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Mary Kay AshFounder of the cosmetics company 'Mary Kay Cosmetic'.
Date of Birth: 12.05.1917
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Mary Kay Ash
Mary Kay Ash was the founder of the cosmetic company 'Mary Kay Cosmetics'. Within the framework of the trading program, a significant number of women were involved in this activity, and by 1981, Ash was "responsible" for 15 women who became millionaires through the sale of skincare products. This unprecedented success was unmatched. Mary Kay Ash was a charismatic figure, whose confidence in her purpose was highly infectious. Her innate determination gave her the courage to establish a company in the face of hostility from two major organizations led by men. In response to their schemes, she still created her own company and provided an opportunity for mothers to work and earn a living while managing their household responsibilities. Ash's insight allowed each working mother to determine their own level of productivity and compensation, essentially becoming their own boss and establishing their own work schedule based on their children's school schedules. The result was the multi-level marketing company "Mary Kay Cosmetics", which achieved its goals so successfully that by 1993, its annual income exceeded one billion dollars. Ash created the perfect company that catered to the needs of working women. By realizing her lifelong dream, she built a giant business that matched her vivid imagination. Her main goal was not the traditional strategy of optimizing shareholder profits. In fact, after seventeen years, "Mary Kay Cosmetics" became a public shareholder company (1968), but she decided to repurchase a controlling stake and eventually all shares to make it a private company again because one shareholder had the audacity to doubt the ability of her "pink Cadillac" to generate profits, which is the foundation of her marketing strategy. This story of a "rags to riches" transformation was described in detail by Horatio Alger and told of a tremendous leap towards wealth. Mary Kay Ash's story demonstrates that anyone can achieve their dreams if they do not blindly follow the traditional rules set by business experts.
The Success of Mary Ash
Mary Kay Ash's success lies in her personality. She captivates female consultants with presentations she holds annually in Dallas. There are currently 250,000 consultants, and Mary Kay's meetings or contacts always end her business trips to Dallas brilliantly. Ash has the ability to electrify the atmosphere at her meetings, and thanks to her charismatic manners, she receives thunderous applause when she says, "I created this company for you" (and always emphasizes this because their efforts were the real force behind the emergence and development of "Mary Kay Cosmetics"). The idea to create "Mary Kay Cosmetics", like in other stories of great success, came unexpectedly. Ash felt a strong need to write a book about working women and male chauvinism in the workplace. At the age of twenty-five, she gave up trading with two different companies on a direct commission basis and began working on her book about mistreatment of women in male-dominated positions. While sitting at her kitchen table, brainstorming the book plan, she had two lists. One contained her negative experiences in companies that prioritized male rights and eloquently testified to how not to run a company. The second list included the conditions necessary for an ideal company, especially convenient for the career of a woman with a family and children. She suddenly envisioned herself designing the perfect company that would be attractive for working women to join. Ash put aside writing the book at that moment and focused on realizing her vision of the ideal company. Later, she told the press that "Mary Kay Cosmetics" was born at that moment and added, "I wanted to create a company that would provide opportunities for women - for every woman with a family and raising children - to have control over their own careers. Their world should not be quotas or strict rules; consultants should be free and have the ability to manage their time. This employment structure allows women to prioritize their families, which is significant. How many women are concerned that they cannot work when they have problems at home!" ("Savvy," June 1985). Her zest for life, sense of self-worth, and confidence were essential components in her risky venture. Friends, relatives, her accountant, and her lawyer all advised the aspiring entrepreneur to abandon her plan as it was bound to fail. Ash ignored their advice and followed her plan, which fulfilled her dream. Ash's unique products and her army of housewives and female consultants ultimately made "Mary Kay Cosmetics" extremely profitable. However, the decisive factor is Ash's charisma. She has the unique ability to motivate people to take action. One of her top priorities was her empathy for these women. Having been in their shoes, she could empathize with all the challenges faced by working mothers. This innate understanding was felt every time she spoke with them.
The Carnival Night in Dallas
Mary Kay Ash's carnival night in Dallas was akin to the appearance of "Las Vegas Review" or a lively gathering. The event began with a campaign of thematic songs "mixed" with speeches about famous successful enterprises. The entire celebration was permeated with an evangelical sense of mutual love and reached its climax when Mary Kay Ash herself took the stage and generously handed out pink Cadillacs, mink coats, tickets to exotic trips, and bees adorned with diamonds. The sounds of a fifty-piece orchestra and the cries of women served as her approval. She declared, "This company is not about profits and losses, but about people and love." Later, she kindly greeted the maid in the lounge and asked, "How are you doing?" "Good," the girl replied. "No," Ash objected. "That can't be good! You are a great woman! This is just a fake mask... Don't you feel great? Then pretend until you become one!" Currently, this charismatic woman is a charming grandmother who still preaches the Great American Dream to anyone who wants to listen. She is a marketing miracle and a remarkable, energetic mind. The Horatio Alger Prize was awarded to her in 1978 for describing the story of her success. Today, Ash herself is a member of the award selection committee. The princess of all things pink is practically a regular participant in every talk show, including "Donahue" and "Oprah". She holds titles such as "Entrepreneur of the Year," "Outstanding Woman," and "Super Achievement" bestowed upon her by various organizations. She even received the title of "Outstanding Woman of the Year" from the French magazine "Les Femmes du Monde". Ash is also represented in the annual carnival procession as the "Queen of Queens". This is the refrain in the choir of her subordinates, who look up to her as their Queen, the Queen Bee.
The Bumblebee Symbol
The main inspiration for Ash and the metaphorical talisman of her company has always been the bumblebee. She elevated the bumblebee to paramount importance as a general symbol of success. "By all laws of aerodynamics, bumblebees shouldn't be able to fly with their tiny wings and heavy bodies. But bumblebees don't know that and somehow manage to fly," she said ("The Entrepreneurs'", 1986). Golden and diamond bee-shaped pins, each with twenty-one diamonds and valued at around four thousand dollars, are awarded to the "Queen of Sales" at the end of each fiscal year. It is the main symbol of success for consultants working at Mary Kay. Ash says about the bumblebee, "It is astonishingly similar to our women, who don't know that they shouldn't be able to reach the heights but successfully do." And that is precisely what Ash herself embodies - she did not know how to do business, but she became the honorary head of one of the largest cosmetic companies in the United States. She is a creative genius who shuns grandiose titles, but the results of her work speak for themselves. Ash is currently known as a charismatic woman, an enchanting grandmother who continues to inspire others with her energy and determination.
