Mary Kay Director Tells NPR “A new rep. working full-time can expect to earn close to $50,000 in a year.”
It’s true. And I nearly laughed myself out of my chair when I heard it.
NPR’s Morning Edition on January 27th, 2009, did a story on how, supposedly, companies like AVON and Mary Kay are seeing big increases in sales.
Reporter Gloria Hillard interviewed Mary Kay director Linda Klein. Says Hillard in the story, “Klein says a new rep. working full-time can expect to earn close to $50,000 a year.”
Really? Can I see some numbers somewhere that substantiate this claim, Ms. Klein? Because I don’t know of any AVERAGE Mary Kay rep that earns $50,000 a year.
Even directors, who flash those big checks around, aren’t really making as much as you think. They rarely tell you the expenses involved, including time, required to receive such commissions. And they hardly ever tell you that those commissions aren’t based on the sales of the consultants they recruit but rather the orders for inventory that those consultants place with the company. Lots of that inventory winds up in the basement or at garage sales when the women who join realize that the earnings claims are overstated and the time commitment grossly underestimated.
You can listen to the complete story here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99898912
As is predictable, many Mary Kay consultants have shown up on the NPR site to leave their positive comments about the company.
Lipstick on 
Ann on 
Brooke on 
Tam on 
I was thinking… if MK is a debt free comp. why then would the SD push you into using your CC …more than one if you have to! Wouldn’t they want their consultants to be debt free as well?! Can I be bashing MK like this? lol I like the products… I had just started the skin care line Jan. 29th… Are they any good? Should have known more before I signed up huh!? I have asked my friend to smack me in the forehead next time I am thinking about signing up for anything! lol
Report this comment
YAY! The UPS man came and the starter kit is on its way back! One less thing now…
Report this comment
“If MK is a debt free comp. why then would the SD push you into using your CC …more than one if you have to! Wouldn’t they want their consultants to be debt free as well?! ”
Well, if you don’t order $ 600 your SD doesn’t get to count you as a “qualified” recruit and she earns commission off of what you order, whether you pay for it in full, or put it on a credit card. IMO, I think SD’s believe if you have cc debt you will “work your business” in an attempt to pay off the debt, which, in reality, causes you to order more because SOMEONE will always want something you DON’T have – even if you’d ordered 2 of everything, SOMEONE will want 3!
Report this comment
Ohhh… that makes a small amount of sense lol You could lose money, right? I mean if no one buys.
Does everyone have to be a qualified recruit to sell MK?
Report this comment
That’s EXACTLY right, you can, easily ! Every order is $ 8.95 shipping PLUS tax now, and if you haven’t ordered in 3 months, you have to order $ 200 to get the 50% discount. Then you get some SD telling you to carry a FULL store. DO NOT DO THIS. Plus, it’s hard to read customers minds and order all their stuff in advance and even thou I was told the “products would fly off my shelves” not 1 even wobbled! LOL Wait to see what customers you have (if any) first, and who likes/uses what. IE, If you have several customers who use the TW Skincare, you may want to carry 1 -2 of the items that SEVERAL customers order regularly.
If you take the orders FIRST, then place your order for the products that you have already sold and keep very little inventory, I honestly think you could maybe make a couple hundred +/-, a month, provided you have a good customer base and probably working 10 – 15 hours per week - and I mean WORK – you’ve got to call, mail, e-mail, pass out samples, and generally get yourself in front of a LOT of women!
No, you don’t have to be quailified to sell. You HAVE to order a min $ 200 initial inventory to get the discount, but you are only “qualified” with a $ 600 initial inventory order. ”Qualified” recruits count for ’move on up’ challenges. Your recruiter will get a commission on your order, whether it’ s $200 or $600.
Report this comment
GGLara, another thing to consider about inventory is that nobody in their right mind goes to a home party and expects to walk out with their product that night.
Epicure, Stampin’ Up, Party Light, Home & Gift, Pampered Chef…you never get the stuff immediately. As a consumer, I wouldn’t go to a home party expecting to leave with the stuff I order, it’s insane to think the rep has multiples of every product in their trunk.
Report this comment
That’s very true, BC. Almost all of the home party companies make you wait several weeks for your stuff. And guess what? The representative has all the money and then just places the order for the products. She already has her profit in hand without having to “stock a store.” It’s simply ridiculous to have to have thousands of dollars of product on your shelf or lug a ton of stuff to a party just so people can get their stuff right away.
As I’ve mentioned before, most women I ran into were shocked to get their stuff immediately and didn’t care whether they did or not. I think some women like the “surprise” of getting their stuff a week or so later. It’s like an unexpected present.
Report this comment
Tam, I refused the starter kit the other day. The SD made an inventory order for me and I was able to stop it… I hope that was true. I still can get on the intouch and it shows it has not been shipped.
Your right BC! That is what I was wanting to do when I signed up but the SD had me all in the pink fog lol and I lost my way. I found it in time threw this site! TY to all!
Report this comment
GGLara – YEAH! Good idea to stop that initial inventory order! Whew! You should join us in the forum – we discuss a wide range of topics, we have some great ladies & gents, some are even current consultants! Click on “forum” on the upper left corner, enter your info and you are in. It’s definitely worth checking out!
Report this comment
GGLara… I’m so glad you were able to refuse the Starter kit and get your order stopped before it shipped! You shouldn’t be pressured into ordering and never let your SD order for you…you don’t even know what your customers will be using, that’s a good way to get stuck with stuff you can’t sell!
I second Tam’s suggestion that you join the Forum, you’ll get lots of tips on what to avoid if you decide to stay in MK and as she says, we are about a lot more than MK!
Report this comment
I registered for the forum and never got the email confirmation three days ago what should I do?
Report this comment
Colleen, click on the “contact” button in the tan toolbar at the top of the page (on the right side) where you found the “forum” button and send a note to LJ, let her know when you registered and the name you registered under. She should be able to help you out!
Colleen when you are able to log in let us know that you were posting as Colleen on the main page so we can give you an extra warm welcome. We wlecome all newbies who post, but if we have been “chatting” with you on this page, it’s nice to know that we already “know” you!
Report this comment
Mary Kay is what you make of it. Sit on your hands, and nothing will happen…like most times in life. Get on the phone, share your story, share the business and teach women how to take great care of the skin, and the product sells itself! If you dont let yourself try it, youll never know what could happen. If you think its a ‘get rich quick’ thing, youre wrong. That doesnt exist. But if you want to learn and work hard, the rewards are great!
just have common sense making business choices. Just because the company advertises buying stock doesnt mean thats for you. If you have 5 clients, you dont need it. Each consultant can speak with their director about it. Im ready for stock because I cant keep enough on hand. Thats right ladies. I cant keep enough on hand, even in this economy.
Dont knock what you havent tried!! and dont give up!!
Report this comment
I don’t know why people always show up here calling members here lazy. I’ve never figured that out. Do they really think that the people here were just lazy and didn’t work and that’s why they don’t care so much for MK? How ridiculous.
Actually the reality is that most of the people in MK worked just as they were told. They went to meetings, they started their business with friends and family, they even had an open house perhaps. And then they came to a complete stop, frequently. It’s not easy to get customers in this business for a variety of reasons. But if you keep at it, you can build a small customer base. But that customer base won’t make you the money that they claim. And also, people usually don’t want to book classes at your classes. The ones that do…well it’s a challenge to keep them booked. Women don’t shop and buy the same way they did in the 50s.
That’s nice. But the fact is that the whole “business” of Mary Kay is based on each new member purchasing inventory. There’s no way to move up the “ladder” unless that keeps happening. A lot of women cave in to the pressure and if you understand psychology and group dynamics, you’ll know it’s not because they’re weak or stupid. And since it’s recommended and you’re new and you want to succeed, you want to do the things they tell you will help you succeed.
Mary Kay depends on hype and unrealistic examples of how much money you can make in order to entice people to join. Then once someone joins and does what they’re told and expects to make the money they were told they could and aren’t, it’s because it’s suddenly NOT the easy, part-time, make a lot of money quick scheme that the company and the directors presented to lure you in. Can you say smoke and mirrors?
Report this comment
emilymaeATmarykay, please read ALL the comments before you post. We have already answered all your “talking points”. We aren’t lazy, stupid and we did try. You sound like you have been doing MK all of about 30 days or less!
Stop drinking the pink koolaid and try adding up the time you have spent making phone calls, warm chattering, sharing , setting up for your class, packing and delivering orders, and teaching.
Add the cost of your inventory, sales aids, samples, gas, hostess gifts, etc, subtract that total from your total sales and divide it by the number of hours you spent doing all of the above and I’ll bet you are making less than minimum wage, if that.
Not only will you not “get rich quick”, you’ll end up “in the hole”, if you’re not careful!
Don’t quit your real J-O-B with vacation, insurance, paid vacation and sick leave.
Report this comment
I registered as well and I keep checking my email.
I even tried to register another name thinking maybe I typed the email wrong lol… I tried clicking the did you miss your activation email. I used GGLara the first time and then tried GLara today…. How long does it take? Maybe I should have used ImpatientGGLara LOL
Report this comment
I just thought…. I didn’t check the spam like Lipstick told Colleen …. and there is was! LOL sorry….
Report this comment
Any time you don’t get registrations by when you should, check your spam mail. It’s almost always there.
You can always email me too and I’ll help — lauraj@pinklighthouse.com
Report this comment
Not that they have to defend themselves but how come when the PRO MK ladies say something (and you know Im proMK) they never come back and talk about their sales or classes? Forget the schedule C they never come back to say how much they made or what they sold. Please enlighten me
Report this comment
I’d like to know too. But I suspect there’s a lot going on.
I remember when I was in MK and I would deny any criticisms of Mary Kay because I was told these people were negative because they didn’t work their business and failed. So, while it irritates me every time I hear it, I HAVE been on the other side. It’s easy to get quickly brainwashed by the rah rah of MK and your desire to do well.
They’re scared that if they listen to the info here and absorb it, that they will realize what a hopeless proposition MK is. It’s not easy to admit mistakes and some people simply can’t afford to, emotionally and otherwise.
Report this comment
Colleen, you know I am not ProMK…been there done that, it doesn’t work! Maybe when they go to look at their schedule C or do the math it doesn’t look like they thought it would!
It’s easy to fall into the trap that activity in MK is making you money. I was there for 8.5 years, but it took a site like this one to make me take a more critical look at just what my activity was getting me…in debt more and more ! And then to realize that working hard did not get you where you wanted to be in MK if you worked it honestly instead of going for the sheer numbers of recruits and frontloading them with a bare minimum of $600 inventory.
I didn’t want to become a SD at the expense of others!
Maybe they realized that all that positive crap they have been fed, at MK meetings and Sminar and Career Conf was keeping them from looking at the big fat negative
debt they were in and the money they weren’t making! IMO
Report this comment
Colleen, I honestly don’t know.
I think it’s beacuse they come on these boards with an ‘I’ll tell these dumb, lazy broads how it REALLY is’ attitude, and their attitude comes across in their posts as confrontational, argumentative and condescending.
When we prove we’re ready to fight back they immediately disappear, as do most bullies.
Or we want real numbers, and they know they can’t provide them. I think some of these women are so deep in denial they can’t admit to themselves how bad it is and our demanding proof of their claims is scary to them.
Sometimes we get pro-MKers like yourself who are polite and able to have an actual conversation without being demeaning or insulting, and (I think) we respond in kind. I’ve enjoyed your posts and hope they continue, I also hope you join us in the forums if you haven’t already.
Report this comment
“a new rep. working full-time can __expect__ to earn close to $50,000 a year”
Oh, she can expect it, but great expectations do not mean it’s going to happen.
I can __expect__ to see flying pigs in my neighborhood, with about the same results.
Report this comment
LJ you make great point. I can’t say I have really ever drank the koolaid so to speak by buying into all the hype because I’m too much of an information junkie for that. I like to read for myself… yeah I will listen to your presentation and so forth but you best beleive that before I went to the meeting I had already done my own research as to what is really required.
However, I did not believe so many people that were in my original unit were being so dishonest in representing the company. Their God First (was the god Mary Kay).
I also just want to caution against two extremes that I see at work. the comments that tell a person you will never do this or you will never do that or be able to make that amount with Mary Kay and they other extreme which believes the company walks on water and can do no wrong. Both extremes are not good at all.
And I also don’t understand that when someone says something or does not agree with the supporters of the forum they are called rude……. however when the supporters of this board say things in response to comments people say supporting the company that are rude and down right nasty at times, LJ you dont call them out like you do the others. Just asking you to be fair in falling out personal attacks on both sides….
I think you have a great site for people to come and voice their concerns as well as ideas for current consultants to build their business and have control over their own business.
I use to be a member of pinksuccess years ago and often time I would make realistic comments and of course because I did not have the pink disease LOL sometimes my comments would be deleted because i DARED to speak against some of the business practices. that site was shut down unannounced some years ago.
So I think its great that you allow both sides to be heard, just asking that if you reprimand MK supports for being rude then the same should go for anti-MK supports.
Have not seen that on this particular post but that i would mention since I have seen it on alot on others.
Many blessings and success to you
Report this comment
I have read and read thes comments and it really makes me laugh. When something does not go well for someone they immediately say it does not work. When it goes well, they say it is all good.
It is the person, not the company or the product. When your work 9-5, for anyone, you do what they tell you, and get a check, but you are making them rich. Right? Yes.
So why not have the same drive when you work for yourself? I love Mary Kay. I have a mindset, that anything I do will work, if I work it. It is scary to be in the midst of NEGATIVE people. So I pray for all of you that you find your gift. That you find something that uplifts you and not tear down others. I pray that God will lift negativity from your hearts and channel that energy into something else. May 2010, be better for all of you. May you find something better to do rather than make negative comments about the potential careers of others. Mary Kay does work, if you work. If you are weak minded and do not have a business mind set before you choose any career, that is your down fall. Not the responsibility of anyone else. Search your mind, and find something positive to say.
Report this comment
“I have read and read thes comments and it really makes me laugh.”
“It is scary to be in the midst of NEGATIVE people.”
Darlene, why do you keep reading if it is so scary to be in the midst of negative people? Do you honestly believe that we are all negative, weak minded people without any business sense? Seriously…. Everyone that has failed to make any money doing Mary Kay fits into this catogory? Think about the turnover rate in the company. With half a million consultants leaving the company each year, you believe that these women all fit into this category of yours? I don’t think so.
It really hurts me when people come here with accusations like yours. You don’t know any of us! You don’t know anything about how we worked our businesses! I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know that I do not fit into your category.
“So I pray for all of you that you find your gift. That you find something that uplifts you and not tear down others.”
The hypocricy of this statement just blows me away. Tearing down others is precisely what you’ve just done in your hurtful criticism about the members here. Oh, and I have found my gift, thank you. Since you know nothing about me, I’ll tell you a little bit. I am currently a stay-at-home-mom and I find this to be the most fullfilling career I’ve ever had and probably ever will have. I quit my job last year to do Mary Kay. It was a very well paying job with great benefits. I was very excited to start up a business with Mary Kay and I just knew I was going to do great since I’ve always done great at everything I’ve done. When I set goals in life I always make sure I follow through with them and achieve them, however, my experience with Mary Kay was different. Because I am a smart woman, I couldn’t rationalize with the fact that I was never at home with my family and when I was, I was still working my business. I put many more hours into my Mary Kay business than I had ever put into any other job, and yes, I am a hard worker and have always put in at least 40 hour work weeks. I really enjoyed holding skin care classes and finding women in the grocery store who were interested in letting me ”enrich their lives” with Mary Kay. I enjoyed going around to businesses in my community asking them if they would display my business cards and facial boxes in hopes of gaining new customers. I loved the organizational tasks I prefomed to bring order to my Mary Kay business. I truly gained a sense of accomplishment from all of these things and I worked very hard to ensure my business would succeed. I, personally, was only with Mary Kay for a few short months before I gave it up because of the time it was taking away from my life. My time is very precious to me. I might have been able to accept the fact that I was working over 70 hours per week if (and this is a big if) I had made any money. I could have stuck it out to see if there would have been an income to be made, but after all the hard work I had put in, I couldn’t imagine how much more work would be needed to see a profit. The decision to quit was my decision and mine alone. I don’t need anyone trying to tell me that it was the wrong one, that I just didn’t work hard enough, or imply that I am a failure. I am a very smart woman and I strongly believe that my decision to not continue with my Mary Kay business was the best thing I could have done for myself.
I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones, that I saw the light before I was in too deep. Because I did enjoy the work that I was putting into my business at the time, I could see how some ladies could live and breathe Mary Kay (so much for God first). This is not something I would ever have been able to rationalize with. In fact, this is what they were teaching at Career Conference when I attended. “In order to succeed, you need to devote your life to your business, you should bleed pink.” Straight from my notes, I’m sure you’ve heard something similar. This type of mind set is the bread and butter of the company, you can find this stuff on just about every “training document” out there. If I walked into a business meeting and anyone tryed to tell me some of the things they teach so frequently in Mary Kay I’d be offended and probably turn around and walk the other direction.
I don’t need your prayers, Darlene. I believe I’ve been blessed in seeing the true colours of Mary Kay and getting out when I did. I will continue to come here to speak the truth about what Mary Kay really has to offer since people like you brush it (the truth) off as being NEGATIVE. You are told over and over again in Mary Kay to avoid the negative. I chose not to walk around with blinders on pretending that everything in the world of Mary Kay is positive. Once that veil of positivity was lifted I found truth.
Report this comment
Well said Trudie.
It always amazes me how the “positive” MK people come here with accusations and nasty words.
Unfortunately, all the positive thinking in the world won’t turn a bad opportunity into a good one.
Mary Kay has done a good job of brainwashing people into thinking that criticism and critical thinking is negative. In my book, it’s just plain smart.
Report this comment
BRAVO TRUDIE! Very well said!
LJ – that is so true – they are generally “positively” nasty!
Report this comment
Amen, Amen, Amen…wonderful post, Trudie! Nobody could have said it better, glad you stumbled upon our community and are a valued part of it!
As for Darlene, I hope your are successful in your endeavors and that if you are not you will see it before debt becomes your reality! I will pray for you, too!
Report this comment
KUDOS! Pink lighthouse Ladies! KUDOS!
Report this comment