Don’t Hate Because You Made Bad Decisions
A former Mary Kay consultant lost money years ago, but is going to try it again and she is going to make money. She will not be “silly enough” or “stupid,” and she won’t have “bad judgment” like Pink Truth members.
Wow! I googled how to get back in and found your site. 
I was in MK years ago when I was divorced and broke, living in a small town, and stopped simply because the market was saturated (my MOTHER became a consultant the month after I did–it was stupid) and I just let it go, using what product I had, writing off the loss of my minor investment mentally as a lesson learned. Now, I live in a metro area, and though I see a car with an ad occasionally, I don’t see overt advertisement here. It looks like a more marketable area.
I will, however, never be silly enough to be forced to buy products I can’t sell. Other than the most cost-effective introductory kit that I had to purchase all those years ago, and won’t ever have to do again, I would never buy in gross. After Mama died, and I had her remainders and mine when I recently moved, and all those shades of base that we just don’t have clientele for went in the trash. I’ll simply never do that again. I did use some of it for stage makeup and gave some away for Halloween costumes and for Christmas presents (along with Satin Hands sets and other products) to friends or acquaintances, but still had lots to toss in the trash–my point is, I won’t buy anything for which I don’t have orders.
I won’t try to get people to be on my team, because I didn’t sign up so that I could be in multi-level marketing. I don’t believe in it and I won’t do it.
Being talked into taking out a LOAN to buy a huge inventory that you don’t know for sure that you have a market for is just to be blunt–STUPID. I can’t fault Mary Kay for trying to push product–they are in sales. It is really a personal decision to TAKE OUT A LOAN. Every person has the right to be stupid–and we’ve all done it a time or two. Don’t blame the company for people’s BAD JUDGEMENT. EVERY one should develop a backbone and use it to help them stand when they say: “No, I’m not buying that. I only need this list of things.”
Much to my surprise, I am a wonderful salesperson, mostly due to my adherence to truth-telling in all situations, and people recognize and appreciate that. I have an independent insurance business, and have done several other sales jobs–teaching high school being one of the more fun of those. I don’t NEED to sell MK, I just want to. I think it will give me an opportunity to meet people and meet their needs.
I go on vacation with my husband, very occasionally, when I can work their schedules into ours, with my children. I do not need to go on trips with hundreds of screaming women who are excited about diamonds and rubies. Proverbs 31:10 says that a the worth of a virtuous woman is high above rubies (intent being precious stones). Yes, I wear them, Mama left them, so I wear them, but it’s not that big a deal to me. Godly women wouldn’t be all about that part, would they?
I am a strong enough personality to NOT be forced to sell crap that I don’t believe in–I HATE the skin care, and won’t even attempt it. I’m an oily, soap-and water girl, 44, and am guessed to be in my early 30′s regularly–the skin care doesn’t work for me, is certainly not worth the money for me, and I would never try to sell it to anyone. I don’t believe in it. I do, however, believe in the MK base. I believe 105 is my oh-so-ivory number. I miss it and the lipstick. I’ll pay the $20 to re-join, just so that I can have my base and lipstick for cheap, make some new friends, and sell to people who want to buy and have the discretionary income to do so. Anything else would be unethical.
I suppose I’ve said all this to say, it’s possible to sell Mary Kay without selling your soul. I know what you have to do to get a car, and frankly, I just bought a new car of my own–don’t need a pink one, no matter how COOL they may be.
Don’t hate because you made the decision to throw thousands of dollars into the trash. If you are in and don’t like it, get out, or back down. If you don’t like your pushy upline, get out and find someone nicer to work with who understands your goals. I, for instance, don’t really have any serious goals, it’s more of a hobby for me, and the person I am reenacting under knows that.
Don’t EVER pressure anyone to do anything against their husband’s will: THAT is totally against God’s plan for the home. I don’t see anything wrong with someone making a valiant attempt to “sell it to him”. If he says no, and he is the Godly husband that he should be, then there are reasons that it’s a bad idea right now, and that lady should abide by his wishes. The Proverbs 31 Woman was in sales, by the way–that’s always a major point–her husband was very proud of her.
I apologize for the randomness of my thoughts. I appreciate your site and the pitfalls that you point out. Young women need to understand what is truly expected of them to make MK a viable full-time business. MOST of us just aren’t up for that, and they need to know before they get emotionally involved and over-invest, which I’ve already stated. It’s a great idea for people who have money to spend to make money, or for people like me who don’t really intend to do it full time–which I know they hate, but it’s my decision–and yours.
Blessings, ladies.
Don’t believe it. You cannot profit in Mary Kay without selling your soul to the devil. You might be able to make a little bit of pocket change. But consistent profits, especially at a level that will make a difference to your family, are impossible without deceitful recruiting and frontloading of inventory.
Visit the
She told us!! There’s room at the top for ya, toots. (As long as your credit cards hold up, that is.)
I will use an old adage from a principal I used to work under. I would go to her, in duress, for assistance. She would listen with condescension and respond, “Good luck with that!”
But really, if you see the light and realize this MK thing is a scam, we will embrace you with open arms here at PT. And we won’t try to sell you anything in the process!
She’s 44 and hates MK skincare, refers to foundation and ‘base’, and is sure to sell the sh!t out of the stuff. Okay!
At least she admitted MK is indeed, clown makeup.
Wow! I googled how to get back in and found your site. 🙂
Hello and welcome.
I was in MK years ago when I was divorced and broke, living in a small town, and stopped simply because the market was saturated
Yes, that’s one of the major problems with MLMs like Mary kay, deliberate over-saturation of the market.
(my MOTHER became a consultant the month after I did–it was stupid)
Yes, it was but still (general) you need to open the opportunity to every-one.
and I just let it go, using what product I had, writing off the loss of my minor investment mentally as a lesson learned.
It seems it wasn’t actually A Lesson Learned!
Now, I live in a metro area, and though I see a car with an ad occasionally, I don’t see overt advertisement here. It looks like a more marketable area.
Just another over-saturated area where no-one has a advertis-car isn’t a good sign.
I will, however, never be silly enough to be forced to buy products I can’t sell.
I hope you can stick to this.
Other than the most cost-effective introductory kit that I had to purchase all those years ago, and won’t ever have to do again, I would never buy in gross.
You and I have different ideas about “cost-effective”!
After Mama died, and I had her remainders and mine when I recently moved, and all those shades of base that we just don’t have clientele for went in the trash.
That’s sad. You bought products you couldn’t sell at another person’s prompting.
I’ll simply never do that again.
For your sake, I hope so.
I did use some of it for stage makeup and gave some away for Halloween costumes and for Christmas presents (along with Satin Hands sets and other products) to friends or acquaintances, but still had lots to toss in the trash–my point is, I won’t buy anything for which I don’t have orders.
You keep saying this. Who are you trying to convince, yourself or us?
My post got eaten by the system 🙁
same, girl-friend.
Apologies if this posts twice; something got screwed up the first time.
“Now, I live in a metro area, and though I see a car with an ad occasionally, I don’t see overt advertisement here. It looks like a more marketable area.”
Oh, they’re around. Try the consultant finder for your area.
“…my point is, I won’t buy anything for which I don’t have orders.”
You realize you don’t get your 50% discount unless you spend $250/ quarter, right? Leaving aside the fantasy that your customers will pay full retail for anything when every other consultant is giving the store away, that means you’re going to lose money because you still have to pay tax and shipping.
“I won’t try to get people to be on my team, because I didn’t sign up so that I could be in multi-level marketing. I don’t believe in it and I won’t do it.”
It’s a MLM company, genius. Any association with it means you’re involved with MLM.
” Every person has the right to be stupid–and we’ve all done it a time or two. Don’t blame the company for people’s BAD JUDGEMENT. EVERY one should develop a backbone and use it to help them stand when they say: “No, I’m not buying that. I only need this list of things.””
Ah, I wondered when we’d get to the victim-blaming. Considering that the company is the one that comes up with the recruitment and frontloading scripts specifically designed to get past people’s defenses, I’m going to keep on putting blame squarely where it belongs.
” I have an independent insurance business…”
PRIMERICA ALERT!!!!!
“…and have done several other sales jobs…”
OTHER MLMS ALERT!!!!!
“…teaching high school being one of the more fun of those.”
Teaching is not a sales job, you cotton-headed ninny-moggins!
“I go on vacation with my husband, very occasionally, when I can work their schedules into ours, with my children. I do not need to go on trips with hundreds of screaming women who are excited about diamonds and rubies.”
You do realize that going on vacation with your spouse and kids isn’t all that rare or noteworthy, correct? That family vacations are, in fact, the norm? Though I agree that an MK cruise would be about the 47th circle of hell.
“I am a strong enough personality to NOT be forced to sell crap that I don’t believe in–I HATE the skin care, and won’t even attempt it. I’m an oily, soap-and water girl, 44, and am guessed to be in my early 30′s regularly–the skin care doesn’t work for me, is certainly not worth the money for me, and I would never try to sell it to anyone. I don’t believe in it. I do, however, believe in the MK base. I believe 105 is my oh-so-ivory number. I miss it and the lipstick. I’ll pay the $20 to re-join, just so that I can have my base and lipstick for cheap, make some new friends, and sell to people who want to buy and have the discretionary income to do so. Anything else would be unethical.”
So much in one paragraph. So if a potential customer asks you if the skin care works, you’ll be honest and say you hate it and it doesn’t work even though that will lose you a customer? She’s going to assume that if the skincare sucks, so does the rest of the product line. And once again, you won’t get diddly-squat discount wise unless you spend $250 a quarter and ain’t nobody uses that much foundation and lipstick in 3 months. The people who want the stuff aren’t going to buy it from you because they’ve already got a MK rep who gives them deep discounts and freebies.
“Don’t hate because you made the decision to throw thousands of dollars into the trash.”
Trust me, that ain’t why I hate. I was never in MK or any other MLM, and in fact never thought about it until I ended up here and read all about the emotional, financial, and religious abuse. The bullying, backbiting, and mean girl tactics. The coordinated shunning of people who look outside the bubble. The relentless pressure to conform…conform… conform. The slow, systematic erosion of one’s character and priorities. The institutionalized misogyny and victim-blaming and infantilization of women. That crap is hateful.
“Don’t EVER pressure anyone to do anything against their husband’s will: THAT is totally against God’s plan for the home. I don’t see anything wrong with someone making a valiant attempt to “sell it to him”. If he says no, and he is the Godly husband that he should be, then there are reasons that it’s a bad idea right now, and that lady should abide by his wishes.”
Spare me the Bible barf and Leave it to Beaver balderdash. Marriage should be an equal partnership, women are quite capable of handling money without needing a MAAAAAAAAAAAAN to do it for them, and financial decisions should be by mutual agreement, not a unilateral decree from the frank ‘n’ beans.
“It’s a great idea for people who have money to spend to make money, or for people like me who don’t really intend to do it full time–which I know they hate, but it’s my decision–and yours.”
Or your husband’s, amirite?
BTW the Proverbs 31 woman isn’t an actual person, but an admonition to work hard and do your job well, take care of those close to you and treat people under you kindly, not to be lazy or stingy, and be honest in all your dealings. Basically, if you’re a good, honest, hardworking person, people (and god) will like you.
The Proverbs 31 woman had HANDMAIDENS! She had household STAFF! She also invested in real estate, had a winery, and ran her own textiles business. Just give me handmaidens and I can do all that too.
Sounds like Ballerina Farm. All the workers out of sight while Hannah takes wistful photos of herself and her family
My great-grandmother was a “trad-wife” … fourteen children (my gran was the spoiled youngest) with a thriving home “butter and eggs” business selling eggs and dairy products to businesses in the nearby town, and helping with the “field crops” my g-grandpa grew to sell to larger sities.
Great-granny made NO attempt to do it all herself. She had cooks for family and hired help meals, “dairy help” (great grandpa managed the field hands and mules), housemaids, nursery maids as needed so she could do the important things like purchasing, inventory, bookkeeping and managing a fairly large “truck farm” sales. She was a “She-E-O” before it was cool, and not at all uncommon in her day. G-grandpa did the hiring and firing of field hands, oversaw the planting and harvesting, cared for the mules and equipment and that was a full time job.
My grandmother’s main job was taking lunches to the fields or delivering to local customers and the trains, so she could hitch a team of mules and drive a wagon as a girl.
“Now, I live in a metro area, and though I see a car with an ad occasionally, I don’t see overt advertisement here. It looks like a more marketable area.” Has she checked social media? It’s packed with people frantically trying to book and sell at cost just to make prodiuction?
Does she want to compete with “Princess Chels” and her constant discounts?
I don’t NEED to sell MK, I just want to. I think it will give me an opportunity to meet people and meet their needs.
If you simply want to meet and help people, there are plenty of charities who would love an extra volunteer.
I couldn’t make it past the second paragraph. Just skipped to the comments on this one.
It’s a pile of self-gaslighting and victim-blaming.
It’s a pile of self-gaslighting and victim-blaming.
I suppose I’ve said all this to say, it’s possible to sell Mary Kay without selling your soul. I know what you have to do to get a car, and frankly, I just bought a new car of my own–don’t need a pink one, no matter how COOL they may be.
Narrator’s voice They are NOT COOL!
My guess is, if you won’t build a team, or place orders when asked to “help out” the team, you are persona non grata to your sales director.
I’ve been reading PInkTruth for years. My daughter is the one that told me “MLM’s exploit women” . I never thought of it that way before. I always thought “I’ll help the stay at home mom earn a few dollars”. Little did I realize, I too was exploiting a woman.
I believe it was in the LuLu Rich Documentary , a financial expert said “there are NOT enough people in the world to sustain a downline’ and he gave an example . All MLM’s will collapse. How sustainable can a 1960 business plan be?
“…I don’t see overt advertisement here.”
Isn’t “overt advertisement” explicitly against the rules, the purpose being to lead people to think exactly what today’s PTC thought–that the market is not actually saturated?
It’s hilarious that she hates the skincare! Why the hell does she sell Mary Kay? Her presentations must be entertaining if she hates most of the products she needs to push.
Like Meghan Trainor sings, “It’s all about the Base”
How on earth is she going to make any money at all only selling color?? “Base” is around $20 (it’s gone up since I checked and I’m too lazy to look up current pricing), lipstick is about the same, and eyeshadow is a measly $8. I’m still using MK lipstick I bought over 5 years ago. Even if she were making 50% (ha!), you can’t make any money on such low dollar items.