Success Takes Sacrifice
I just don’t understand why everybody on this site complains so much. Success takes sacrifice. That’s true in any business.
When I first became a consultant, I worked my full-time job all day, then did appointments almost every evening. Saturdays were usually skin care classes, and Sundays were great for following up with customers because people were home. Sure, I missed a few family birthdays and my son’s baseball games here and there, but that’s what successful people do. You have to be willing to give something up if you want something better. And I did it! I became a director just over a year after I joined.
I also invested a lot into my business at first. Between inventory, Seminar, Leadership, and gifts for my customers and team members, I probably spent close to $20,000 my first couple of years. That’s called investing in yourself. People spend that much on college and nobody complains about it.
The funny thing is you all act like that’s some horrible thing. It’s not. Every business has expenses. If I had quit every time things got tight or every time I had to put an order on my credit card, I wouldn’t have learned all the lessons I did.
Am I driving a Cadillac? No. Did I become a National? Not yet. But I’ve grown so much as a person that none of that even matters anymore. Mary Kay gave me confidence, lifelong friends, and taught me to dream bigger.
Honestly, I think that’s why Pink Truth exists, to find someone to blame. Some people can’t handle making sacrifices, so instead of admitting business is hard, they blame Mary Kay. Too bad you couldn’t just put in the hard work and make the investment that I did. I guess it’s not for everyone!
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PTC, not all investments are the same. You may be happy losing all that money if you see the life lessons as the return. But as far as financial investments go, MLMs like Mary Kay have a terrible proven ROI for participants.
If MK recruiters shared the truth about the poor financial return instead of pretending MLM participation is some sort of “business” investment, sites like PT would not be necessary. Alas, as long as the half truths and outright lies continue, there will be people here pointing them out.
How you can justify exploiting your own downline is beyond me. And if you don”t realize how much MLM success depends on this exploitation, you have much to learn. On the other hand, if you DO realize, then you have much to answer for.
Friend, if you’re not driving a Cadillac, you’re not clearing $40,000 gross per year. So, what you’re saying, is that it’s worth it to you to “invest” more than 1/4 of your gross pay doing things that any normal company does for you–motivation, rewards, training, travel–all are covered by a real job. Plus, they pay 1/2 of your FICA taxes, a portion (or all) of your health insurance, and most offer some kind of retirement plan. In the hopes of what? Finally making it to the .000005% who bust their butts to make the $10,000 commission list?
Face it. This is not a viable business opportunity. And it’s a very expensive way to achieve self growth. At least with college, you come out with a degree and connections to get a job and pay for… continuing education, travel, motivation, health insurance, retirement, etc. etc. etc.
lol The whole idea of joining an MLM like Mary Kay is so you don’t have to miss those baseball games and birthdays! It’s supposed to give you MORE time with your family, not less! By telling us you sacrificed family time for a Mary Kay “business” just proves our point. The whole God, Family, Career is just a saying to get women to join. It’s completely false and you just admitted it.
“Sure, I missed a few family birthdays and my son’s baseball games here and there, but that’s what successful people do. You have to be willing to give something up if you want something better.”
Having grown up with a single mother who didn’t want to be bothered with my problems:
Congratulations on showing your son that you’re willing to give him up for the sake of your ambitions. Hopefully that ugly pink jacket was worth the fact that he’ll grow up knowing he can’t rely on you – if you weren’t there for his baseball games, why should he expect you to be there for him when he’s having trouble in school, or being bullied, or finds a girl he likes but isn’t sure how to proceed?
I hope to hell he’s got his father or another adult to rely on before he learns all the wrong stuff from his peers, or worse, the internet.
To be fair, there’s a way to miss kids’ games and use it as a really positive teaching message. (Caveat: This is functional for parents who do actually care for their kids.) I travel some for work, but most of it is flexible. We sit down at least every month with calendars to ask the kids what’s important to them. Is it important to you to have a parent at your school retreat? Yes? Then I’ll make it happen. Is it important that I make it to that game? Then I’ll be there. And they’ll tell me if it’s important to them. Often, though, the things that are important to them surprise me. Kid 1 didn’t want me to go to school retreat–he wanted to stretch his wings a bit without a parent there. Kid 2 really wanted me to come read to her class during the middle of the school day. It helps them learn that we can’t do all the things all the time, that they’re able to decide what’s really important to them (as opposed to what everyone else thinks should be important), and you can 100% count on me when it’s important to you.
Popinki, that doesn’t take away from your crappy parental unit who neglected you. And it doesn’t excuse Ms. “I Decide What’s Important Based On How Much Money I Can Suck From This Mark”. I do hope we hold space for compassion for parents who are doing their best in a busy world, though.
I just don’t understand why everybody on this site complains so much. Success takes sacrifice. That’s true in any business.
Yes but in a normal business I’d be working for myself with the aim of making money for me and not for the Rogers family.
When I first became a consultant, I worked my full-time job all day, then did appointments almost every evening.
But But But.. I was told Mary Kay Wagner Rogers Eckman Weaver Miller Hallenbeck Ash’s company would pay me “executive wages for part-time work”, so why do you need external employment?
Saturdays were usually skin care classes, and Sundays were great for following up with customers because people were home. Sure, I missed a few family birthdays and my son’s baseball games here and there,
So, not God first and family second then? Career first, front and centre instead of being third.
but that’s what successful people do. You have to be willing to give something up if you want something better.
Imagine being proud of robbing your child, your spouse and yourself of precious family memories for some pink clad fakeness.
And I did it! I became a director just over a year after I joined.
So you successfully started to exploit other women in your pursuit of money. Robbing their families of time spent together. Go You!!!
I also invested a lot into my business at first. Between inventory, Seminar, Leadership, and gifts for my customers and team members, I probably spent close to $20,000 my first couple of years.
Imagine the memories you should have made with your son and spouse. Family second, career third?? Nope,
That’s called investing in yourself. People spend that much on college and nobody complains about it.
Well, some people do but still you have something tangible at the end, hopefully a degree or more but certainly a skillset of some kind if you go into a vocational college. Self-discipline and being able to accept and retain information are valuable skills while a cheap pink-beaded elastic bracelet means nothing to the real world.
The funny thing is you all act like that’s some horrible thing. It’s not. Every business has expenses. If I had quit every time things got tight or every time I had to put an order on my credit card, I wouldn’t have learned all the lessons I did.
So the lesson is “throw enough money at something and (general) You will succeed”? Doesn’t appear to matter where the money comes from or if it should have been used for something better since YOU Ms. PTC became a director.
Am I driving a Cadillac? No. Did I become a National? Not yet.
Why not? Isn’t your Bee-LIE-Ve level high enough? Maybe ask your senior sales director to match her time with your energy? Remember the speed of the leader is the speed of the team, you’re letting them down by not forcing them to earn you your dream Caddy!
But I’ve grown so much as a person that none of that even matters anymore. Mary Kay gave me confidence, lifelong friends, and taught me to dream bigger.
Meanwhile your most precious people are lowkey resenting you for not putting them before “your small business”. If you are not careful, you’ll be wondering why you are the subject of a gender swapped “Cat’s in the Cradle” while pondering the “Missing Missing Reasons” as to why your son doesn’t want his spouse and children around you.
Honestly, I think that’s why Pink Truth exists, to find someone to blame.
The women here who were in Mary Kay Wagner Rogers Eckman Weaver Miller Hallenbeck Ash’s company know where to lay the blame, first and foremost on themselves then on the serial liars who enriched themselves at others expenses.
Some people can’t handle making sacrifices, so instead of admitting business is hard, they blame Mary Kay. Too bad you couldn’t just put in the hard work and make the investment that I did. I guess it’s not for everyone!
It’s more a shame you “invested” $20,000 desperately trying to earn a pittance in commissions rather than the “executive pay” you were promised.
https://www.pinktruth.com/2026/03/02/pathetic-income-for-sales-directors-in-2025/