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Who Was Mary Kay Ash?
Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Inc., a cosmetics company, in 1963, revolutionizing the industry with innovative incentive programs that empowered her employees to reap the rewards of their hard work. Her exceptional marketing acumen and interpersonal skills quickly propelled the company to remarkable success.
Early Life and Career
Mary Kathlyn Wagner, known as Mary Kay Ash, was born on May 12, 1918, in Hot Wells, Texas. A trailblazer for women in business, Ash established a significant cosmetics empire. In 1939, she began her career as a salesperson for Stanley Home Products, hosting home parties to promote household goods. Her impressive sales skills led to her recruitment by World Gifts in 1952. After more than a decade with the company, Ash resigned in protest when she witnessed yet another male colleague, whom she had trained, receiving a promotion and a salary that far exceeded her own.
Entrepreneurial Venture
Following her disillusionment with the traditional corporate environment, Ash embarked on her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 45. With an initial investment of $5,000 in 1963, she acquired the formulas for skin lotions from the family of a tanner who had developed these products while working with hides. Together with her son, Richard Rogers, she opened a small store in Dallas, employing nine salespeople at the outset. Today, Mary Kay Inc. boasts over 1.6 million independent salespeople worldwide.
The company turned a profit in its inaugural year, achieving nearly $1 million in product sales by the end of its second year, a testament to Ash’s business savvy and guiding philosophy. The sales model mirrored her earlier experiences, utilizing home parties and events to sell cosmetics. However, Ash differentiated her business by implementing incentive programs and eliminating sales territories for her representatives. Grounded in her belief in the golden rule—”treat others as you want to be treated”—she operated under the principle of placing God first, family second, and career third. Ash was committed to ensuring that everyone within the organization had the opportunity to benefit from their achievements. Sales representatives, whom she referred to as consultants, purchased products at wholesale prices and sold them at retail prices, with the added incentive of earning commissions from new consultants they recruited.
Commercial Success
Mary Kay Ash’s exceptional marketing acumen and interpersonal skills played a pivotal role in establishing Mary Kay Cosmetics as a highly profitable enterprise. The company went public in 1968 but was reacquired by Ash and her family in 1985 following a downturn in stock prices. Despite this setback, the business continued to thrive, with annual sales now exceeding $2.2 billion, as reported on the company’s official website.
At the core of this successful organization was Ash’s vibrant personality, characterized by her affection for the color pink, which was prominently featured in product packaging and even in the Cadillacs awarded to top-earning consultants each year. Ash’s genuine appreciation for her consultants was evident; she famously stated, “People are a company’s greatest asset.” Her innovative approach and effective strategies garnered significant admiration, resulting in notable achievements. She authored several influential books, including Mary Kay: The Success Story of America’s Most Dynamic Businesswoman (1981), Mary Kay on People Management (1984), and Mary Kay: You Can Have It All (1995).
Later Years and Death
Although Ash stepped down as CEO in 1987, she remained actively involved in the business. In 1996, she founded the Mary Kay Charitable Foundation, which focuses on supporting cancer research and combating domestic violence. Her contributions to the business world were recognized in 2000 when she was named the most outstanding woman in business of the 20th century by Lifetime Television.
Mary Kay Ash passed away on November 22, 2001, in Dallas, Texas. By this time, the company she founded had evolved into a global enterprise, with representatives in over 30 markets. Ash is remembered for her remarkable achievement in creating a lucrative business that provided women with unprecedented opportunities for financial independence.
Personal Life
Mary Kay Ash was married three times and had three children—Richard, Ben, and Marylyn—by her first husband, J. Ben Rogers. Their marriage ended in divorce following Rogers’ return from military service in World War II. Her second marriage, to a chemist, was brief, as he passed away from a heart attack in 1963, just one month after their wedding. In 1966, she married her third husband, Mel Ash, and the couple remained together until Mel’s death in 1980.