My wife is interested in selling Mary Kay, is it a worthwhile endeavor? Are they structured like those pyramid schemes, where profits from sales she makes goes to someone else higher up the chain? Thanks for any info.
2006-09-22 00:15:17 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Small Business
Like the other poster mentioned, it is not a pyramid scheme. There are consultants and directors but everyone has an equal opportunity to advance and even surpass others. Mary Kay can be a good business. When you become a Mary Kay consultant, you are starting your own business. These means your sucess depends only on you. You can run a small business or a big one. You make your own hours. You determine how much money to invest. I started by paying my $100 for a starter kit. I choose not to buy inventory. Some directors will pressure their recruits to buy inventory but I don't give in to pressure. Also, there are a lot of prizes and stuff that you can win. I don't go for it. To me, it's a business. It's not about winning jewerly or even a trip. It's about making money, that's it. Sometimes it's the going for prizes that gets people in trouble in terms of spending. It is best to do your research. Does your wife actually use and like the products? Does she know people that like the products and will buy from her? I don't pressure my friends and family to buy. They know I'm here if they are interested and we leave it at that. I did make sure and ask everyone from the get-go if they would be interested or not. Those that said no, never heard me mention it again. Does your wife like people? Does she like to chat on the phone? How does she feel about mentioning Mary Kay everytime she meets someone new? Personally, I don't like doing these things and thus my business is very small. But, that's the way I like it. Good luck!
2006-09-22 09:28:30 · answer #1 · answered by Jen 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are going to get tones of opinions and many different answers anything worth having is work it is not easy money. For me it was harder t get up at 5:30 am take my daughter to daycare drive 42 miles to a job that didn't appreciate me rush to get my daughter to avoid a late fee make dinner put my daughter to bed after maybe an hour of time with her and start all over again. I am investing in myself and our future It is all prospective and what is important to you. I know how you feel i had similar questions everyone has You need to decide is it worth the $100 started kit to give it a try and see. As for those that say it is expensive my question is compared to what? Mary Kay is high end Department store quality product with a free service (that's you) If they are comparing the product to comparable quality products it is sometimes even less expensive. I could go write a ton on this subject Personally it has changed my life and I know several others who would say the same I am a happier more energetic person with more self confidence not to mention the cash and prizes i have earned. I make my own hours and put my family before my work so for me no it isn't hard at all it is a gift. Good Luck with whatever you decide just don't wonder what if and if you do join send me an email if you need any support or if I can answer any questions.
2016-03-17 23:58:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have an ex-friend who is an ex-friend because of Mary Kay. Mary Kay has this philosophy about God being first, family second and work third. That said, it's hypocritical because they really expect Mary Kay to be first. It's like a cult, I swear! The products are great, but they are very expensive and Mary Kay expects people to sell, sell, sell. It got to the point that I couldn't even call or visit my friend without being accosted about buying products I didn't need or want. And they try to recruit non-Mary Kay-sellers all the time, too. It can be profitable if you are aggressive and constantly try to sell to everyone like my ex-friend did, but it can also cost you your friendships if you buy into the cult mentality and think about nothing but sales at the expense of personal relationships.
I have another friend who also sold Mary Kay (she is still a friend). She was normal and didn't get into the mania, and she found it was too hard to make a profit so she quit. Mary Kay expects you to stock a bunch of products at your house. You pay half the cost, so you need a significant amount of money for start-up so that you can have the full range of products on hand for your customers.
2006-09-22 00:26:41 · answer #3 · answered by nido_tr3s 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I have my own Mary Kay business and I love it! I started out with the starter kit (which costs $100, and has over $350 of product) and they have a 90% buy back program so if you do not like the business or if you want to stop selling Mary Kay for any reason, they buy back your products for 90% of your cost. So if you buy $100 of product, they will send a check for $90! It is a great small business to start on a very small budget and the name sells itself! It is very rewarding, fun and you make a lot friends!
I am sorry that some women may have had bad experiences with their own businesses, but I also own my own dog daycare that cost over a half a million to open, and my products are not returnable to their original companies. If I buy something that flops, I eat the loss, not the manufacturer. So with experience in the real world of business and now with my small Mary Kay business I think that anyone who puts just a couple of hours a week into marketing their business could make a living off of it!
Lynne Blecher
Chief Operations Officer of Unleashed and Mary Kay Businees Owner
www.marykay.com/lblecher
Feel free to send your wife to my website to ask any other questions!
2006-09-23 07:11:58 · answer #4 · answered by fshmonger 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To set the record straight, Mary Kay is not a pyramid...pyramids are illegal. This business is a multi-level marketing business. What this means is that everyone has an equal opportunity to surpass what anyone else is able to achieve within the company. No profits from her own pocket are passed up to her recruiter. She will sell products and keep her share of the profit, which will be paid to her directly. Her recruiter will also make a percentage of the profit from the sale of product, which would be sent to her in a separate payment. There is no exchange of monies between representatives. Mary Kay is a highly reputable and very successful company and a member of the Direct Seller's Association. I would recommend it to anyone and I would also recommend that you ask questions of the woman who is sponsoring her, or of a Mary Kay customer service representative. It's always welcoming when the husband is supportive of his wife's new business venture and they will gladly answer any questions you have. Good for you for doing your due diligence in researching this further. It is quite common to hear people complain about how the business didn't work for them, when it is usually these very people who did not put in the effort and accept no responsibility.
2006-09-22 03:16:32 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Mary Kay makes wonderful products. There is an initial investment. She then needs to get her clients who will buy as well as other people who Will sell - so YES it is a pyramid. She can keep products in stock or she can order as she gets orders from customers. When I sold MK, I had a difficult time finding clients as the people I knew were strictly mall people and buying MK didn't compare to the Chanel label. However, I always had enough customers to place orders. I would say a lot depends on the area you live. Large urban cities don't fare as well as smaller rural communities. Some women make decent money and prizes. It can be a fun part-time job and better than Avon as there is more customer contact because you teach clients how to use products as well as provide make-up lessons. Again, it depends on where you live and what your goals are. It also depends on how motivated your wife is to get clients as well as build her down-line. Also, there are meetings and seminars etc... Would I do it again? No, as I have too much on my plate (kids, etc) and a 9-5 job is a guaranteed paycheck weekly. However, in several years, we may be moving to a more rural community and it may be an option. Good Luck!
2006-09-22 00:31:16 · answer #6 · answered by Lioness 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I used to do Mary kay and I won't again. My husband found us a home base business and we love it . No scam and it is strictly legit. No collecting, no inventory and no overhead. Email rbowen12@windstream.net Good luck
2006-09-22 01:32:51 · answer #7 · answered by Missy B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋