A Mary Kay Husband Speaks Out
Perhaps my story will help other ladies out there. This is a true story in which I am still living but trying to put closure to a situation that has been absolutely terrible because of my hopefully soon ex-wife’s addiction to Mary Kay.
After our first child was born, my wife decided that doing nails was not good enough so she wanted to start a business. She had me listen to an Amway presentation and I told her immediately that if the focus is on recruiting and not selling products to make money- this is a pyramid scheme and no way would I get involved in this. Then came Mary Kay Cosmetics.
I didn’t listen to this sales pitch by her Director but my soon ex-wife stated you make money by selling the product and recruiting was just a small part of the business. She signed up as a consultant and off she went. She was receiving all of these accolades. I remember when she would come home from her Director’s meeting and say Oh Look! I did so great this week that I won this Mary Kay pencil! I thought, What!? You are excited over a pencil? Pencils don’t pay bills. Show me the money.
Then it was the race to become a director. I’d see unopened boxes of product in the house and knew something was immediately wrong and knew she is buying her way to this position. If a woman has low self esteem- that is the prime target for a Mary Kay recruiter. My soon to be ex fell for their trap. The sun rose and set on her. They made such a big deal out of her at awards ceremonies. She was the example to live by.
But it was all lies.
Now the home phone is ringing off the hook because the credit card companies are calling looking for their money. I remember saying, who keeps calling? Her reply was oh, telemarketers and I’d say “we are on the do not call list, they shouldn’t be calling here.” I never used to answer the phone because it was never for me. Now I started answering and now I knew there were debt problems. I now saw more credit card statements in the mail. I would take them and open them up to see what was going on. My best estimate was over $35,000.
But to her and her friends, she was a successful Mary Kay consultant. She was and currently is living the life of lies. I would hear her deceive people. She even stole thousands of dollars from the children’s bank accounts in order to try and pay these bills off. When confronted on this, I was the jerk. I was not a supportive husband.
Well to make a very long story short, I did offer to get her out of debt and here was the deal. You get out of Mary Kay and I help pay the debt off. You don’t quit Mary Kay and you do it on your own. Guess what she picked? Yep- Mary Kay. She picked Mary Kay because now she has to save face. She recruited all of her friends to be consultants and now how would that look if she recruited them and then quit herself? She had everyone believing how successful she was and how much money she made. All lies.
So what happened next. I stuck around because I had small children but once they became a bit older, I had to get out. Thank goodness I have been very smart with my job and my finances. I am in the process of a divorce and am willing to pay child support because my kids deserve it. I can’t believe the very successful Mary Kay consultant (not a director anymore but the phone message still says she is and her business cards also)wants me to pay her maintenance. Why? She has this wonderful business where she is just making money hand over fist.
I remember when a family friend lost her job due to the failing economy. She was a professional woman who had a good job but my future ex said “I’m going to have to call XXXX. I need to give the the Mary Kay opportunity. What a joke I said. I said she wants a job making a salary, with health insurance benefits, and a pension plan or 401k plan. She is in her own world and there is no hope for her.
SO yes all, you are getting a very abridged version of my life with a Mary Kay business that failed miserably from the word go. Do not put your family through this hell. I’ve lived this and would not wish it upon my worst enemy. The major debt was accrued over 10 years ago and believe me, it is still there. I have closets full of Mary Kay product. Some have expiration dates on them and are expired for years. Mary Kay is an addiction for many. I have attached some photos. I hope you can view them.
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Comments (64)
JanetBerry
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You lost me here:
“am willing to pay child support because my kids deserve it.”
Willing or not, it’s the law. And I hope your “cautionary tale” is to commiserate, not throw rocks at your wfe. Many women get sucked into MK due to low self-esteem; a husband/partner drifting along for years while seeing no profit is not the norm, since consultants usually give up after a couple years at most of no profit.
Perhaps your are is best directed at yourself. For not making decisions that affected YOUR fiances.
Sorry but since she’s about to be your “ex” I call highjinks. IF you knew the debt but sat idly by while your & her credit was trashed you are culpable too. MK does some damage, but they do not force people at gunpoint.
If you are a beleagured almost ex nhusband I apologize. But something tells me you’re the soon to be wife #2.
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Flaming Go
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I agree with most of what you have to say. The idea that OP sat back for 10 years and allowed $35K in debt accrue without his knowledge nor a major fight doesn’t add up. I also agree that the wife must have had some kind of esteem issues that went ignored by the husband if she needed the love-bombing of the MK cult that desperately for a decade, even after failing to profit at any level and amassing debt. So I’m with you there. I also get the tonality that the poster is venting frustration with MK at the loss of his marriage. I’m sensing more anger directed at the wife and MK than attempts at understanding the underlying emotions or psychological issues she may have that caused such a strong need for MK in her life. Indeed, there exists far more anger in his tone than sympathy or self reflection, and for that I have less respect for OP that he probably was hoping for.
However, the last line, “Something tells me you’re the soon to be wife #2,” is assumptive and slandering. Developing baseless conclusions about a stranger’s marital problems and extramarital involvement is frankly wrong to do, internet or otherwise. Unless you know all of OP’s details firsthand, please stick to the poster’s story before creating dramatic effect. Keep in mind that we don’t have much to go on from OP’s abridged story, so we have to trust what is in front of us.
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Kate
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How do you guys account for the “Queen of Sales” in the consultant category, the woman named Deanna Bleu? She’s been in the business for years, and is still just an independent beauty consultant. Also, at what point does it become the woman’s job to just say “no, I’m not buying inventory because it doesn’t make sense for my business, or my finances”? This whole site gives no responsibility to the woman who made the decision to start her own business – she’s a grown woman and can make her own decisions about inventory regardless of what is said to her by anyone else. This husband is also abdicating any responsibility – never answering the phones, never looking at credit statements etc. That speaks more to their relationship status than anything else in my mind. If you’re in a truly loving and supportive relationship, you’re asking questions and getting the low down on what’s going on, especially if it concerns your finances.
I’m sorry, but I call bull@#$% on this whole thing. I don’t care what someone says to you – you have the right, ability and the brains to say no!
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TRACY
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Kate – Deanna Bleu is ONE person. Almost no one does what she does. Of 600,000 to 650,000 consultants in the U.S., there are a few hundred that make Court of Sales… meaning that they ordered $36,000 retail. They didn’t have to actually SELL any of that. But even if they did… and even if it was at full price… the maximum profit they could make is $18,000 per year. That’s not a living.
And you’re wrong. Women here DO take responsibility for their choices. What they cannot and should not take responsibility for are the lies they are told during recruiting and ordering. And the lies are rampant. The mind games are rampant. They have the scripts down to a science. The directors teach one another how to get the maximum order out of a new recruit with ZERO regard for whether she will sell those products. All of this is done under cover of being a “Christian” company, and the consultant is following the guidance of the recruiter who she trusts.
It is dirty and disgusting.
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cdnxmk
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Just a point to note: I pay child support because my son deserves it. He lived with me and now, in highschool, he has decided to live with his father. I am not amending the separation agreement legally, I am simply paying the guideline amount. I know that I am required to pay this amount by law and I am willing to do so without a fight because my son is worth it.
I wish this ex-husband good luck. I hope that his children are not too scarred from their mother’s association with MK.
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onelessSD
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JanetBerry- This story (and I have no reason to not believe it at this point) is common in MK. I personally was there as the consultant/director myself. I’ve seen this happen to marriages personally, so this isn’t far fetched.
Yes- MK does damage (not some like your post mentions, but a lot). True they don’t force people at gun point- however their manipulative ways are much more effective in getting what they want. The praise/adoration of any little accomplishment, the “no-negative” talking about the business (or it’s people), the god-like worship of the top directors/NSD’s (goodness, let’s not leave out Mary Kay Ash ‘the saint’ herself)- to always follow what they say- no matter what. These tactics are much more effective than placing a gun to someone’s head as a threat, but the damage done is much greater.
It sounds to me that this MK consultant had self esteem issues… she was a Mom with very young kids, her life didn’t have much excitement/fulfillment etc. That’s exactly the person MK loves to exploit, and they are masters of deception. They tell the consultant ways to ‘get around that unsupportive husband’ by hiding things- making herself “look busy” doing all this activity- and throw in extra sex to appease him. (yes, I’ve actually heard this! “a man only understands money & sex… if you’re not making what you want to make yet… keep him happy in bed- it will distract him”). Keep purchasing products for this contest, consistancy club or goal – “you’ll sell it later!” The push to recruit comes right away- before the ink on your agreement is even dry… “who do you think would be your 1st team member?!” So they are recruiting your friends/family before you’ve even sold 1 thing- which is bad for you the consultant… but good for the director (that’s how she makes her income- by new recruits ordering… “you can’t sell from an empty wagon”… so you purchase your starting order). It goes on from there.
My story has a happier ending- as I came out of the pink fog- owned up to the $22K in debt that I had accumulated as a director- confessed it to my husband (who really had no clue it was that much), asked his forgiveness for my stupidity and told him I would pay it off myself- not out of our family account. It’s been almost 5 yrs now- and I’ve got $5500 to go. But I made the conscious decision to stop the insanity that is promoted in MK every day.
Agreed that this man needs to pay child support- but wife mainenance?- no way. But I’d be interested to find out how that child support is being used… for the children- or partially funding her Mk addiction? MK is well versed in using cult-like measures to get what they want from their people… unfortunately, it’s the family that suffers ultimately in the end.
Just my 2 cents.
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R.Matty
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I have been a Consultant and Sr. Director in Mary Kay for several years, but quite to start my own business doing something different. The lessons that I learned and shared with others during that time were very positive lessons that have used throughout my personal and professional life. Mary Kay has done much, much good during those years and help many be successful in their business and I am amazed at this story lines that emphases the negative, pointing blame on MK and doesn’t focus or take any personal responsibility for any of these circumstances. The credit cards don’t charge themselves and I have to believe that if the wife didn’t know she was “stock-piling” then she needed help. Mary Kay didn’t and still doesn’t promote this. Where is the personally responsibility here from both husband and wife. This isn’t Mary Kay that has the problem, it is people with spending issues, trust and relationship problems. Many things that would have contributed to a negative relationship no matter what they did for a career. It is sad to see Mary Kay get trash under these situations, but ever worse to see the total neglect of personal responsibility in the story and other reply’s. I have seen so many positive stories and experiences in Mary Kay and what they have done for people’s lives. I personally met Mary Kay and she won’t have condoned this at any level. I haven’t been with the company for years as I mentioned, but in the 70′s and 80′s I was involved full-time. There are different people in Mary Kay as there are different people in every walk-of-life. Mary Kay wasn’t and isn’t the problem. Take personal responsibility for your own actions, choices, habits and relationships. Get help if you it.
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TRACY
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Judgmental much? For as long as I’ve had this site, I have seen most of the women here take responsibility for their choices and actions.
What they cannot (and should not) take responsibility for are the many misrepresentations which run rampant in MK. Yes, MK corporate DOES encourage frontloading. You’ve seen the inventory options brochure. You know that almost everyone who signs up with MK will be told via that brochure that they need at least $600 wholesale of inventory,. Many will be told they need much more, and it’s often not true.
The positive stories are the exception in MK, and they are told by those with a vested interest. What I mean is that directors and nsds telling these “positive stories” are doing so to persuade women to sign up and order inventory. The truth behind those stories is completely different.
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imewise
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The entire brochure “ready, set, sell!” is entirely dedicated to selling inventory. It is a company produced document. Maybe you should update your info before talking smack to one of my sister x directors.
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Twise
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R.Matty- I completely agree with you. I was never told “I had to buy $600 in inventory”. I was actually told that inventory wasn’t necessary. I think the most I spent was $300 and that included my introductory kit. Customers paid me for the products, I ordered it, then gave it to them when it came in. Usually 3 or 4 days later.
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TRACY
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Almost all of us were told that inventory was optional and not required. And then our arms were twisted to buy inventory, telling us all the ways it will benefit us and how we won’t be successful without it.
Your process of taking orders and delivering later can be done. But you’ve oversimplified it. You have to make a $200 wholesale minimum order each quarter, you have to pay shipping each time you order, you have to deliver those products, and if you don’t have enough for a $200 order you have to pony up the money yourself to make the full order. It’s not so simple as just taking orders and then ordering from MK. The whole process ends up eating up all of your meager profits.
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Kate
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but a TimeWise Miracle set, which is pretty much basic skin care for anyone that is in Mary Kay, runs for $188 retail. Add in the microdermabrasion for $60, TimeWise firming eye cream for $40, Oil-free makeup remover for $17.50…. you get the idea, are you really telling me that you couldn’t put in a $200 wholesale order every quarter just on personal use? And if you’d say you never intend to use that much product, then why did you join the business? I love the product, so I use the product – it just makes sense. I did NOT start my business with inventory, I’ve done the whole pay upfront, make an order and then deliver the product. I also chose to invest my profits for the first 6 months of my business into building my inventory, AFTER discussing it with my husband, one product at a time to make the process more simple for myself. I am NOT a sales director, I am NOT a master recruiter and I AM making money. Oh, and I’m sorry but even if you were “arm-twisted”, you’re still a grown woman who can say no. Personal responsibility indeed!
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TRACY
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Kate, again your comments do not account for the lies and deception in the inventory process.
If you are turning a profit, it is nothing more than pocket change. Since you say you’re “building your inventory”, my guess is that you’ve got no money from your MK venture. You’ve put money INTO the venture, but not received any back.
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Twise
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It seem to me that the lies or deceptions fall on the recruiter. The company is based on God, family, business. If the recruiter was a true christain and God was in the center of her life she wouldn’t of lied. My recruiter was a close friend she told me everything up front. I chose not to have an inventory and it was never “arm twisting” of any kind. Yes, it’s true if you order you need a $200 minimum. However, the other girls and I sometimes pull our orders together to reach the $200 minimum. The $200 minimum wasn’t hard to reach. We were a team and we helped each other.
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TRACY
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Yes, it’s the perfect con.. MK Inc. teaches women how to twist arms to get big inventory purchases… knows all about the lies and embellishments…. profits from those lies and deceptions… and then claims THEY’RE INDEPENDENT! IT’S THEIR FAULT NOT OURS!
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ttp
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There’s a flaw in the logic in the above example which is typical of the sleight-of-hand math rampant in Mary Kay. The total price of the items listed is $172.75 RETAIL. Yet the order quota she mentions is $200 WHOLESALE. Was that deception intentional? That’s like comparing apples and oranges. She implies that the difference between 200 and 172.75, 27.25 is no big deal. And it really isn’t if that were the actual amount you’d be spending.
However, when you compare retail prices of the products of $172.75 to the quarterly quota of $400 per quarter the amount you have to over-order adds up. $227.50 is the difference x 4 quarters. You’re adding an extra $910 per year assuming you even want the products cited in the example.
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ttp
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I mean Kate’s example above if I didn’t make myself clear.
Topping off to the tune of $27 bucks and change a quarter doesn’t sound so bad. Heck, that’s only $109 per year. However, topping off an extra $227.50 per quarter makes a bigger cut in the ol’ (non-existent) profit. $900 bucks a year sounds even worse.
So why would you frame your argument to sound better than it actually is? Distorting the truth, no matter how small, is still a LIE.
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Twise
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Wow no wonder you had trouble. The total of the amounts listed is $305.50 , thats how much you collect from the customer plus tax. The actual amount A consultant pays for the product would be around $250 including tax and shipping ( includes $150 for products ordered + $50 of personal product or inventory + shipping and handling). Leaves a profit of over $50. Which would give a profit of $100 x 4= $400. I’m sorry so where is my out of pocket expense. I’ve just realized I’ve wasted a whole day on this garbage. I seems you all have a lot of time on your hands. Idol hands are the devils play ground. I’m off to my Mary Kay meeting. I made a profit last month of $600. I had ZERO out of pocket expenses because I don’t keep an inventory.
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NeverWasPink
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Do you actually collect the full amount though? I think not.
Burden of proof is on YOU here. Prove your income, if you can.
Also, you make $600 a month?!? wowee, sign me up!! That’s almost reaching poverty level *gazes admiringly at you* lol
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Twise
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Yes that was cash in my hands. FYI The $600 is mine for my own personal shopping not bills. I sell MK for the fun and extra money not for a career. It’s been fun chatting, nothing like a good debate.
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NeverWasPink
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You sure aren’t proving much, for a lady who obviously feels she has a lot to prove? Yes, it’s been a delight but not much by way of a “good debate”.. I have on my side data and FACTS proving that 99.8% of people in Mary Kay do not make money. You on the other hand, are not willing to share your “proof” that you’re making that illustrious $600 a month. By the way, I make more than that a month from my 12-hr a week part-time job, on top of my day job. And *I* don’t have to go out to meetings on my nights off
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NeverWasPink
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Note: I am NOT bragging about my pay. It’s not about that here. It’s about the fact that for the time you have to put in to turn a profit in MK, you can easily do outside of Mary Kay for exponentially less stress.
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TRACY
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Twise – The garbage is what you’re spewing. Have a nice life.
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ttp
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Sorry darling, no tax in my state!
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MLM Radar
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ZERO out of pocket expenses? Like, ZERO gasoline, ZERO meeting dues, ZERO pantyhose, shoes and black skirt, ZERO business cards, ZERO website fees, ZERO hostess gifts, ZERO samplers, ZERO gift bags and tissue paper, ZERO order forms, ZERO record-keeping books, ZERO Starbucks charges while chatting up prospective recruits…
Yep, MK provides all that stuff free now, right? Aren’t we all stoopid for not knowing?
With you, I’ll believe the ZERO record-keeping books part.
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Twise
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Yep zero, had 3 online parties and 2 in my house. So no gasoline expense, we never have meeting dues, we carpool to meetings so no expense there, my sales director gives us samples, gifts, gift bag , order forms and business cards. Record keeping is done thru Excel which was free on my computer. Website doesn’t have a monthly fee. I wear slacks so no pantyhose. I already had a black shirt and shoes so no expense there. I HATE Starbucks. So I invite people to my house for recruiting. So you got me there because I do offer coffee at my house. I guess that would be a $10 expense for the month. I still made $590. Also can you ladies please actually read what I write. Because the zero expense or out of pocket was referring to the supposed $900 out of pocket expense for ordering per quarter that you were estimating TTP. The $600 or $590 is for about 10 hrs of time for the whole month compared to your 52 hour work week NeverWasPink. So ya I would rather have fun as a MK consultant. I will pray that you all will have peace. I feel bad for those of you that have had a bad experience. I guess I was just lucky that our sales director and NSD are helpful and give support to all of her team members. Good night and god bless.
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TRACY
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Twise – I call bullshit. There is no way you had $0 expenses, and you know it. You gave discounts, you gave hostess gifts, you delivered products to people, you paid shipping from MK, you incurred the cost of testers and samples (no, we don’t believe that your director just gave you all the samples you wanted for free)…. There are all sorts of expenses you’re pretending you don’t have. SInce we require proof of earnings claims made on this site, please send me a redacted copy of your Schedule C for 2012. I’m sure I will see there that you made $6000 for the year, working only 100 hours, for a profit of $60 per hour. Not. Your posting privileges will resume after I receive that document.
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Twise
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Ok where do I send it. What’s the email address?
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TRACY
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pinktruth@gmail.com
Now you’re not going to tell me that January was much better than 2012 was for you and that’s why 2012 looks so bad, are you?
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TRACY
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Surprise, surprise, ladies. Not a peep out of Twise since she was told to put up or shut up. LOL
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NeverWasPink
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Oh ya baby, I work 52 hours a week for $600 a month
Why you awake so late anyway? The pleasant pink dreams just wouldn’t come so easy last night? Did you do a little “disturbing” reading perhaps?
Time to prove it, or shut it. Sorry, but it has to come down to that.. the livelihoods of too many people are at stake to allow someone to prattle on about their “fantasy” income.. (piss-poor fantasy income, by the way).
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thedaysofswineandmarykay
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ZERO business expenses? So you didn’t buy bags, samples, cards, etc.? What about gas? And what about products for “gift with purchase” or discounted products in order to close a sell/reservation/appointment? Zero expenses. Yeah, right.
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raisinberry
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HA ha ha ha hoo hoo hee hee. Oh That’s rich. Geez thanks for that laugh Twise.
Yep everything in Mary Kay is FREE FREE FREE…Cause her Director gives her all her samples, forms, supplies, and she gets to carpool FREE to the meetings cause she doesn’t seem to feel any obligation to pay for gas, and Her Director paying her overhead FOR HER, is completely lost on this profitable consultant! OMG…this post WINS!
All time most ridiculous line of ignorant bullshit ever. And the website is FREE now?? That too! And you must get FREE INTERNET also!
Pink Playland Lives! It is this kind of exposure that proves our point. Namely, how limited and ridiculous the business environment of Mary Kay is, and how willing women who are a part of this cult are, to DISTORT the truth to sell the DREAM.
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Briansmama
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Well, Raisin, she didn’t say the website was FREE, she said she doesn’t pay any monthly fee. Which is technically true (you pay annually) but misleading. I guess that all the product that she sells for full price delivers itself, too. Awesome!
Carpooling doesn’t mean no expenses, it’s just shared expense. And people must be fighting to book parties, no trouble or time spent there. Cause we all know how easy it is to book parties.
I suppose a good question would be – how long have you been doing this, twise? Inviting strangers to your house is not smart. Which makes me think you’re still working your way through your warm market. Wait til that cools off.
Waiting with bated breath to see the Schedule C showing all that profit.
But not holding my breath.
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MLM Radar
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Dollars to donuts, Twise is the daughter of her SD or has a similar close family relationship. Mommie is driving her to the meetings, paying all her other expenses, and letting her have first grabs at the Section 2 products and supplies abandoned by IBCs who quit.
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Scrib
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I never get tired of the responses that seem to find it necessary to inform everyone that they have a booking/recruiting appointment/unit meeting to attend RIGHT AFTER after they get done posting here. I mean, you might as well say, “I just had a bath, now I’m off to go wallow in the mud.”
Speaking of mud-wallowing, if you do manage to send proof of income and are able to post again, who’s your NSD? I’d love to see just how “helpful” she is.
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exIBC78
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What what happens when they change the packaging for the Anniversary…can you get excited about all of the outdated product on your shelf? Now you get to start rebuilding your inventory one piece at a time.
I didn’t buy inventory, but why I am on pink truth is the manipulation and lies that run rampant in MK.
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Melissa
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I agree and Disagree. What I disagree about is when you metioned about the Wife using her Credit cards to buy Mary Kay Products then you said that they do not Prmote that. Which I know from Personaly Experience that they do. I was encouraged from my Director to get a Credit card to use to but my inventory. I did not have one so she enouraged me to go apply for one. I do agree about how they do need to take some Personaly responsbility though. Just had to point that out about the credit card.
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JanetBerry
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I find his story hinky though. If I were a betting woman I’d put a hundred bucks on the fact that this was written not by a former MK husband but the new woman in his life.
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BMW
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This is an interesting assumption.
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onelessSD
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I find no evidence that your “bet” is true. If it were the new woman… wouldn’t there be a “thank you MK for my new man” at the end of the story? (or even something to that effect)…. no- this is a husband who’s trying to abreviate the story with just facts as he sees them- and to warn possible consultant visitors to this site- the hell that a Mk life will bring to your house.
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MK Taints the Color Pink
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My step-child’s mother tried to recruit me. This prompted me to research MK…thank God PT saved me from making a huge mistake. Now I wish more than anything I could help her out of the fog, but can not because I don’t want to ruin our friendship and cause drama for my family. My husband was never married to this woman and we did not get together until years after they ended, so I resent the fact that you assume this is soon to be wife #2. Now if she starts demanding more child support….you bet your @$$ I’m going to advise my husband to ask her for a list of costs for their child. I do feel bad for her husband and hope he will learn the truth soon so he can save her.
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gotheart
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“Sorry but since she’s about to be your “ex” I call highjinks. IF you knew the debt but sat idly by while your & her credit was trashed you are culpable too. MK does some damage, but they do not force people at gunpoint.”
OMG!
Here is my 2 cents I will not be a diplomatic as Oneless.
Janet Berry don’t take your issues, out on this dad.
I was in mk for 27 years and never made any money!
It is not that black and white nor cut and dried.
mk is a cult.
You my dear are blaming the victim. WRONG!
So what if he has found a love that will work as a team for his family!
Life is short. Go get your life “husband” of this post. I am glad you have stopped allowing your soon to be X to spend any more of your life. She is spending hers, yours and the kids.
gotheart.
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Dienekes
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As a MK husband:
Every time I brought up the MK debt to my spouse, it was an argument.
When I brought up the debt as she was working for the pink Caddie, I wasn’t spoken to for two weeks.
When I got PO’d one night and was about to take all of the MK and put it trash cans, I was told “it’s MINE!”
My reply was, “No, it’s not. It’s the banks.”
No, offense to any on this list but, in my experience MFK creates monsters out of otherwise decent women.
The question then becomes, do they remain monsters, or do they eventually get out of the pink fog? [I'm still waiting.]
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JanetBerry
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LOL! Sorry I must be in a funky mood. It is VERY hot in south Florida today and trhe usual ocean breezes are failing me. I’ve been outiside on my laptop trying to keep an eye on the electrician who is putting new lights in our poolhouse. I think I may need to walk down to the beach for a bit.
Why waste a day in paradise thinking MK thoughts? LOL.
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emm
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Way to try and cover your tracks troll….which NSD are you?
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onelessSD
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JanetBerry- Agreed!! Get out and enjoy the weather- up here in Washington- it’s nothing but torrential rain. It’s been gray for days and I’m just a tad envious of your sunshine!! However- on the bright side…. my Awesome Seahawks are playing well and continue on in the play-offs!!
Go Hawks!!
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MLM Radar
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“I have closets full of Mary Kay product. Some have expiration dates on them and are expired for years.”
Ewwww. I went to a ladies’ event not long ago where someone planted several baskets full of Mary Kay sample products in the bathrooms. I decided to try out a cleansing wipe and a lotion. They both smelled hideous. I had to wash with the regular bathroom soap for about 5 minutes to get rid of the odor. Any inclination I might have had about purchasing a product went down the drain with the soap.
Closer inspection of the sample packets revealed numbers on the edges which appeared to be expiration dates, and they were about 6 months prior to this event. Now I’ve had other (non-MK) lotions in my home for five or six years, but I never had one turn putrid like these recently-expired Mary Kay samplers.
I hate to think of the condition of other expired Mary Kay products. The idea that anyone has a whole closetful of expired Mary Kay is chilling.
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Twice
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There is NO reason to have expired products. You simply return it to the company and get a replacement. I had to do that with a lotion that had expired. It was super easy.
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ASedai
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I was never, ever told, nor have I read in tons of documents, that MK replaces your product on your shelf as it expires. Can you show me documentation? I would have sure like that if it were true. I used the Product Replacement they offer a few times for customers who were unhappy with a purchase, but never just to keep my shelves up to date.
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TRACY
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You were never told that because Twice is lying. The company does NOT replace expired products. Unless the consultant lies and says they were returned by a customer.
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Lazy Gardens
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There is NO reason to have expired products. You simply return it to the company and get a replacement. I had to do that with a lotion that had expired. It was super easy.
So you lie and say it was a customer return?
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raisinberry
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Ha. We were told to use all those old products as write-offs for guest events…It was actually relabeled a “perk” of Directorship!
As far as the article..completely believable. The story of drowning in debt while you persist in the mary kay world is exactly for the reason he states…how are you going to justify leaving after you have told everyone within 3 feet how wonderful your opportunity is?
Hopefully some reader is starting to de-fog and see exactly what a malicious manipulative trap, Mary Kay really is.
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mayact4
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In terms of the comment about child support, I think he was comparing that with maintenance/alimony. He’s pay the support because the kids deserve it and it’s the right thing to do, but questions paying the wife.
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Marie
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I’m wondering if the Pink Cult the soon-to-be-Ex is a member of would justify fighting for full custody. The mandatory weekly meetings, the money mismanagement, clouded judgement — might help the kids escape the Pink Crazy that permeates the sanctity of the home. The ex will have to go get a real job in the wake of the divorce anyway.
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Stalledpink
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Changing the subject here, but would someone please read/respond to my post on the discussion board.
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NeverWasPink
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What the hell is going on in this comments section? This is a well-written and heartfelt piece. Hey JanetBerry, are you in Florida cheating on your husband? Because it sounds like you’re typing while a cabana boy slathers tanning lotion on your back. See how ridiculous that sounds??
Anyway, great article. Very, very sad though.. I wish this MK husband and his kids a lot of luck..
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Nottheonlyone
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If Citibank Visa and Bank of America would put the charges from MK on hold for 2 -5 days before they went through, women would wake up, and recant their mistakes.
Come on, who really needs 1800, 2400 or 3600 dollars worth of cosmetics and face creams and perfumes?
Just put the orders on hold… just long enough for women to come to their senses and CANCEL the orders.
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Pink-Newbie
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OP, sorry to dump on you, but if your soon-to-be ex was hiding staggering amounts of debt from you, MK was not the issue — simply the catalyst. Now, I do believe that someone at MK should have recognized and questioned your wife’s compulsion, because ultimately, if not for ethical reasons, but wouldn’t they want sustained production even if modest, over short-term jacked-up orders that fizzle once credit cards are all maxed out, and an angry post on Pink Truth? Good luck to you.
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raisinberry
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When I was brand spankin’ new, I recruited someone from a class, who was immediately talked into a sapphire star. During the 1st quarter, she never stood for sales…except maybe a $20 item here or there. Come 2nd quarter, she was talked into another sapphire. I was supposed to feel happy because I had 5 on my team and was close to going “on target”. Each month after she was “encouraged” to order and get the prizes. Even when I cautioned her, and mentioned it to the Director, we were instructed that everyone does what they want and after all it was helping the Unit. Fast forward to year end…She’s #2 in the ‘Seminar Sales Leaders” awards night, having sold probably a grand total of $200.00…MAYBE. Gets the ribbon. Gets the Applause. We all pretend. Everybody knows she hasn’t sold squat….Except the newest recruits.
What you don’t get, is that the upline NEEDS the production so would be working at cross purposes to talk or “question” the ordering of a compulsive. You can tell yourself all kinds of things to justify non involvement. But ultimately, We were trained to WORK for EVERY POSSIBLE ORDER WE COULD SQUEEZE…and in addition, we got Prompting messages from Corporate on our Director’s Intouch to help us with every possible angle to get an order.
Yes…wouldn’t they want sustained production even if modest, over jacked up orders? The answer…is NO.
Modest production is what the base unit does. And FEW Units make the minimum production by means of the base.
Every NSD…and I mean EVERY NSD, promotes that Production comes from New Recruits. Star Orders. And the more the merrier.
PS. One year after she stopped coming, She was 18K in debt, ’cause she did everything else too, like Seminar, CC, retreats, holiday wrap and packaging. Once you flame out, nobody knows or ever will know the truth. To this day it still makes me sick. She was supposedly “unique” and not the norm…UNTIL, you start opening your mouth, and see the pattern all the way up the career path. Every Director reading this is nodding her head. Even the ones that are still in, afraid to make the change…afraid to face all the lies of omission and co-mission she has has told. The “structure” of Mary Kay, and what they require to get to the top, turns normally decent women into stressed, pretenders, hiding the truth to hang on, living in denial, and utterly STUCK.
If TODAY, every Director said only order this month, 60% of what you sold…and NO one recruited anyone…the sound of the crash would be ear splitting.
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Not_fooled
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I met a MK dealer at a local playgroup and she wanted me to have a party. So I said yes because she only needed like 2 more for the month, blah blah. I decided to have a brunch for some family and friends and we did facials and it was fun. My dealer “pressured” me into giving her their emails to set it all up and I politely refused, when she insisted I told her that I wasn’t interested. She of course continued on my terms. After the party I looked at what I intended to purchase and realized it would be cheaper to become a MK rep and get the kit then to actually order the product. Then I would get 50% off for a while. It was pretty high pressure, but “if it seems too good to be true” it is. I have a master’s degree and stay home with my kids because when I was an Executive I didn’t have enough time to be a Mom. My husband and I choose our financial struggle. I told her I wouldn’t be selling or buying much, but at the time I got a bunch for a better deal and I place an order once in awhile (annually) to keep my discount. My issue is that all the “gain” in MK is people telling you that your doing great, and the free car. The car isn’t free, I am certain if you stop “producing” they take it back. What’s the deal with that, so many of these ladies are so persuaded by that. Anyway, she didn’t seem devious to me just really into MK, when I discussed it with her she didn’t understand why I didn’t want “EARN MONEY”. And from watching her FB posts she is really impressed with the hotels, and the cheesy catering that they provide at all these places. As well as the Coach bags they hand out and the silly jewelry. I think she genuinely finds something she needs in MK and I hope she isn’t bankrupting herself to get it. That being said, credit cards do the same thing. Lots of people shop their way to happiness, this is just an organized group of women with a set list of what to buy when. You can’t protect people from themselves. Is it a pyramid scheme- not really, is it a cult, probably. Is it a shame that they prey on people who might be naive or uneducated, yes-but how does that differ from Wal-Mart or other large conglomerates who put their bottom line first?
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PinkPhoenix
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Mary Kay is in fact a pyramid scheme. Just read this article: http://www.pinktruth.com/mary-kay-facts/the-mary-kay-pyramid/. The only way to get promoted or move up the career ladder is to recruit, recruit, recruit. There is no way to make money or promote yourself by selling products alone. How do women make those commissions? Why, by the large inventory orders their recruits make! I’m surprised that you would stay in Mary Kay to get a discount when you just admitted you believe it to be a cult. You don’t need to be naive or uneducated to fall victim to the Mary Kay scam – many of their sales force are master manipulators who will answer any question or objection with perfect scripts. It seems you got lured in by the discount. Even if you only order once a year you still need to buy $400 worth of product to get that 50% off, pay the tax on the full retail price, and pay for shipping. Why bother when there’s eBay?
Also, Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, etc. are legitimate businesses that don’t try to recruit every person that walks into their doors into opening their own store! They also offer their employees more than a store discount such as health benefits, paid vacation time, 401k…
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Tigger
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Pulling into my driveway from work recently, I saw something brightly colored lying in the road. Since it was pouring, I proceeded into my garage and figured if it was still there in the morning, I’d pick it up. Well, a few days goes by, b/c, quite frankly, I was irritated that I would have to ge out of my truck to pick up someone else’s trash. Finally, I can’t stand it, and in a huff, I jump out and grab it.
To my great surprise, it was a now very soggy Avon book. The dealer had thrown them at all the houses like a paper boy. I could not believe it. Had she come to my door, rung my doorbell, introduced herself, and handed me the catalog, she would probably have gotten an order. I like a few Avon items.
I was simply astonished at the laziness of this new breed of cosmetics dealers in every mlm: Avon, MK, BC, etc. This gal chose to do as little work as possible and try to make money. Sorry, Sweetie, it doesn’t work that way. If you are too lazy to meet me and try to form at least some modicum of relationship, forget it.
When I was selling MK (and at some point other mlm products) I worked my ass off meeting people and working to form relationships. You simply cannot mass-market with an mlm. You are reduced to parties or warm-chatting to make those connections. This gal will most likely quit soon. She’ll never get that it takes an ENORMOUS effort to work an mlm. We all worked like crazy to get that new customer, and then, we went into overdirve to make sure she stuck with us and didn’t wonder off the next time she entered a mall and her eyes glazed over at the Macy’s counter.
We read over on PT this new crop of MK dealers scolding us about how they do practically nothing and oodles of money pours in. What the hell is with this new generation who scoffs at hard work?
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Carrie Winchester
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How terrible!! I recently “quit” this horrible farce. Mary Kay is nothing but a scam. I am so sorry for your misfortune. I actually showed your story to my husband, as he is also disgusted with this cult. I was lied to and used by people who I thought were my friends. Only recently, have I realized that the problem wasn’t me, it was them. I don’t know these MK weirdos can live with themselves, when all they do is dupe people and basically steal from women who can’t even afford the Starter Kit. I am looking into finding some type of loop hole in this company. Unfortunately, I did lose $2500 and my pride. I want to stop this from happening to other people.
I hope everything works out for you and your family. Perhaps your ex-wife will someday realize her mistakes.
Thank you for sharing your story. I helps me to know I am not alone.
Carrie
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