Mary Kay National Sales Directors Failing at an Alarming Rate
If you follow along at Pink Truth, even occasionally, you know that Mary Kay has been in a huge slide in the United States for more than a decade. The number of consultants continues to go down, and the number of sales directors goes down too. Back in 2006 when we started Pink Truth, there were 14,000 directors. By 2017, there were about 10,000 directors. Mary Kay won’t confirm, for obvious reasons, but it appears there are around 8,000 sales directors today in the U.S.
There used to be a few hundred national sales directors, but currently there are only 122. But what’s even more stunning than the lower number of nationals is the low amount they’re earning.
Mary Kay’s revenue peaked at $4 billion in 2014, but as of 2024, they report revenue of $2.5 billion. This MLM business model is finally failing for Mary Kay, and there is little hope of bringing it back.
Years ago, Mary Kay made a great decision when they stopped publishing all nsd monthly commission checks, and instead started publishing only those that were $10,000 or more. Frankly, it was embarrassing for the company to show such small earnings for the women who were at the top of the pyramid.
Well check out the latest numbers for October 2025. Mary Kay has consolidated everyone into 3 seminar divisions. Scroll to the bottom of this article to see the names and the amounts, but here is the summary:
- Sapphire – 15 checks ranging from $10,028 to $30,121
- Emerald – 11 checks ranging from $12,376 to $46,588
- Diamond – 18 checks ranging from $10,150 to $45,174
You read that right. A total of 44 national sales directors had checks of $10,000 or more. If there are 122 nsds, that’s 36% of them making $10,000 or more (before business expenses). The other 64% of national sales directors… the top of the top in Mary Kay…. are making less than $10,000 per month.
Back in 2020, there were an estimated 225 nsds, and about 104 (or 46%) were making $10,000 or more per month.
Wow. Where did the “executive income” go? And how long can this pyramid scheme continue to stay afloat?
Visit the
None of Ali’s Carta’s lineage. So many names not there.
The company allowed them to lead as royalty with no discipline themselves. Corp did not create leaders. They created influencers who look the part so we’d all want that position too (and pay for it), but they have no idea how to really do what they tell consultants to do. I remember when I signed up I was told once you’re a director you don’t have to do as much consultant work (fat lie), and when you’re a national you just manage your area (clearly another fat lie). The company allowed this to happen. I always wondered why nationals didn’t have expectations to meet. That at least keeps them in the game with the directors they lead. They became out of touch, and they possibly have no retirement. Maybe this was part of corporates plan all along? Now they don’t have to pay them?
Crystal Trojanowski is one of the most beautiful and fun people I’ve ever met. She seemed way too normal for Mary Kay so maybe she’s letting hers die off. Lia has a whole homeschool curriculum she’s been writing for years. Not sure what Brittany and Lily are doing. I do know Brittany practically lived out of her car when she was traveling building her area. So much time invested and lost. Maybe they’ll join us here one day.
Lia carta. Autocorrect
They’re freaks. ALL OF THEM. If you’re a lifer in a scheme like this and you perpetuate the lies, that makes you a freak and not a nice person.
I just go back to myself when I was in. I wasn’t evil or bad. I definitely allowed deceptive things and was at the point of desperation many times to allow someone to buy an inventory that I know they didn’t need. I’m sure people called me names. I’ve never searched here to see if there’s anything written about me and I never will. MK was my only option to be home with my daughters. Thankfully things have changed. I know some who are downright deceptive and will never see differently. I know some who are trapped like I was. We know it would take a supernatural courage to step down from national position. Amie Gamboian is the only one I know of. I’d imagine some of these people are fighting an inward battle we’ll never understand. They got so many women to become directors so they could be nationals in MK’s early ‘00 peek, and it’s all crumbling. That’s heavy.
*thankfully things have changed for me.
All nationals and directors reading this: God blesses radical obedience. Walk away in faith.
Completely agree – I genuinely believe most are seeking some level of fulfillment whether social, financial, etc. and are stuck in a hope cycle. Somehow, people to believe that whatever change they’re looking for in their life can only come from this. And of course there are some people who are juts greedy and don’t have a care in the world about getting what they want, no matter what it might cost someone else.
Lia has a whole homeschool curriculum she’s been writing for years.
That has me shuddering. What kind of training in education does she have to facilitate such an undertaking. So are so many bad curricula out there written by (mainly) women who are desperate to push their agenda wrt education. I dread to think if Lia is going to be show-casing Mary Kay as an example or her accounting methods in math.
It’s actually good from what I’ve seen of it. No MK in sight. That’s what makes me think they all have a foot out the door. Back up plans in place. And for now, MK is still a free paycheck
I could be way off. These are just observations over the years. If someone still posts about it, ick. If they don’t, I have hope for them and pray hard.
Looks like the company is dead. It’s not even on life support. Victory to Tracey for helping end this woman hating pyramid scheme.
I take no credit for this. In 2006 when I started the site, I was accused of trying to “take down” MK. That was never the goal. I only wanted to educate consumers so if they were thinking of signing up and did research first, they could find out the real truth.
Honestly, I think MK can hang on for 5 to 10 years still. It’s still a cash cow for Ryan Rogers and family, so it’s in their interest to keep it hanging on as long as possible.
He’s got to wait until Daddy is gone.
At least he seems to want to switch to an affiliate and retail model. Keeping directors in jackets is costing the company more than they’re worth. They’re not getting enough people to frontload inventory to pay for it. Also, it sounds like the FTC has been giving them the side-eye and they have to prove sales to real customers.
I wouldn’t say they are dead but a nearly 40% drop in sales over the past 10 years instead of any growth is beyond sad. MLM never made sense but the Internet had made it make even less sense.
What an eye opening list!
I believe Karen Ridle was the last US NSD to debut – in 2023!
I wonder how many of these directors are under the old rules, where they have no commission or downline requirements to keep the title.
Jamie Taylor is under the new rules, and luckily is earning more than 100K in commissions. If she wasn’t, she’d lose her title because she doesn’t have the needed # of downline directors.
There hasn’t been a new NSD since 2023?!
Nope!
Jamie’s earning enough. For now. I think it’s a monthly struggle for her, though.
And I bet she takes her frustrations out on her kids.
Also, you know one of the 122 NSD’s has to know they are the bottom earning NSD on the list. I wonder what their YTD earnings are. Can the NSD’s see everyone’s rank?
Where did you get the October figures from? Applause? Can you share the link?
Ah. Holli Lowe’s toilet pics haven’t earned her any commission.
Leah Lauchlan..? I see Julia Burnett’s name.
I’m not surprised the Hispanic group is doing well. They really stick together.
Mind blown that Kimberly Copeland is doing so well. If that lady ever debuts, she’ll plummet.
The pay gap between #1 and #2 in emerald is bonkers.
All these talking about retirement lately are not on here. Retirement will be slim.
The sad part is there are many consultants who would see this information and think that the ones making the most just worked harder or that they will be the exception and can make it to the “top” too. I imagine the top 5 of each were the same or similar month over month but it would be interesting to see a recap of how many NSDs consistently made over $10k per month in a cal year.
Don’t NSDs have to pay their expenses from those commission checks? I imagine they have LOTS of expenses.
I’m wondering that too. $10K commission check, but the director paid $8K to keep the status.
PLUS shipping..PLUS discounts on the expired inventory on her shelf.
How will all of this change when amazon starts selling product , and not the consultant?
Will be interesting to see.