Written by Raisinberry

Every May, a group of local Directors in my former area would gather at the Local Holiday Inn and discuss the ordering bait for June, to “reach our Seminar Goals”. Being unaccustomed to the best choices in gaudy jewelry, I showed up but generally didn’t offer any input. I trusted the more successful Directors to choose the precise order-generating gem.

You can’t imagine the amount of discussion that occurred, as to what a prize appeared to cost, which was better for a $200 order, and how exotic should we go for a $1,800 order. Paris Hilton’s engagement ring knock off in cubic zirconia was a sure winner for an Emerald Star. Some of our gang noticed Stacy James sporting a emerald baguette cut ring (you have that one don’t you?) and of course everyone had to have it as Star Consultant bait for newbies. Doggonit… Stacy wore it!

Written by Pinkpeace

How many times have we heard it or read it? “No one put a gun to your head to make you go into debt.” Well, technically Ms. Kaybot, that is a true statement. Nearly 13 years ago at my inventory talk, I don’t recall my sales director pulling out her .45, placing it at my temple, and removing the safety.

What I do recall is her insistence that the very best way to run a Mary Kay business was with a “full store.” That was a $3,600 wholesale order, and with tax and shipping, it was around $4,000.

Written by The Scribbler

I’m convinced that one of the most cherished verses in the world of MLMs – Mary Kay included – is Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”  Want to test that theory?  All you need is someone who bats for the MLM team and a statement that challenges the MLM.  It shouldn’t take long for someone to fire the “Judge not!” bazooka, especially if you quip “Hey, I read a director’s claim that Mary Kay gives you “a spiritual growth that surpasses Sunday School.” She’s referring to Sunday School in the Church of Satan, right?”  And you thought only Mariah Carey could shriek like that.

If your husband dares to question the Mary Kay opportunity, your recruiter wants you to be ready with these answers. Mary Kay doesn’t want something as silly as your husband’s logic to stand in the way of you purchasing inventory!

I feel sorry for the husbands of Mary Kay consultants. Seriously. Very sorry.

Why? Because the minute they figure out what a scam Mary Kay is (which is usually much sooner than the wife figures it out), they are called negative and unsupportive. Uh, no. They are rational, reasonable, and realists. The Mary Kay opportunity is bad, and I don’t think that the husbands should be punished for recognizing that and pointing it out to their wives.

Written by The Scribbler

Yesterday I introduced you to a Facebook community called The Million Dollar Message Listeners (M$M ),  run by six top directors who are daughters, sisters, or nieces of National Sales Directors (Kristin Rogers, Jordan Helou Eicher, Krystal Walker, Amber Towne, Kali Brigham, and Tiffany Stout).

The group prohibits members from posting new topics, however, and the administrators have openly stated that anything alone the line of opinions or criticism of Mary Kay Cosmetics will not be allowed. I posed a question to the group: What to do if I was given bad advice from a national sales director. I didn’t name the NSD, nor did I elaborate on the bad advice, but the post was quickly removed and I was chastised privately by NSD Krystal Walker. She told me that if I questioned any tactics or advice, the right thing would be to contact my Mary Kay sales director.

I decided to cite to her a Pink Truth article I’d written where I’d contacted ten Mary Kay NSDs via Facebook for their opinion of NSD Wiegandt’s “lie to customers” speech.  Eight NSDs plus one top director (SSD Jordan Helou-Eischer) had responded by deleting the inquiry (which contained Dacia’s quote) and blocking me. 

Written by The Scribbler

I’m a big fan of the TV show Kitchen Nightmares.  It’s an entertaining spectacle where restaurant owners contact professional chef Gordon Ramsay for help in turning their sagging businesses around.  One of the first things Chef Ramsay does is evaluate (often loudly, and with plenty of swear words lovingly plucked from the vast garden that is the English language) all the things wrong with the restaurant; the food, the service, the owner’s attitude, and so forth.  Initially, owners get angry and defensive, but once they come to accept Ramsay’s evaluation and realize that his criticism is meant to help, not hurt, the restaurant is well on its way to a fresh start.

I wish the leaders of Mary Kay Cosmetics were more like these restaurant owners:  open to debate despite it being difficult to hear, and humble enough to accept it, correct it, and take steps towards positive change.  Unfortunately, most of Mary Kay’s leaders are leagues away from such a concept and you’re about to see why.

Written by Raisinberry

Heartbreak is the only word that comes to mind, as we who have depinked, watch the parade of our friends going over the cliff, pursuing the MK “dream”.

I still deeply care for my Senior, my offspring, my fellow Directors and Unit members. The Jury is still out on my National. I still believe that while being in the fog, she is well aware of the financial wreckage of all of her current and past downline, and it is hard to believe that “denial” is a big enough word to cover it.

We remember what it was to be fogged. PinkTruth was the demon site. Women who were lazy, negative, hostile, ignorant, probably “c” personalities that always gave us the most trouble ‘cause they just never were satisfied with our answers.

Mary Kay national sales director Gillian Ortega and Cruella de Vil. Can you tell who is who? Leave your caption in the comments below.

Written by SuzyQ

The truth is that can’t stay at home with your children and make a living at Mary Kay. It takes lots and lots of time away, no matter what they tell you when they’re trying to recruit you.

You can (not) have it all.

One of the many myths of a Mary Kay business is that women can quit their horrible JOBs (often referred to as Journey Of the Broke) and stay home to raise their children and have an executive income while doing so. This is powerful motivation to hand over the $100 and get started. The reality, of course, is very different.

Written by PinkBeefs

Every year at seminar, executives from Mary Kay proclaim that THIS is the right place and the right time. Every year. And each time, we believed it.

“Sales are up! Business is great! The sky is the limit!” the corporate big cheese emphasized at the apex of his annual State of the Mary Kay Union message at Seminar. We knew what was coming next: the killer close. Emotions ablaze, we leaned silently forward, straining to internalize his every word. The exact phraseology escapes us, but the strength of emotion which the words evoke does not.