Kathie's Big Adventure

Well, I guess I'm finally ready to make my big announcement that I hinted at here and here. After being home for 14 years as a full time homemaker, wife and mom I've taken the plunge back into the workforce--part time, of course. I have just recently opened my own Mary Kay Cosmetics home based business and I'm very excited about it.

I had a Mary Kay business 23 years ago right after I graduated from Ripon College. It went pretty well but once Matt and I planned to get married and move to New Jersey I sold my product back to the company and closed my business. I have continued to use the products on and off over the years and I've always loved them. I started my good friend Ruth Anne Adams on the products all those years ago and she eventually became a consultant herself. So I've been buying from her for the past 15+ years. Anyway, Ruth Anne has bugged me on and off about getting back in to the business but I've put her off over and over again saying that being a wife and mom IS my career of choice.

However, as I looked toward the fall when all my kids would be in school full time I figured a part time job would be good for some extra money. But I didn’t want to work every day, or lots of nights or weekends or when my kids had days off or when they had breaks, or when they got sick, or when I wanted to volunteer at church. So how many jobs do you think that I found? That’s right—a big fat zippo. Except, Mary Kay. Owning and running a Mary Kay business lets me work when it’s convenient to me and my family’s schedule. I am still free to do volunteer work at church and school, attend field trips, or stay home with my kids when they’re sick. Having a Mary Kay business in our home is also a great way to teach some functional business skills to Katie. Who knows? Maybe she’ll be a consultant someday too?

So Ruth Anne and I talked about it, she talked to her sister Mary who is her Sales Director, who in turn spoke with her National Sales Director. Mary Kay, Inc. has a policy that says that once a consultant sells her product back to the company she can't ever reinstate as a consultant again. This policy prevents people from taking the business lightly and just flitting in and out of it every few years. That seems reasonable to me . . . and yet, my case was quite different. With the consent of Ruth Anne's sister and her National I drafted a letter to the VP of Marketing at Mary Kay, Inc. in Dallas and told them my tale. I asked if they could make an exception in my case and allow me to reinstate as a beauty consultant. After all, it had been 23 years. Well, my letter was brought up to their board of directors and last month I received the happy news that I was approved for reinstatement.

When I signed on as a new beauty consultant I truly wasn’t thinking about making it into any real big business venture. I just wanted to get my own products at wholesale and maybe do a few facials a month for fun, some extra money and ministry. But once I looked closer at all the benefits a Mary Kay career offered I got very excited about really running it as a small business. After discussing it with Matt he gave me his blessing (and the start up funds!). Since then it's been a whirlwind of activity around here. I've ordered product, custom product labels, business cards, opened a business bank account, set up an online ordering website, met some new people, and I've already held my first appointments and sold my first products. I'm really having fun with this and I think it will be a good thing for me and our family. I told the kids that once I make my first $500 in PROFIT (not just sales) I will take the family to a cool waterpark hotel for a grand overnight. So they've picked out a few destination options and they are on board with me for this new venture. After making just 3 sales I'm already halfway to this goal!!

Mary Kay, Inc. has retained the core values it started with--encouraging women to live balanced lives with "God first, family second, career third," excellent products, personalized customer service, try before you buy, 100% satisfaction guarantee, running business guided by The Golden Rule, good value for your money, unlimited career growth, and rewards for achievement. But the changes I see in the company are really good ones--improved and simplified products, complete web-based training and ordering (for customers who want this), more options for how to run your business, and fewer outside required meetings. Mary Kay, Inc. truly acknowledges and supports the needs of today's woman, her values and her priorities.

I think this will be a great way for me to earn some extra income while having a very low inconvenience impact on my family. My plan for now is to hold two appointments each week--week in, week out. With only 1 of those being an evening appointment. I believe that with consistent effort I'll be able to add more income to our family budget than if I worked for someone else 20 hours a week.

As an Independent Beauty Consultant, I am also a small business owner. So we get the tax benefits of business ownership, not an employer. And when people purchase from me, they are supporting a small, female-owned business in their community. I also have the freedom to customize my service to suit preferred shopping styles—phone, email or online. I also have my own personal online ordering website that people can use to order Mary Kay cosmetics from me. And I deliver (or mail) ALL orders for FREE.

So, is there any reason why you wouldn't want to try some Mary Kay products today? (Just had to get that in there! HaHa). I would appreciate your encouragement and prayers in this new adventure. It's fun.