Pretty In Pink

Mary Kay Cosmetics. The pink bubble.

Lip stick and eye shadow swatches on my arms, pockets full of cash, late night dates with the boyfriend after "Success" meeting highs. Phone calls, open houses, heels, dresses, skirts and jewelry. Laughter, smiles, personal growth and friendship. These are the things I think about when I think about Mary Kay.

In August 2011 is when I started my journey with Mary Kay. It's one of the few things that I haven't let go of over the years. It's stuck with me through homelessness and through different relationships. It's traveled with me over the US from Idaho, back to the east coast through mental health lows when I lost all other income.

I'm super duper proud to be a part of this company, as much flack as Direct Sales gets these days, there is just so much good that I've seen this company do. And so much more it has to offer if you embrace its potential. It's privately owned, it is not in the stock exchange. No one but the company owners who carry the heart of Mary Kay Ashe, the founder who passed in 2001, makes decisions for this company. And it's her grandson! Our product is home grown, manufactured and shipped right here in the USA! And besides the business income producing side - it has brought me so much happiness.

I've been a nanny, I've worked several retail positions. I've tried being a chiropractic medical receptionist once when randomly offered a position during my first intake appointment, due to my bubbly disposition. And there is nothing like working with Mary Kay. The love connection, care and growth- anywhere I go. We are based in Texas. And things are pretty big there, especially our annual seminar right in Dallas. It's basically a big, fancy 3-day party with sparkles, music, prize pick up, food, shows and ball gowns. It also comes with under eye bags from the very little sleep that happens with all the excitement. (No worries, we've got products for that!)

I like who I work with and I like that I create my own pace and sell products that I'm passionate about. It fills my bucket when it's empty until it is over flowing for me to shower over others. When you find something you love you don't let it go.

Silvina lives in Idaho, I see her once a year in Dallas Texas at Seminar as our Mary Kay family reunites!

Mary Kay even established a program called the Dovetail Program to ensure we take care of each other. It states that if you have an appointment booked that you can not make, due to accident, sickness, or something came up, you can ask another consultant to hold it for you. In return you get 15% of the sales for the appointment if it's $50+ and you keep the hostess as your personal customer. The consultant who steps in takes the guests as their customers. Caring and taking care of each other from the beginning! I haven't heard about this in any other company!

Don't worry though, I've had my fair share of hardships with Mary Kay. I've met some less than honest people who do not run their business with integrity. I've accidentally called the same customer referral multiple times in the same week because different people referred the same person, and I didn't write their last names, and I didn't check my phone for repeat numbers called. I know I pissed her off, it was an honest mistake.

I've had quarrels within my Unit (aka the MK family that I joined with). My sales director Cortney, and her family, were old family friends from when I was a child. We go way back. Pool parties, church activities, girls camps, etc. Being close and having old ties can make things challenging sometimes. But Cortney believed in me, supported me and praised me. She held me accountable when I wasn't fair. And she has made me a better person. She was how my journey in Mary Kay began actually. One of Mary Kay's biggest initiatives is to "Pass It On."

I was moved to Idaho for college (BYU-I) the summer of 2011. I hadn't seen Cortney in years, but she reached out to me and told me that we need to meet up. My schedule had been super busy with my new first job, new church activities and responsibilities. We finally were able to agree to meet up. She invited me to a Mary Kay facial. I told her that I didn't like MK, she said that was okay and that she just wanted to spend some time with me and get my opinion of the new products. My only experiences with MK up until then was many years prior when my mother brought home some (old) Mary Kay products that she found cleaning out clutter from one of the houses she cleaned for. No doubt it was not for my skin type and definitely expired, because that night when Cortney walked me through the facial, I tried to hide how amazing my face felt. At the end, I bought it all- skin care and new foundation.

She asked me if I could do what she did tonight. I told her, "oh yeah it's super simple!" And she told me that I too could have my own business and make money by selling these products to my friends and family. I was a poor college student, if she could change my stubborn mind through kindness and just getting me to try it and have some girlfriend time, then others would love this, too... I signed my beauty agreement two days later, and the rest is history.

The company supplies training with the top and best leaders anywhere you go! You will be linked and connected to their training meetings! I remember in the first few months of my business with the adopted Sales Director I worked with (Cortney was not yet a director) I showed up early and went to her before the meeting started to ask some hard questions. I was homeless, and struggling. I needed money.

Tammy is on the right!

She was sparkly, put together, hair and nails done, in beautiful heels with her company designer director suit. She drove a pink Cadillac, made six figures, and had five children in private school. She had a back story I never got tired of hearing. She was eight months pregnant, in her husbands t shirt and a pair of leggings sitting in on a business meeting, with not a lick of make up on, except for mascara which was all she wore. She heard the numbers, she was smart, and she started her business. She also loved camping and getting dirt under her nails. She taught me anyone, no matter your background, can work this business. She was on fire. I wanted to be like her, so much. Her name is Tammy Brown. And she always knew what to say and had a wonderful way with words. I could trust her!

I asked her if she knew anyone who has ever been able to hold parties while homeless, and where should I go. I didn't know what to do, I needed income. She praised me for showing up to the meeting, that this is where I needed to be, and to bring people here. When I expressed my frustration in a frantic, angry way, she nipped it in the butt with a firm and raised voice and told me: people who work this business succeed, the numbers work. Let this meeting fill you up. But she didn't have time for Negative Nancy's today. This was a happy place and to get to work. And you know what? I cried. Hard. It hurt my feelings. But it's what I needed to hear. I don't know what was going on in her personal life that day, I know mine was a wreck. I'm not sure if she even remembers that day. I don't recall if I stayed that evening for the meeting or not, but I didn't stop going. I never stopped going to meetings. No matter where my Mary Kay business was, I kept going.

Owning my own business has taught me professionalism over the phone and in person. When I don't know an answer to a question, I let them know I will look for the answer and get back to them. And then I find the answer and get back to them. Follow-through is the most important key for building relationships with friends and loyal customers. It's also the key to life-long, strong friendships and relationships.

Mary Kay taught me some people are here for reasons, and some are here for seasons!

I remember being so excited in loving these products with all my heart, that I decorated them in a basket and brought them to my appointments to show off the newest products. I didn't have a large inventory then, its not required- but very useful, so what I did bring, I was most excited about! Now I host Annual Holiday Open Houses for my customers and friends. My house is decorated. You can demo the new products of the season, have a cookie and enjoy the event.

I've met such powerful women with big dreams, aspirations and desires. In fact, I learned the definition of aspirations through my Mary Kay training. And then I made some for myself. Mary Kay was a continuance of my relationship with God, whom I referred to as Heavenly Father. Their moto is God first, Family second, Career third. My beliefs have changed, but Mary Kay hasn't, so I say Faith first, Family second Career third. The company cares about your well-being, Your happiness and health, then your family's, and then your business. You can't take care of your family or anyone else, until you have taken care of yourself.

I remember when Cortney's younger sister was diagnosed with cancer. She moved her entire life, with her first child who was a newborn, sold her car, put her things in storage and moved back home across the country to West Virginia to be with family. She drove the *free* Mary Kay car she earned, and stayed with her family, during their hardship. Both Cortney and her mother, who was also a Sales Director, kept their business and the company called them by phone regularly to check in on them. They knew them by name and asked how their family was doing and if they needed anything. They weren't doing much with their businesses at that time. The company didn't even chat business, they just loved them from afar through phone calls, cards and genuine love while they went through their hardships with leukemia.

That's a company with honor!

That's when I met Miss Paisley, Cortney's daughter. She was a super tiny baby girl. Most of my time working my business, Cortney lived in Idaho. For the brief time she returned to the east coast, I got to see her a few more times than usual. I was holding Paisley while we visited Cortney's sister in the pediatric oncology hospital during her chemo treatments.

This was the year that I was the most active in my business. It was my first year to Seminar in Dallas. I started growing and thinking more for myself and it was the year I started shaving my head for childhood cancer.

I met a woman named Ammy Doedon. Another powerful Mary Kay lady who works her business a bit differently than most I've met in the company. You see, their is a culture in Mary Kay of sparkly things, heels, beautifully styled hair, panty hose and posh language. And while Ammy likes pretty things, she has a military back ground, and she shaved her head bald every year. (those two things aren't related) And from some health concerns, though young, she doesn't wear heels. But I think if she could she would. Naturally her bright spirit and fun language and style caught me off guard. Her love for flamingos and pink was on a whole new level!

It's hard to just pick one photo of Ammy, but these capture her essence to me. Her favorite hair style is bald.

She shaves her head with a non profit charitable foundation called St. Baldricks. She donates her business, her voice, her life and her hair to this cause. Though the hair is not donated to create wigs as most popularly believed, I supplied a hyperlink to another blog for an explanation. The shaving is symbolic. It's that Bald is Beautiful. Embrace your differences. Celebrate even when you're down. And cry freely, whenever you feel like it. This lady is bad ass. She knows it, we all know it. This year she became a director, of course! She's a born leader. And she's going to own an island one day and build a safe haven for sick children to come and experience love, laughter and play.

I somehow got off track from my usual chronological order so we are bringing it back to another powerful woman in leadership, and how I met Ammy. Meet Julie! We met in 2013, I believe. She was a brand new Sales Director. I eventually joined her adopted unit in 2014, but when I met her, she was finishing her Masters Degree, planning a wedding and battling a terrible MS flare up and in qualification to become a director. Since then she has gained a husband, two beautiful children, two off-spring sales directors, four free cars, free diamond rings, a trip to Spain and hundreds of new people and friends in her life with her business. These are just a few of her accolades. This woman is a fighter and I have spent the better part of about five years of weekly success meetings in her personal space because our Mary Kay businesses bringing us together! In 2017 for her unit yearly price and recognition night, she awarded me her units 'Go Give' Award, which is considered the Highest Honor in Mary Kay. It reflects selflessness, love, honesty and the true heart of Mary Kay Ashe. I was so honored that day to be in her unit family, as an adoptee, even though she makes $0 profit from me. It came to a total surprise! She, too, taught me that if she can do it anyone can. She was a radio personality for my local area, her voice is well known as Ginger Bob on 101.5 Bob Rocks.

Mary Kay has been a life-style, not just a business. Every person has their story, and sometimes your story is woven together to create giant dreams to come true. It is often said that this business is just a vehicle. You choose where you drive it, how far and how often. It's a means to an end. Soak it up, laugh it up, turn the radio on and sing along as you love what you do.

In January 2018 I had a serious suicide attempt by car, ironically enough. I lost almost all of my nannying jobs. I had some criminal charges associated with my suicide attempt as well as some complicated times. But my MK family was there for me, and so was my business and customers. It's been a slow healing process, but this life style has been the most consistent thing in my entire roller coaster of a life. I gained another best friend through that hardship from Julie's unit who pretty much can have a key to my house. Aurora girl, you're the best! She cried with me, worked with me, has seen all of the ugly my life has in it, and still loves me! She has been such a blessing!

I've been able to pick up and put down down my business when life had other things that needed addressed. There are always more people with skin who would like a pampering experience. It's not just about lip stick over here. We are real people living our lives, encouraging each other and growing. Together.

BFF's <3

Special thanks to my editor: MC_hammer