She was a forty-five-year-old widow with three children and $5,000 in savings. She used it to start a company that celebrated women.
A few short lessons on goal setting — free, online — to turn “stuck” into a first real step.
Who Mary Kay Ash was
Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Cosmetics, one of the largest direct-selling beauty companies in the world. She became a symbol of female entrepreneurship.
The struggle
Mary Kay Wagner was born in 1918 in Texas. She married young, had three children, and divorced. She worked as a sales trainer for a home-products company for twenty-five years, watching men she trained get promoted above her.
She retired, intending to write a book about the unfairness of the business world. The book became a business plan. She decided to create a company where women could succeed on their own terms.
In 1963 she founded Beauty by Mary Kay with $5,000. She was forty-five, a single mother, and had no guarantee the idea would work.
The turning point
Mary Kay built her company on recognition, faith, and personal relationships. She rewarded top saleswomen with pink Cadillacs, diamonds, and public applause. She encouraged women to believe in themselves and each other.
The company grew rapidly. By the 1980s it had hundreds of thousands of independent beauty consultants worldwide. Mary Kay became one of the wealthiest women in America.
“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you.”
The principle
When the system does not value you, build a new system. Mary Kay Ash did not wait for corporate America to promote her. She created a place where women could rise by helping each other.
Apply it today
If your environment does not reward your strengths, design one that does. Surround yourself with people who encourage you. Celebrate small wins. Confidence is contagious.
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