http://www.pinktruth.com

This is the tax return data for MaryBeth, a solid Premier Club sales director in Mary Kay. I’ve heard many figures thrown around, and most often seem to hear that car driving directors make between $40,000 and $50,000 per year on commissions alone. Not even close!

If you do the math, you’ll see that it is almost mathematically impossible for a Premier Club director to make that much, because it would require more than $16,000 wholesale per month (and almost the entire unit would have to be the director’s personal recruits). No one whose unit does that much month after month is still in a Premeir Club unit... they'd be a Cadillac unit.

A favorite passtime of many Mary Kay sales directors is bashing "Corporate America." They refer to jobs as "J.O.B. - Journey of the Broke" and generally criticize the lack of flexibility surrounding traditional jobs.

What they forget to mention is the steady paycheck, the benefits, the paid vacation, and all sorts of nice things.

One of the big fallacies they promote is that Mary Kay offers stability, while Corporate America does not. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, things in Corporate America can change quickly, and jobs can be lost. But Mary Kay is really the height of instability.employers offer to their employees.

We know Mary Kay isn't "direct sales" and that the real focus is recruiting. Nonetheless, the company and its reps like to use that phrase because it "hides" the focus on recruiting and sounds like something legitimate. Who could object to selling??? I thought this was an interesting piece from Anita Garrett Roe's site.

The following article is an excerpt from a speech given by a direct seller at a local meeting. We are told she was asked to speak on how direct sales compares to working a "regular" job. It was submitted to us, and although the original author is unknown, we wish to thank her for her thoughts and insights. We have edited it to share with you as you embark on a brand new year, with new opportunities to count the many blessings we have in this business.

Lately, I have heard so many people say how difficult direct sales is. "Its hard." "I can't get bookings." "This just isn't for me." "I didn't know how difficult it would be."Well, I am a single mom of three who, before joining the direct sales family, held down two jobs. I would get up at 4:00 in the morning and not get to bed until midnight most nights, after returning from my part-time retail job, packing lunches, checking homework and relieving my mother, who helped out with the kids.

Mary Kay executives, directors, and national sales directors always focus on certain activity levels that they say help the consultant. When I say "activity levels," I really mean buying levels. So for example, you're encouraged to order enough to be a "star," or recruit enough to be a "red jacket," and the like.

Why are these levels important? Well it's definitely not for the benefit of hte consultant. It's for the benefit of those above you in the pyramid. Certain ordering levels can give your director a bonus or extra car credit.  $600 is the magic number in Mary Kay, and once you find this out, you can see the manipulation your director uses surrounding this figure. She's always trying to get $600 more out of people, and with good reason.

Hello Lurkers and those still thinking that directorship is the way to real money in Mary Kay!  This is especially for beauty consultants who think that if they just can make it to the "elite 2% of all those in Mary Kay" they will have their ticket to financial freedom and flexibility.

I'm going to show you how a unit with production of $10,000 in a given month STILL isn't much of a wage in Mary Kay. The vast majority of sales directors do not have production of $10K in a given month. They DREAM of $10K production, but they are probably going between $4K (the bare minimum to keep their units) to $8K (the bare minimum to have the sales director car without copays). Let me stress again, production of $10,000 in a month is very unusual in Mary Kay.

The most recent Applause magazine issued by Mary Kay had this statement about the new packaging for the Timewise product line:

While the packaging is changing, the formulas and the retail prices remain the same! With that in mind, this packaging transition will not be as dramatic as the color product updates implemented last year, but you still may want to take a look at the Miracle Set inventory you have on hand and plan according to your customers’ needs as well as what current Miracle Set inventory you must sell.

Translation: We know that every time we change the packaging, we make the products on your shelf obsolete. We don't mind, because that just means more ordering by everyone who becomes convinced that they need the latest and greatest on their shelf. But for those of you who don't fall for this scam, you can rest assured that since only the packaging (and not the product itself) is changing, we aren't screwing you as bad as last year when we changed all the packaging and formulas on all the color cosmetics. (Remember that cash cow?)

"Fake it Till You Make It" is the mantra that Mary Kay directors foist upon their consultants, and especially upon their women in Direcor-In-Qualification (DIQ). 

Why do they insist that you "fake it till you make it"?  Simple.  If you are honest at the pow-wows about your ACTUAL retail sales, the water becomes clear and the pink fog dies.  Women who are potential recruits will see that there is no profit to be had, except by MK Corp, and MK Corp alone.  (With the exception of the top 5% of NSDs who make their money off of exploiting, you, Ms. Opportunity and pulling a "Bernie Madoff" on you by making off with your life savings and credit rating.)

As a personal fitness trainer who works with clients to lose weight and become healthy, I can tell you first hand that "fake it till you make it" does NOT work.  Here's why (from a fitness point of view):

Mary Kay Inc. reports annual statistics on consultants, directors, and commissions for Canada. Check out the latest...

2008:

• 30,679 sales force members (down 4% from 2007, and down 10% from 2006)
  
• Of the 4,278 sales force members who were in the sales force for at least one year and earned commissions, 2,2267 (53%) earned $100 or less in commissions
• Of the 608 sales directors (8% decrease from 2007, 16% decrease from 2006), 304 earned $16,567 or more in commissions
• Of the 24 national sales directors, 16 earned $100,000 or more in commissions. 8 earned a non-executive income less than $100,000.
  

• 31,891 sales force members (down 7% from 2006)
• Of the 4,795 sales force members  who were in the sales force for at least one year and earned commissions, 2,445 (51%) earned $100 or less in commissions
• Of the 659 sales directors (9% decrease from 2006), 330 earned $17,500 or more in commissions
• Of the 25 national sales directors, 17 earned $100,000 or more in commissions. 8 earned a non-executive income less than $100,000.
  

Late last year we discussed Mary Kay's new customer delivery service, through which sales directors and national sales directors can currently have products shipped to customers directly from Mary Kay. In August 2009, consultants will be able to particpate. Of course, you can only participate if you're a star consultant, which means you must have ordered at least $1,800 wholesale in the prior quarter. 

Here are more details about the program, for your perusal and critique...

Q. What is the Customer Delivery Service (CDS)?

A. Customer Delivery Service is an optional shipping service exclusively for Star Consultants to quickly and conveniently deliver products directly to their customers. Special attention has been given to each product order to create a positive experience for the customer. Included in each package is a specially decorated box, a beautiful packing slip, a copy of The Look or two samplers and the items ordered. The Star Consultant may choose to include additional samplers, a black gift bag or a gift with purchase, etc.