Who is Mary Kay

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THE LADY

Mary Kay Ash (May 12, 1918-November 22, 2001) was a U.S. businesswoman and the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.. Born Mary Kathlyn Wagner in Hot Wells, Texas, Ash worked for several direct sales companies from the 1930s until the early 1960s, achieving considerable success as a salesperson and trainer. Frustrated, however, at being passed over for promotions in favor of men, she retired in 1963, intending to write a book to assist women in business. The book turned into a business plan for her ideal company, and in September 1963, Ash and her son, Richard Rogers, began Mary Kay Cosmetics with a $5,000 investment. The company originally operated from a storefront in Dallas but grew rapidly, particularly after Ash was interviewed for CBS's 60 Minutes in 1979. The famous pink Cadillacs awarded to top sales people were the most visible sign of the company's success. Ash was widely respected, if not always understood, for her unconventional approach to business. She considered the Golden Rule the founding principle of Mary Kay Cosmetics, and the company's marketing plan was designed to allow women to advance by helping others to succeed. Unfailingly supportive and enthusiastic, she advocated "praising people to success," and her slogan "God first, family second, career third" expressed her insistence that the women in her company keep their lives in balance. Both during her life and posthumously, Ash received numerous honors from business groups, including the Horatio Alger Award. A long-time fundraiser for charities, she founded the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation to raise money to combat domestic violence and cancers affecting women. Ash served as Mary Kay Cosmetics' Chairman until 1987, when she was named Chairman Emeritus. She remained active in the company until suffering from a stroke in 1969. Richard Rogers was named CEO of Mary Kay Inc. in 2001. At the time of Ash's death, Mary Kay Cosmetics had over 800,000 representatives in 37 countries, with total annual sales over $2 billion at retail. Mary Kay authored three books, all of which became best-sellers. Her autobiography, Mary Kay, has sold more than one million copies and appears in several languages. Her business philosophy, Mary Kay on People Management, continues to be a great source of wisdom and has been included in business courses at the renowned Harvard Business School. Mary Kay Ash's third book, You Can Have It All, was launched in August 1995 and, remarkably, achieved "best-seller" status within days of its introduction. Her speeches and quotes continue to inspire the women of the Mary Kay sales force. Mary Kay suffered from a stroke 5 years before she died. She died November 22, 2001. [1] Mary Kay Ash is interred in the Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Dallas, Texas.

THE COMPANY

Mary Kay Inc. was created with one objective: to provide an open-ended opportunity for women. Quite simply,
Mary Kay encourages building a successful business while living a balanced life. Today, the latest developments in technology allow Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants to serve their customers with personalized service and efficient delivery of products through online shopping.

For more than 40 years, the Company has applied Mary Kay's philosophy of "faith first, family second and career third" and stayed true to the principles of the Golden Rule in conducting business. Mary Kay is more than quality skin care and colour cosmetics products and, of course, more than that famous pink Cadillac. Because the independent sales force embodies the philosophy of sharing and giving, Mary Kay Ash's legacy will continue to thrive.

Mary Kay Inc. neither conducts, nor causes, testing of its products or ingredients on laboratory animals. The Company is an active participant in programs to develop alternative testing methods.

Mary Kay Inc. has been widely recognized by such organizations as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the United Nations Environmental Programme for its efforts to preserve the environment by using recycled packaging materials and eliminating unnecessary packaging.

Click on the picture to go to the official American website of Mary Kay.

Mary Kay at a Glance

Mary Kay is a brand of skin care and color cosmetics sold by Mary Kay Inc. Mary Kay World Headquarters is located in Addison, Texas, United States, a Dallas suburb. Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Inc. on Friday, September 13, 1963. Richard Rogers, Mary Kay's son, is the executive chairman, and David Holl is president and was named CEO in 2006.Mary Kay Company Information page

In 1968, the company went public, being traded on the over the counter market. By 1976 it was large enough to be traded on the New York Stock exchange. In 1985, Ash took the company private through a leveraged buyout. As a private company, Mary Kay Inc. does not make all of its financial information available to the public.Mary Kay At-A-Glance - June 2006

The company has been criticized by opponents who call it a "product-based pyramid scheme," relying on constant recruitment of new sellers who purchase inventory so those who recruited them can earn commissions. However, opponents also recognize that the operations...

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