times!
One thing that I did notice that irked me, but is typical was when you said, “And the girls who are really active are so sweet, and wonderful team players.” Made me want to puke and pissed me off. So the girls that are only a little active or not at all are what, not nice?
I do wish you success, but not hopeful! Sorry!!!
August 20th, 2008 at 11:15 am
WhatwasIthinking, I had a feeling that advertising with yards signs and such would not be approved by MK, but I needed conformation. As I said, this is taking place at the knowledge of our team leader, who is a DIQ. We was at this team member’s home for a team meeting when I learned this. She was going on and on about the response she has gotten from the yard sign. A lady driving by called her regarding product (her phone number is on the sign) and our Team Leader told her to invite the lady to our unit meeting! Can you believe that?! I tell you everyday I can go back and reference something with this brief MK experience of mine that just makes me shake my head.
I thought this would be something fun that I could do to earn extra cash. I love makeup and I thought it would be great to teach women how to look good and invest in themselves. If I could do that and earn extra cash, wonderful. That’s all I wanted, extra cash, not a “team”, not a red jacket, those matronly suits or even a car, just extra cash! But it is next impossible to get that, when your hand are tied in terms of advertising, the hoops you have to jump through to get a damn skin care class to hold. I have just finished graduate school, and I am in the process of job searching. MK is not my primary job, so I don’t have time to go back and forth with women on scheduling a skin care class. I have had women tell me that they won’t be able to until next month or around Thanksgiving. What? I know I am not the only one who has experienced something like this.
To Sarah, Jennifer, and Blessed, you are entitled to your feelings, but until you can state exactly how MK has increased your standard of living I am really not interested. I don’t want to hear about how sweet everyone was, how great your SD was, I want to know about profit. Were you profiting in MK sells, such that it did not matter if your team member placed a $200 order in a quarter or a $3000 order. Could the profits from your own MK sells afford you a Cadillac or hell a Pontiac G6 ? Basically, are you earning anything or just the ladies at the very top of the pyramid? If I have to spend money to put someone else in a Cadillac, then they don’t need it. Get back to us when you are ready to talk about dollars and cents.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
My Beauty - I totally agree with you about the going back and forth deal on trying to get classes scheduled and even to deliver product.
I had a lady who lived about 20 miles away, I was going to be in her area anyways, so I called to set up a delivery time - she calls me on the way to her house on my cell. Lucky for me, it went straight to voicemail - she had decided to go to the grocery and asked could I come back tomorrow. 20 miles outta my way for a $ 10 eyeliner delivery? Needless to say, I “didn’t get the message” & caught her before she left for the grocery!
August 21st, 2008 at 2:05 pm
“One thing that I did notice that irked me, but is typical was when you said, “And the girls who are really active are so sweet, and wonderful team players.” Made me want to puke and pissed me off. So the girls that are only a little active or not at all are what, not nice?” - Whatwasithinking
OMG girl, you’re right it did sound that way!! Ack! No, I think if you guys are honestly reading the things I have to say, you’ll believe me to be a “sweet” person, cause I really am, or at least try to be! *grin* No, I didn’t mean it that way at all! I just meant that they are my Mom’s team, so many of the personal use consultants, or just hobby/part-time consultants I really don’t know well. The girls who want to really try for making it a working business come to weekly meetings and special events, so I know them all well, that’s what I meant by that.
I’ll give you a “team-playing” example. My mom is a teacher, and I think it’s 4 other of our unit members are teachers at her school. One other is mom’s red jacket. Now, when mom started she began talking to many of the teachers, and probably most of them! But when the third teacher wanted to start HER MK business it was because mom’s red jacket really talked to her in depth about it. If they were gonna fight over recruits Mom coulda pulled the “I talked to her first” thing, but she didn’t.
Two ladies work as nursing administrators in the same home heath care office. Mom gave out a 24-hour contest. Julie decided to take on the contest, so she asked Deb if she was planning on doing it. Deb said no, and Julie asked if she could promote the contest to the ladies who worked with them. Deb said, of course she could. Julie did well, completed the contest, won a prize, and Deb applauded her along with everyone else. (It was a lipstick sale contest, just to let you know. She just took in her lipsticks, set the colors up so the girls could see them, and the ladies bought!)
One of our girls had a goal to do 30 facials in one day, which is REALLY difficult to do on your own! Two other consultants went to her home, helped her set up tables, assisted with taking orders of one group while she moved on to the next, and helped her clean up. Did they make ANY MONEY? No, they went to help out a friend. When they have a goal they want to meet, do you think she’ll return the favor? You bet!
I’m sorry that some of you seem to feel like there aren’t people out there in the world like that. There are!!
August 21st, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Oh I forgot. *blushes* I’m also a bit scatter-brained at times!
You’re right, it’s a nightmare sometimes to get people to hold appointments. And it IS frustrating! Unlike some doctors who’ll make you pay part of your appointment whether you show up or not, we can’t do that kind of thing to “encourage” them to hold! There ARE things you can try to do to help them keep the appointments, but sometimes that can seem like babysitting, or more effort than you want to put into it.
Nope, you’re not allowed to put out a yard sign or anything. And it’s obvious, Mybeauty, that you don’t want to do anything that is unfair to others, and I really admire that.
As far as how MK has increased my standard of living - not much cause like I’ve said before I’m kinda lazy :(. But my parents? They’ve been able to pay off two credit cards, and they are making extra mortgage payments as well, with plans to be completely out of debt (at this rate) in 10 years, as well as saving for retirement. So… CURRENT standard of living increase? No, not really because when you’re trying to get out of debt you really have to kinda get tight with yourself? But the long-term rewards based on what they’ve been able to accomplish financially are great.
HOWEVER, I’ll be honest with you, Mary Kay is not going to be a financial “answer” for you if you don’t want to treat it like a business. If it’s just to make “a little extra money” it can be that for you without being part of a “team”. It’s just slower going if you don’t have any inventory b/c you need to wait for customer’s products. And if someone orders $30 of product and you place the order, it’ll be $26.05 at half-price, plus tax (7.5%) plus shipping. So you make a $3.95 profit? TOTALLY BOGUS RIGHT? However if you just HANDED her the satin hands set (or whatever), and did that with 10 customers. Okay so you’ve got a $300 order instead now. Profit will be $118.55 instead. The benefit of having inventory is that it can carry you for a bit, as you’re putting the money into your business account, so that you can make a larger order. Mom has the inventory she needs so that she can order once a month, larger orders, thereby making a higher profit margin.
You gotta look at the dollars and cents. Look, any business isn’t gonna go BOOM overnight! There’s no such thing as a get-rich-quick opportunity. You gotta work, and MK is a BUSINESS if you really want to make money at it.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Sarah,
It sounds like your mom has it going on with her business. However, you did say a couple of things that I want to set straight. You mentioned something about us talking about the cheap prizes…I have some of those “cheap” prizes…the 45th anniversary ring truly looked like something that came out of a gum ball machine and the stone is loose and the setting that snaps the ring open is loose as well. It just looks plain cheap. I also got the “dream catcher” award. It honesty looks like something that came out of the dollar tree. I got the picture of our NSD with MK herself that was taken by a small camera in the 80’s, it appeared. It was totally corny and cheap…all of it.
As far as honesty, does your mother tell her consultants that the mineral powder foundations, eye shadows, and other powder products all contain talc as the main ingredient, which can cause cancer? If not, she needs to be telling them to tell their customers that it contains talc and the harmful effects of it. It is similar to inhaling asbestos.
These are only 2 of the reasons that I dislike MK. Was I making money? Yes. I did the 60-40 split and after purchasing my initial inventory ($1800 sadly), I used the money from the MK sales to replenish my savings accoung and the other to purchase product and other things for my business and I was very strict with doing this. I was just totally taken aback with the cheap prizes and the ingredient of talc in their mineral powder make up. That’s a mineral, yes, but it is not a good mineral.
I will have to say that I had to “educate” a MK consultant who was set up in Goody’s yesterday to do a drawing of some sort. Anyway, she started her spiel and I quickly advised her that I am a former consultant and can no longer use the product. Later, I explained to her and anyone else who was around…there were some Goody’s sales associates in the store listening intently, about the talc in the products. She stated that she had no idea that talc was the main ingredient in the mineral powder foundation and stated her disappointment with the company for using this as a main ingredient, especially when I told her that it is carcinogen. Anyway…I do hope you all the best and it does sound like you and your mother have good business sense and are working it right.
Since you are really into MK, I do have several of the new, black face cases, lots of samples and the starter kit bags…if you would like to purchase any of these, let me know and we’ll make arrangements to ship it to you.
Much success to you!
August 21st, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I appreciate your concern about the talc! I really do, because I wouldn’t want to knowingly contribute to anything that could cause harm either! =/ I did research it, however, and apparently cosmetic grade talc is not harmful. http://cosmeticsinfo.org/HBI/26 is the exact link regarding talc. It annoyed me that the National Toxicology Program tested on animals, but overall it has good information. Is it possible you could be incorrect about the harmful affects of this ingredient? Where did you find out about talc being a carcinogenic? I truly don’t want to be argumentative about this, I just want to make sure I’m not incorrect myself.
As far as the prizes go, I guess I’ve just only had good experiences, but that doesn’t mean others have always had the same.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:57 pm
just wanted to add, also, that i have read lots of different articles on talc (like cosmeticsinfo.org) and cosmetic-grade talc is not the same talc that is like asbestos or carcinogenic and is not harmful.