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What do you think?
Visit the Mary Kay Cosmetics website and you can read about an inspiring company and an empowering business opportunity for women. Here is how Mary Kay describes itself:
Achievement. Success. The realization of dreams. Mary Kay Inc. was created from one woman’s desire to enrich women’s lives. She began by offering quality products to enhance a woman’s image and a perfect business opportunity to help women earn extra money, enjoy more flexibility and grow as independent business owners. The result is a company that, more than 40 years later, still embodies the core philosophies of its founder: to use the Golden Rule as a business guide and to help women live a balanced life by placing God first, family second and career third.
Visit the Pink Truth website (formerly MaryKaySucks.Com), published by CPA MBA & CFE Tracy Coenen, and you’ll get a different view:
…Mary Kay is a product-based pyramid scheme. This means that many at the bottom of the pyramid must buy significant amounts of products so that those at the top can get the big commission checks, “win” the cars, and go on the fancy trips. This is common with multi-level marketing (MLM) companies such as Mary Kay. They depend upon an endless recruitment of new people who purchase inventory packages….
…multi-level marketing companies like Mary Kay are abusive systems that create negative consequences for the vast majority of participants. Because of that, there is no such thing as the “right way” to be involved in an MLM. The system itself damages the vast majority of participants…
On her post at the Fraud Files Blog, Coenen adds:
…The amount of time required to earn an income is generally downplayed. Recruiters brag about the 50% profit that can be earned on the sale of the cosmetics, but never mention that most products are sold at a discount and therefore that 50% will never be realized. (That’s if they can actually find anyone to buy the products.) New recruits are encouraged to buy large inventories without any sales experience or a customer base to support the inventory.
IS MARY KAY COSMETICS AN INSPIRATIONAL OPPORTUNITY THAT IS EMPOWERING WOMEN AND GLORIFYING GOD… OR A PYRAMID SCHEME POWERED BY BRAINWASHED CULT MEMBERS WITH GREAT MAKEUP?
Leave a comment. Share your opinion.
More Mary Kay discussion links:
The Pinking Shears Mary Kay Survivor’s log, forum, cope group
Investigate before investing. Visit FranBest.com.
I really hope you sent back your inventory and recouped as much of that money as possible. MK ruined my credit and put me in bankruptcy. Nothing was more freeing than the day I boxed up all of my product and shipped it back. I had just done my taxes and according to my schedule C, after making $30,000 my actual profit after expenses was $1001.
Since the title of this post is “Does Pink Stink…” this story of a Mary Kay lady allegedly defecating on a woman’s porch is unfortunately relevant.
Is this a new sales tactic? If so, I’m buying…
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/jan/08/visitor-defecates-fort-pierce-womans-porch/
To Duh & all:
We wish you a Merry Christmas & a cosmetically enriched new year!
LOL Duh!! Thank you for the complement. I am pretty sure my “reasonable” stance on the topic wont detour from any future debates and flaming so fear not :-)
Merry Christmas everyone! Be safe!!!
JMJ, the above comment is reasonable and civil. We have no use for the likes of you in this discussion.
Merry Christmas Sean, you Irish hooligan!
I am a new consultant and so far I love being part of Mary Kay. I have a director who doesn’t sugar coat things for me. She told me that getting started and becoming successful with MK will take a lot of time and commitment. I purchased a small amount of inventory (about $600.00 total) and I am taking the opportunity to learn as much as I can about the business before I go out there and start selling. Before I start holding classes I need to make sure I know what I am selling and the best way to sell the product.
With any small business it’s going to take a LOT of time and effort. You get out what you put in. I have seen a few family members begin their own business and it took them years before they were able to see large profits. I saw how much time and effort went into making their business successful and I am fully expecting to do the same in order to make Mary Kay successful for me.
It’s great to see both sides of the argument. I went online and read just about every negative comment said about MK. I needed to see why people were unhappy and why they didn’t succeed. I think if you only read the “omg this company is the greatest thing ever” comments you are going to be disappointed when you discover this isn’t as easy as you thought.
Everyone is different and everyone is going to have their own personal experiences to share, whether it is bad or good. Getting angry because people call MK a cult or pyramid scheme is silly because, to that person, that is exactly what Mary Kay is. Those of us with better experiences don’t see it like that and that’s great. But just because you had a bad experience with MK don’t get down on those who succeeded. (and those who are just making comments and who never had experience with MK just like to hear themselves talk imo…to me if you never worked for them or knew someone directly then why bother putting in your two cents…but again that’s just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions…)
You should NEVER be “talked into” doing something outside your own means. If I didn’t have the $600.00 that I was willing to invest in MK then guess what, I would had told the director no. Of course directors have their own angles they are working; the trick is to get your own angle where you can make the most profit for yourself. If you were persuaded to do something you couldn’t financially back up then that’s your own fault and no one else’s. Seriously, when did people stop taking responsibility for their own actions? Last MK party I went to I’m pretty sure the consultant didn’t hold a gun to anyone’s head.
With any business the key is to be as well educated as possible about your product, the target consumers, and the best marketing strategy and to make sure you are committed to spend as much time as it takes to make it successful. If you are in this because you think you will be making tons of money right away you are sadly mistaken. I suggest you do a lot of research; figure out what works, what doesn’t work, and get as much education as you possibly can in. You will never be “stuck” with tons of extra inventory because they will offer back 90% of your total inventory (plus shipping). Really they make this business adventure pretty safe if you know what you are doing.
Duh lives! I knew you were close, watching over me, keeping a watchful eye on the Kaybot army.
Your site has gone quiet but your spirit… and dedication to MBs… lives on.
I never idolized Tracy or Mary Kay Ash. I have, however, worshipped at the altar of the manboobs.
I visited ptlies.com.
This is like the Some Call Me Duh/Banned From Bitchfest website without the raunchy humor and obsession with manboobs.
No offense, but these anti-pink truther women’s obsession with Tracy Coenen seems a bit extreme, doesn’t it?
It’s kind of like they idolized Mary Kay Ash, then got disillusioned. Then idolized Tracy Coenen, then got disillusioned. Now they live in dark obsession that even wonderful cosmetics cannot lift them out of.
(I can only dream that someday I’ll be important enough to prompt a FranchisePickLies.com stalker website.)
What is it about PinkTruth.com that riles up so many ex-Mary Kayers? Aren’t you guys on the same side with the same goal?
Before ou take the word of pinktruth.com and “truth”. Take a look at http://www.ptlies.com
When people go into businesses like that all they need is the initial kit with a small amount of inventory which should total less than $500. They should immediately be shown how to do a skin care class and if their sponsor is local, they should actually conduct the first class as part of the initial training process.
The new consultant should then learn how to run a business by getting more training especially from outside sources. They should only buy inventory they can afford and on an “as needed” basis and then know how to book enough classes or be a vendor at events to move the product.
They should be talk immediately how to recruit ethically and not “push” thousands of dollars worth of inventory on anybody.
It is up to each individual to get the training they need and use common sense. Afterall it is their business. People have GOT to have the mindset of a real business owner so personal development is key. Nobody can nor do they have the right to blame anything on anybody else, especially their own short comings and failures.
Responsibility=YOU and YOU are Golden, do what’s right for YOU! Do it honestly and with integrity!
Mary Kay a cult? lol ok. I think that Mary Kay has amazing products and that a lot of people who sell mary kay sell it for the fun of it. That’s what my friends do anyway. You get to meet people. Sure you have to put a lot of money into it, but seriously, what business that you’re starting all on your own, don’t you have to put money into. You get the cars and the prizes if you put the work into it. So if you sit at home and think somethings going to happen, it’s not. Sure they send out bible verses but I know just as well as any other Mary Kay consultant, that they feel it’s motivation. I don’t personally believe in it and i’m not offended by it. They aren’t trying to push it on me, just throwing it out there for support. I think people will think what they want, but Mary Kay a cult? lol ok if you say so.
1402 days ago
[...] Does Pink Stink or is Mary Kay O.K.? (99 Comments) [...]
I have been a consultant for about 2 months. I don’t expect to get rich overnight and I do not expect to quit my job within the next year. Commissions will come if I decide to do more recruiting, but the return on selling a product is excellent. I have used MK products for years (over 10) and I really trust them. My recruiter has already received a commission check based on my sales, but who cares, her commission check does not take anything away from me. Right now, I could bypass my recruiter and my sales director in success. (Case in point, my director’s sister, has bypassed her long ago.) On the case about inventory, it’s your business, again you decide what you want to do. If you buckle under pressure, then that is your issue. You know what you can afford and what your personal situation is… Within one year of purchase MK will buy back your purchase (90%) if you find that you can not work the business. Bottomline, I started the business for me.
I have been in the SAME type of business but with a company called BeautiControl, It too is based out of Dallas TX, ever watch the movie Hell on Heels??LOL I got up to Executive Director level ,earned the mustang,jewlery,trips…and everything the fine company like MaryKay has to offer…the down side?
The fact that only 1% of women make it in the beauty industry …there IS NO “residual Income” and it’s NOT willable. meaning the day you die…your up line gets your hard work efforts.
Next they expect you to go all the way to the top as a CEO of your company… and still call every single person on your team and Welcome them and ask them how YOU can help them become successful…Question: What CEO of there business does that?
NExt There Comp Plan is the worst in the industry..its called the stair step break away…where you actually get paid LESS for promoting a Director..I know I have done this 3x’s and realized that I am NOT brain washed and tunnel vision enough to keep booking more parties and selling more products..to get to the very top promoting more Directors…and starting ALL OVER AGAIN?? WHY?
You may think hummmm maybe I should keep my options open right? You should look try it and tell me what your experience was or still is?? I bet 9% of Directors have a PILE of inventory in there garage of beauty products because of the HIGH quotas. and to top it all off if you doubt what I say, I invite you to go on EBAY and look up any home party product being sold there..if it’s being sold there ..Id raise an eyebrow :-)
Good Luck to you all
Lisa
http://www.ladyexcutives.com
I’ve been selling Mary Kay for 1 1/2 years. I don’t push the recruiting part,however I have 2 friends (have been friends for years before I even joined MK) under me. I love selling Mary Kay. I needed to quit my job as a CNA to take care of my grandmother and granddaughter. I make decent money, in fact I make just as much money working 40 hours in a nursing home breaking my back than I do now working 10 hours at something fun and not very hard. It is how you approach it like anything. If you think you’re going to fail, you will. If you’re determined because you have mouths to feed, then you will do fine.
1612 days ago
[...] Does Pink Stink or is Mary Kay O.K.? February 7th, 2007 – 95 Comments [...]
Accurate Summary?
I’ve pondered this “summary” for quite some time. It’s not as cut and dry as you make it seem. Your summary generalizes the population into two groups- 1) those that have drive & sales ability to make money and 2) those that are “needy” and didn’t have a chance to begin with. You seem to omit “choice” in your summary. Choice to stay, choice to leave.
We all have needs.
Emotional needs are not unnatural. We were created to belong to, love and need “one another”. God said it is not good for man (or woman) to be alone.
When you cast a net, you know as well as I that you’ll bring in all sorts of things, that’s why I disagree, for the most part, with your generalizations. While your summary is right for a small population, it’s not accurate for the big picture, in my opinion.
Outwardly, reps seek potential recruits who are “sharp” and “have credit.” I’m sure some of them are “needy.” The Mary Kay Marketing Plan sells fellowship in the form of “girlfriend time” to women, so, in my opinion; “emotional needs” are a target of potential recruits, therefore, casting that net, in some cases to draw “needy” women is intentional, in my opinion. Stay-At-Home Moms are primary recruiting targets for home-based businesses.
In my nearly 5 years of experience, both in and out of MK and in and out of pro/anti-MK/MLM sites, I’ve witnessed people with drive and sales ability who have made money leave MK and other MLM’s VERY disillusioned (but not financially ruined) for a number of reasons which are discussed on our sites.
I’ve witnessed “emotionally needy people” become VERY successful (sometimes unethically) who remain in MK & in debt (because of their business & emotional needs) for years and years and who have contributed to the disillusionment of good reps by their bad behavior.
There are very successful people who have chosen career over family. There are very successful people who become very materialistic (or materialism was their drive, not necessarily “sales ability”).
There are individuals who learned to sell, make good money and remain in MK, but come to sites because they were disillusioned by the abuses of their upline at one point and needed to find encouragement or leadership from others who were successful in their businesses, however they define that.
I could go on and on with examples outside of your two groups, but I think you get my drift. There is no one right answer. While people have their opinions of MLMs (and strong ones at that) anyone participating in one just needs to be careful and be informed about the business model so you don’t fall into the same traps or make the same bad choices we, on the anti sites did.
I’m sure with franchises, there are sites and forums which detail things to avoid or expose issues which have rose out of unethical human behavior during the process in an effort to educate and inform future franchisees. That’s what we are supposed to be about.
I’m sure, to a small degree, there are those on any forum, anywhere about anything who “depend” on that group temporarily, for whatever reason – again, I say, we all have needs and it’s natural and normal to be “needy” once in a while.
I was in Mary Kay for 5 years and I tried everything…I went to all the meetings, I had a huge inventory, etc. The problem is my upline had no REAL sales training, just the “fake it till you make it” quality. Once I learned how to really “do” a party based business, (I chose something with direct shipping…no inventory!) life changed dramatically!!
Who else is sick of chasing down prospects and harassing relatives?
http://danielle.the7greatliesofnetworkmarketing.com
I sell Mary Kay. I know that some women who sell the stuff can be very pushy.
I am not like that. I am not pushy. I sell the makeup, I don’t preach about the company and get people to join unless they show intrest first. I have been doing Mary Kay for about a year and enjoy it. I don’t make much money because I don’t put too much effort into it. I have a job and go to college for Business. Running my own business is a great experience.
Selling Mary kay is not for everyone, some people don’t know how to run their own business, they shouldn’t do it then.
Don’t be haters.
We are all individuals and we all run our businesses differently. We aren’t all what you say we are. We aren’t all pushy old ladies trying to recruit all of our customers.