Mary Kay Ash founded her namesake company in 1963, after 25 years of direct selling for other companies.
She worked first at Stanley Home Products, where she did home shows in customers’ homes to sell products. Stanley also had a system where they paid a small percentage of sales to the recruiter of a new salesperson. Mary Kay eventually recruited 150 salespeople and received a commission from each one.
When she opened her own company, Mary Kay required “beauty consultants” to pay for a start-up kit, called the “Beauty Showcase” kit. The consultants were trained in scheduling and giving Mary Kay parties. Mary Kay also had strict guidelines about selling and how to sell.
The company grew steadily, and by 1993 the Mary Kay manufacturing facility was the size of three football fields. At this time the company had a salesforce of 220,000.
In the 1990’s Mary Kay expanded to Asia.
Today Mary Kay is the sixth-largest direct selling company in the world, with $3 billion in revenue in 2013. The company is #163 on the Forbes list of America’s Largest Private Companies.
Mary Kay
Mary Kay Ash founded her namesake company in 1963, after 25 years of direct selling for other companies.
She worked first at Stanley Home Products, where she did home shows in customers’ homes to sell products. Stanley also had a system where they paid a small percentage of sales to the recruiter of a new salesperson. Mary Kay eventually recruited 150 salespeople and received a commission from each one.
When she opened her own company, Mary Kay required “beauty consultants” to pay for a start-up kit, called the “Beauty Showcase” kit. The consultants were trained in scheduling and giving Mary Kay parties. Mary Kay also had strict guidelines about selling and how to sell.
History
The company grew steadily, and by 1993 the Mary Kay manufacturing facility was the size of three football fields. At this time the company had a salesforce of 220,000.
In the 1990’s Mary Kay expanded to Asia.
Today Mary Kay is the sixth-largest direct selling company in the world, with $3 billion in revenue in 2013. The company is #163 on the Forbes list of America’s Largest Private Companies.
Gabriella says
Has Mary Kay ever sponsored anyone for the National American Miss (NAM) pageant? I am twelve and need a sponsor for it. Would you be mine?
Thank you!
Debra Walker says
I’ve used Mary K products for over 30 years. I don’t wear much makeup but concentrate more on skin care. Thus I’ve used your Moisturizer all these years (currently it’s timewise age-fighting moisturizer 3 FL. OZ). Now I hear you have completely changed your products and that particular moisturizer is no longer available. I’m very upset at this because at 68 I don’t want to change to something else because this has worked for me and was a reasonable price. I know you have 2 other options but the tubes are smaller, yet the prices are higher. Although you may feel your prices are competitive, people like me (retired) cannot pay $52 for 1.7 oz. nor can I pay the price I’m used to paying while getting half as much product It’s just not right. I guess I’ll have to dig around to see if anyone is selling the product I currently use. I’ve had the same Mary K consultant for 30 years even though she relocated to another state and is no longer with Mary K. In any event, when something works, why do people in the ivory towers have to change? Ponds cold cream has been around for 70 years and it still works for cleaning. Why change a good thing? I understand you need to make a profit but just because the competitor is constantly changing (new, improved) things, doesn’t mean everyone has to. Just because something as been around a long time, doesn’t mean it’s not effective. As much as I don’t want to, I’m going to have to move away from Mary K and find something else. Thank you for listening.
NORMA YANAS says
IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD A NEW LINE LINE OF MARY KAY COSMETICS ….THANK YOU IF YES WEBBSITE IF YOU CAN…AND DIRECT DELIVERY GET TRUCKS FOR THE MARYKAY TRUCK DELIVERY’S AND OF COARSE THE NORMAL DELIVERY AND VANS WHICH EVER IS LEAST EXPENSIVE ON DELIVERY OF GAS AND LIKE A VAN OR SOMETHING THANK YOU IF YES
NORMA YANAS says
CAN U INTRODUCE IT TO- ALL THE DEPARTMENT STORES, DILLARDS, FOLEYS, J C PENNY, BLOOMINGDALES, , IN NEW YORK CITY AT ALL THE A NEW LINE OF COSMETICS AND 5TH AVENUE IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS AT THE MALL , 11TH AVENUE IN NEW YORK CITY AND IN THE GOODMORNING SHOW IN NEW YORK CITY, AND IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO BE RECRUITED TO GO TO THE WEBBSITE OF marykay cosmetics and ,…. AND ALL THE DEPARTMENT STORES IN THE USA AND TO INTRODUCE IT IF THEY WANT TO BR RECRUITED TO ….THANK YOU COMM….PAYCHECK PLEASE TO : PAY TO THE ORDER OF : NORMA YANAS CRYSTAL CITY, TEXAS 78839 AT THIS TIME, THANK YOU
NORMA YANAS says
I WANTED TO ASK ONLY IF YOU WANTED TO ADD LIKE BEFORE THE NEW LABEL IT THE: MARY KAY SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER (SEPERATE) AND WITH A NEW FRAGRANCE COOL REFRESHING FRAGRANCE AND A LARGE BOTTLE ONLY !BECAUSE OF THE LONG HAIR ALOT OF WOMEN HAVE AND OF COARSE A SMALL BUT ITS TOO SMALL FOR ALL THE PACKAGING AND ALSO ADD TO ALL THE HAIR SALON TOO AS A SALON PRODUCTS THANK YOU IF YES, N U WAIST ALOT OF MONEY DOING THAT I THINK! FROM ME THANK U!
NORMA YANAS says
TO THE PAYROLL DEPARTMENT,I wanted to ask if you would be able to check the status on the payroll department about all my commission checks and recruiting and all the direct selling ……
I need to say if you are able to send me my commission checks on all the sales and recruiting on the to the us gov. ,ebay, amazon company recruited and extra sales on the new hand bags, and new sales on the dress garments and of coarse on all the beauty products. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT MY CONSULTANTS # IS YY7121 AND I WAS JUST INACTIVE WHEN MY CAR WAS STOLEN, & MY NEW SHOW CASE THA’S ALL AND IF YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SEND IT TO ME BY EXPRESS OVERNIGHT!UPS! THANK YOU OR A LOADED CREDIT CARD FOR CASH THANK YOU
NORMA YANAS CRYSTAL CITY, TEXAS 78839
ekene says
Am in Nigeria and has read and have full knowledge of Mary Kay products..i want to be a distributor over here in Nigeria…hope to get a mail or call from you