The Smartest Woman I Know

Samantha and I have been part of the Mary Kay family for nearly three and a half years now.  She attends her weekly success meetings and brings back tidbits of Mary Kay philosophy, blurbs and sayings the Mary Kay consultants use and pass on to motivate themselves to greatness.  Many of these ideas have found their way onto the pages of my blog because they ring true to me, echoing my own beliefs about how to treat people and how to treat yourself.

Just recently I wrote a blog on faking it until it is real - that is straight from Mary Kay.  Mary Kay also teaches that it is none of your business what people think of you.  The debt free, privately owned, $5 billion corporation is founded on the precepts God first, Family second, Career third, putting the emphasis on what is important on life before anything.  What other multinational company could say such a thing and get away with it?

When Samantha and I made the decision to pursue Mary Kay as a business (because it is a business and not just a hobby), I knew all about the numbers.  I knew that you made 50% from everything you sold.  I knew that as a home-based business, simply signing your agreement opened the door to thousands of dollars of tax relief (our first year we got $2,500 back, and we didn’t do a great job taking advantage of all the tax benefits).  I knew that if you chose to grow your team through sharing the Mary Kay opportunity, you could earn a commission check from Mary Kay just like any other corporate sales job (I did learn that Mary Kay is not a pyramid or a multi-level marketing scheme because your commission comes from the company and not from your recruits).  I knew that you could give yourself a promotion simply by introducing someone to a company that choses to believe in you as much as you believe in yourself.  I also knew that someday you could earn a PINK CADILLAC.

Since then, I have learned a lot.  I have learned that the Mary Kay business is an investment, and your return is determined by how much you choose to put into it - be it money or effort.  I have learned to celebrate small things because they are worth celebrating.  I have learned that you can earn more than just money and prizes (and they are big on both).  You can earn self-confidence.  You can earn self-reliance.  You can earn a go-give attitude.  Mary Kay has a way of showing you the person you can be and giving you the map to get there, if you chose to walk the path.

Every Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant’s path is different.  Our path has taken us up and down, it has taken zigs and zags, we have coasted, sprinted, crawled, and strolled.  We have always moved forward, even if it was inch by inch.  Samantha has worked hard and she has worked smart.  She has taught me when and how I can help her (even if I don’t always listen or follow through).  She has taught me when to encourage and when to stay out of the way.  She has taught me better skin care (which is why I like to believe some of my kids think I am 25 instead of 31), shown me new and exciting ways to look at the future, and opened my eyes to the promise of financial freedom.

Samantha has had many milestones along the path.  This week, she has earned her biggest one yet - the legendary free car.  No, not the pink one yet, that is still a little further down the path.  Soon, you will see us driving everywhere in a free Mary Kay Chevy Malibu (known as the “boo” in their unit meetings).  We could have taken the cash option of $375 a month, but prefer the outwardly visible sign of the fruits of Samantha’s hard work.  I can’t wait.  This is going to be sooooooooo much fun.

Samantha could not have done this alone.  Mary Kay believes in a team effort, and without Samantha’s Rockstars (the name of her future unit), this would not have been possible.  I have to thank them for the opportunity to work with such classy, hardworking, and self-confident women.  We never would have gotten to this point with out them.  They truly are Rockstars!  I can’t wait to celebrate each and every one of them as they work to earn their own free cars.

Down the road is hard work, but there is also reward.  I am excited to help Samantha achieve her next milestone - directorship - which leads us closer to financial freedom.  I am also excited about the next two levels of car - Toyota Camry/Chevy Equinox and the Pink Cadillac CTS or SRX.  I am excited about everything Mary Kay has to bring us.  I am excited to see Samantha achieve and grow as a person, a woman, and a wife.  I am excited that an opportunity like this even exists.  Thank you Mary Kay and thank you Samantha for being the smartest woman I know.