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My first experience in Mary Kay in 1998 was terrible. I was asked by who I thought was a very nice lady to be a model at her meeting. I was SO EXCITED (as everyone says in MK). I got there and they had a cosmetologist do my makeup which was horrendous (and by the way Mary Kay has a NO TOUCHING policy as to ensure your clients can do the application of make up themselves), but I was brainwashed into signing with the company that night hoping my check would clear. I had never before heard of Mary Kay or their legendary pink cadillacs, and the director signing me the consultant who asked me to come to the meeting was as pushy as they come, yet throwing compliments and buttering me up as much as she could. After I signed there was an event where her NSD (National Sales Director) was speaking. I brought my best friend as a guest, not a recruitment possibility. She hated selling and I knew that. This NSD lavished us in all that she had earned because of this wonderful company. She then pounced on my poor friend and coerced her into signing an agreement that she could not afford. It was total brainwashing. Their greed got the best of them. I tried and tried to get into Mary Kay with this unit. I attended every meeting and soaked up the knowledge. I just couldn't help think they were doing wrong. My director was only concerned with recruiting. In fact, she still sold inventory but had an assistant do that side of things for her. She was no longer concerned with her customers but by possible recruits to move her up the ladder. I was called on the phone everyday by my director if I had gotten enough money to place an inventory order. She even gave me the option of titling my CAR!! I was never given the option to just sell the product and earn money that way. I was pushed. Needless to say I gave up. I couldn't deal under the pressure.

A year later the idea of Mary Kay got back into my head. The value system of Mary Kay just seemed to good to be true and if I couldn't get it out of my head, maybe GOD was telling me to do it. So I called corporate and asked for a consultant in my area. I was given the name of my current director who I couldn't be happier with. She truly instills the values of Mary Kay in what she does. I was never pushed into buying inventory because I can't do it. I'm not ready for that. After meeting my director I had another meeting with an NSD. This time was again completely different. This NSD talked all about GOD and taking your time, you have to grow and pointed out how this company can help you. However, she always was upfront about the pitfalls as well. She was completely honest with me, and SINCERE. I never once felt the nasty spider of greed in this unit.

I have read many posts regarding this company and can attest that there is GOOD and BAD in everything. I have experienced both. Greed is terrible, and with everything that can be earned and won in Mary Kay, there is no exception. My advice to anyone reading these posts either to get some self-fulfillment in what they experienced or for more information and knowledge is to be open minded. You should NEVER go into a company or business without doing your homework or you can unfortunately be burned. As with any business there are rules to abide by, otherwise start your own company and do whatever you want. Sure, you are independent meaning you can do almost anything you can to make your business work within the guidelines of the company. These rules are established for reasons, some not known to us. Most could be by laws delegating them (ie the 90% buy back), but isn't everything? In my experience, and I can't speak for everyone, I am told you EARN the USE of the career car, NOT WIN IT. And to maintain the use, you must perform to a standard. You are allowed to use the car to compensate your business if you are being that successful. If you are earning enough in production to meet those qualifications you probably are doing extremely well with your business. However you can't just get something and not expect to maintain the USE of it. Its a PRIVELEDGE to drive those cars. Its a status of how well you are doing. And since it is a part of what you are earning in your business like your money that you are earning, you are going to be taxed by Uncle Sam. Blame the IRS on that one, NOT MARY KAY. I'm sure they are following the rules themselves.

As for your director ship, WHY SHOULD YOU EXPECT TO KEEP YOUR UNIT IF YOU CAN"T MAINTAIN IT??? Sure you worked hard to get it there, but if you are that serious about Mary Kay to get to that status then you should be held to a standard to maintain your career and move forward. If you wanted to just sell product and recruit when it happens, then you should stay a consultant. But as Independent Contractors we have that choice. In extreme circumstanced that may occur such as illness I have heard many accounts of friends in Mary Kay who have said that the company was extremely helpful in their situation. But, and this may sound harsh and I'm deeply sorry, if you are that sick that you can't maintain your unit you should not be in that position. Ideally you should resign, get better, and get back in it. Your never told you can't. But your unit has to go somewhere in your absence, and that is unfortunate. I'm sorry the lady in the Woolf case lost everything because she got sick. She did work hard to get there because DIQ is not boasted as being an easy feat, but once there you are held to a standard by the company and your unit. Its like getting promoted at any BUSINESS (not to be confused with JOB), that once you get that position you must do the extra work required to stay there, and you are put there because you have shown you can do it. If not, then your removed. In many other businesses, you might not even be allowed to have that position again.

I don't agree with everything that Mary Kay is, or does. I am now creating my own experiences in Mary Kay, based on what I feel Mary Kay herself would have wanted from her company. Many BAD seeds have gotten into this company because of over zealous greedy people, and have tainted what could have been a good experience for many. I have had the unpleasantness of dealing with a whole chain of people from the NSD to the Consultant who was greedy, but its not always so. I am so grateful to have found the unit I am in because it is a more positive experience. I can only hope that those new consultants out there realize they can make this business into what they want out of it. IF they are not experiencing something good or positive, change it. If you like the concept of Mary kay like I do, but know something isn't right where you are, do it differently. Look for another unit somewhere and ask to go to their meetings. Unfortunately the way things are set up the recruiter who got you will reap the benefits, but at least your experience can be made better for it, and anyone who you happen to offer mary Kay to (eitehr product or the business). If you don't like the meetings but just enjoy being on your own do it! ITS YOUR BUSINESS!! Not your recruiter or director. You may have joined their team, but if they are showing selfishness then they are not TRUE team players and therefore I don't feel you are obligated to them. There are some really nice people out there to interact with. THis can be a FUN experience, YOU have the choice of whether or not you will make it so.

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