A Fresh Face in the World: Mary Kay Ash is born

“Most people live and die with their music still unplayed,” Mary Kay Ash once said. “They never dare to

try.” Ash was not one of those people. Raised in a time when few women were in business, let alone

successful in business, Ash broke down barriers on her rise up to creating a multi-billion dollar operation.

Today, Mary Kay Cosmetics Inc. continues to be a leader in the industry, with outlets in over 30 countries

that are staffed by 1.6 million employees.

Born on May 12, 1918 in Hot Wells, Texas, Mary Kay Ash’s carefree childhood was short lived. Her

parents operated a hotel and restaurant so popular that people would often come from Houston – over 25

miles away – to visit. However, when Ash was just seven years old, her father became seriously ill with

tuberculosis and was forced to move into a sanatorium. Ash’s mother sold the hotel and restaurant and

moved her family to Houston, where she opened a small café. Here, Ash was kept busy with the cleaning

and cooking.

Ash was a fiercely competitive girl in school, attributing it to a rivalry with a girl who lived next door who,

“had everything I wanted to have and did everything I wanted do to,” said Ash. Soon, Ash was bringing

home straight A’s, winning typing contests and ranking in the top three at state improvisational speaking

contests. “My mother’s words became the theme of my childhood,” said Ash. “They have stayed with me

all my life: ‘You can do it.’”

After graduating from Houston’s Reagan High School, Ash had wanted to enroll in Rice Institute.

However, for financial reasons, Ash was forced to give up on her dream of going to college. She soon

married Ben Rogers, a musician with whom she would come to have three children. After eleven years of

marriage, Rogers was drafted during World War II and would file for divorce from Ash while away on

duty. “It was the lowest point in my life,” she later recalled. “I felt like a complete failure as a woman.”

Ash was now left to take care of her three children on her own. She began taking premed courses at the

University of Houston, while also working part time as a secretary at the Tabernacle Baptist Church and as

a sales representative for Stanley Home Products (SHP). SHP used home demonstrations and independent

contractors to sell its merchandise. Soon, Ash made the decision to work for SHP full time, but success

would come slowly to her.

With no sales experience, Ash’s profits were initially barely enough to support her family. However, a

regional sales convention in Dallas would change everything. Here, in addition to learning more about sales

techniques, Ash became fascinated with the convention’s annual crowning of a ‘sales queen’. Ash wanted

to be the next sales queen. When she returned to Houston, Ash told the company’s president about her goal.

“He took my hand in both of his, looked me square in the eye and after a moment said, ‘Somehow I think

you will’,” Ash recalled. “Those five words changed my life.”

At the next year’s Dallas convention, Ash was indeed crowned ‘sales queen’. Nevertheless, it was precisely

Ash’s success that would soon lead to her undoing.

The Queen of Cosmetics: Ash Creates an Empire

As Ash’s sales for Stanley Home Products continued to increase, she began to recruit and train other

salespersons to work with her. It was SHP policy that for every person Ash recruited, she would receive a

small percentage of their sales revenue. Soon, Ash had over 150 women working for her. However, the

success of Ash and her sales team quickly began to worry SHP executives, who promptly moved Ash to

Dallas and refused to let her continue receiving commissions from her previous sales recruits. Ash made

the move to Dallas but resented SHP for punishing her hard work.

In 1953, Ash left SHP to take up work at World Gift Company, another direct sales organization based out

of St. Louis. Given her past experience, Ash was earning over $1,000 per month in her first year. She was

soon promoted to national training director for World Gift. Once again, however, Ash would see her efforts

penalized. In 1963, World Gift began to worry that Ash’s power was too great and demoted her. Ash

refused the new position, choosing instead to resign.

Ash had worked hard for over 25 years in the direct sales business, but all of a sudden she found herself

unemployed. “The boredom of retirement caused a deepening sense of discontent,” Ash later recalled. “I

had achieved success, but I felt that my hard work and abilities had never been justly rewarded.” Ever the

optimist, Ash began “making a list of only those good things that had happened to me during the previous

twenty-five years.”

Soon, Ash realized that what she had could make for the beginnings of a book. This book then turned into a

business plan for Ash’s ‘dream company’. “Before long, I began asking myself, ‘Why are you theorizing

about a dream company,’” said Ash. “‘Why don’t you just start one?’”

On September 13, 1963, Ash and her son, Richard Rogers, used their $5,000 in life savings to open a

cosmetics company, Beauty by Mary Kay. Ash had bought the formula for a skin-care cream she was using

as well as a storefront in Dallas, and began hiring friends as independent beauty consultants, her term for

salespersons. “From my own use and the results I had personally received, I knew that these skin-care

products were tremendous,” said Ash, “and with some modifications and high-quality packaging I was sure

they would be big sellers!”

In its first year, company sales reached $198,000, primarily from sales sessions, or ‘skin care classes’, her

sales team would hold in private homes. Ash rewarded her top salespeople with what would later become

her company’s trademark – pink Cadillacs. They would all work part time, earning money both from their

own direct sales, as well as bonuses from any recruits they brought onboard the Mary Kay team.

With its unique organizational structure and corporate culture, Ash’s company soared. In 1967, Mary Kay

Cosmetics became the first company on the New York Stock Exchange to be chaired by a woman. In the

14 years after going public, the company’s sales grew at an average annual rate of 28 percent. As full-time

job opportunities for women began to increase in the late 1980s and the company began to suffer, Ash and

her son made the decision to buy back the company, which they did for $315 million. In 1986, the

revamped Mary Kay Cosmetics saw its sales rebound. By 2004, company sales would reach over $1.8

billion in 30 markets.

Ash died on November 22, 2001, but not before leaving behind a successful multi-billion dollar operation

and a strong lesson in entrepreneurship.

Lesson #1: Live by the Golden Rule

“I can say unequivocally that every decision we make at Mary Kay Cosmetics is based on the Golden

Rule,” said Ash. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

On her rise to becoming one of the most successful businesswomen in America, Ash strove to create a

corporate culture that brought out the best in everyone. She believed that the Golden Rule should serve as a

practical guide to conducting one’s business affairs. She tried not only to live by this principle herself, but

to encourage the people around her to make a similar kind of effort.

Ash’s business philosophy was grounded in her strong religious beliefs. She was a proud Christian and

believed that her faith in God was what kept her grounded. “God didn’t have time to create a nobody – just

a somebody,” said Ash. “I believe that each of us has God-given talents within us waiting to be brought to

fruition…Each person is unique and special.” It was thus on the basis of her religious faith that Ash created

a corporate culture that embodied the Golden Rule.

“I have learned to imagine an invisible sign around each person’s neck that says ‘Make me feel

important,’” Ash said. “I never cease to be amazed at how positively people react when they’re made to

feel important.” Ash thought that there was a certain dignity of selling as a profession, and along with this

came a certain dignity with which everyone was meant be treated. “Everyone wants to be appreciated,” she

said. “So, if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret.”

However, Ash’s goodwill towards others was not just as a result of her religious upbringing. Rather, Ash

understood that the Golden Rule also made for a golden principle in business; treating people well simply

made good business sense. It was to this end that Ash created a company that came to be known as a

‘people company’. “Mary Kay Cosmetics is known for ‘praising people to success,’” said Ash. “We think

this is so important, we base our entire marketing plan on it.”

Ash believed that her people were her company’s greatest asset. “It doesn’t make any difference whether

the product is cars or cosmetics,” she said. “A company is only as good as the people it keeps.” In addition

to creating a corporate environment of encouragement and praise, Ash also used material incentives to

reward her workers. The pink Cadillac was the most well-known of these, but Ash also gave out other such

rewards as diamond bee pins. “We treat our people like royalty,” she said. “If you honor and serve the

people who work for you, they will honor and serve you.”

To this day, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, which works to supports efforts in the fight against

women’s cancers and putting an end to violence again women, continues to embody Ash’s belief in the

Golden Rule. In its fundraiser information form, the organization specifically outlines its Golden Rule

Philosophy, whereby “a fundraiser should be just that – a fundraiser benefiting a specific charity or

organization. A fundraiser should not be used as a device to market the Mary Kay opportunity or share the

marketing plan.”

She may have been breaking all the business rules, but in practicing the Golden Rule, Ash was gaining the

respect and dedication of all those around her. “Some might consider the Golden Rule corny and old-

fashioned, but no one can deny its simple truth,” she said. “Imagine how much better our world would be if

everyone lived by this creed.”

Lesson #2: Define Your Priorities and Goals

Ash ran her company under the motto “God first, family second, career third.” Ever conscious of the value

of time, Ash knew it was the one commodity she would never be able to get back. Thus, in both her

personal and professional lives, she learned early on the importance of practicing disciplined time

management.

Every day before Ash went to work, she would make a list of the “Six Most Important Things” to do, and

give herself deadlines to finish each. “Over the years, I’ve observed that nearly all high achievers know

how to make good of those 1,440 minutes in each day,” said Ash. It is to this end that Ash advises her

employees to try and live a balanced life, defining and prioritizing their commitments.

Part of defining her priorities for Ash meant constantly outlining her goals. “We must have a theme, a goal

a purpose in our lives,” she said. “If you don’t know where you’re aiming, you don’t have a goal.” Ash

believed that without a sense of direction, it would be too easy for one to get lost in the business world, as

in life. “An average person with average talents and ambition and average education,” she said, “can

outstrip the most brilliant genius in our society, if that person has clear, focused goals.”

When Ash first began working as a part-time sales representative for Stanley Home Products in 1938, she

struggled to do well at her new job. Not only did she want to impress her bosses, but more importantly she

needed to support her family and make ends meet. It was for this reason that Ash started writing weekly

sales goals on her bathroom mirror using soap. “A good goal is like a strenuous exercise – it makes you

stretch,” said Ash. “Give yourself something to work towards constantly.” Her bathroom mirror goals may

have been washable, but they were permanent in her mind and they helped her to organize and define her

life.

Once Ash had decided to create Mary Kay Cosmetics, her vision may have changed, but she nonetheless

continued to outline her goals: “to provide women with an unparalleled opportunity for financial

independence, career and personal fulfillment,” and “to achieve total customer satisfaction by delivering

the products and services that enhance a woman's self-image and confidence.” She knew that in defining

her goals, she could hold herself more accountable in achieving them.

Ash also understood that, like her, many of her employees were struggling to cope with the new

opportunities that entering the workforce afforded to them. Ash wanted her employees to earn their own

wages, but not at the cost of their families. “We must figure out how to remain good wives and good

mothers while triumphing in the workplace,” said Ash. “This is no easy task for the woman who works

full-time. With your priorities in order, press on, and never look back. May all of your dreams come true.

You can, indeed, have it all.”

Lesson #3: Let Your Intellect Rely On Your Instincts

One month before Ash’s company was set to launch, her second husband died of a heart attack. He had

been the one in charge of the legal and financial matters of Beauty by Mary Kay. With him gone, Ash

wasn’t sure if she could still succeed in achieving her dreams. When she approached both her lawyer and

accountant with the idea to continue launching her company, she was given the same response – she was

told she would lose her entire life savings of $5,000. They did not think Ash had what it took to succeed

without her husband.

If Ash had listened to those two men, both her life and the entire cosmetics industry would have gone in

completely different directions than they did. Thankfully, Ash listened not to those men, but instead to her

instincts. She had done an analysis on what her new business would have in its favour, and decided that the

risk was one worth taking. As of yet, there had been no market leaders in skin care, and Ash believed that

she could fill that gap. Ash also believed that her product was one which women would both enjoy using

and selling, and that there existed a strong potential for repeat business.

“Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly,” said Ash, “but the bumble bee doesn’t know it

so it goes on flying anyway.” It didn’t matter to Ash that the so-called industry ‘experts’ had told her she

was nuts for wanting to start her own company. She believed that with her past business experience,

combined with her determination and enthusiasm, she could make a successful go at it. “If you think you

can, you can,” Ash was fond of saying. “And if you think you can’t, you’re right.”

Starting her company wasn’t the only time Ash came up against obstacles that challenged her gut instincts.

In the mid-1980s, shareholders began to get antsy about the rewarding of pink Cadillacs to her sales team.

Calling them “frivolous pink cars,” they began to demand that Ash stop this incentives program. However,

Ash felt very strongly that this motivational scheme served as the backbone of her company. In response to

her critics, Ash decided that she didn’t need public money badly enough to jeopardize her entire operation.

Once again, Ash ignored the warnings of the ‘critics’, and bought back the company. In the end, it proved

to be a smart move.

“You can have anything in this world you want, if you want it badly enough and you’re willing to pay the

price,” said Ash. “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. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.”

Ash dared to risk not only public criticism but also significant private losses – betting her entire life savings

on her instincts – in order to achieve her dreams. It was only in doing so that she became the success that

she did.

Lesson #4: Break Down the Barriers in Your Way

“For every failure, there's an alternative course of action,” said Ash. “You just have to find it. When you

come to a roadblock, take a detour.”

Ash is the only woman business leader who is profiled in the book ‘Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All

Time.’ Why is that? Because Ash rose to prominence in a time when few faces of women could be seen in

the business world, let alone at the top of a company. Time after time, Ash encountered discrimination in

the face of her male counterparts, which made it all the more difficult for her to succeed. Nevertheless, Ash

never let anything stand in her way.

In 1952, Ash joined World Gift Co. and used her years of experience in direct sales to expand the company

into 43 states. Within ten years, Ash had already earned a position on the company’s board of directors.

Despite having her suggestions often dismissed by her male colleagues and being enraged by those who

would say, “Oh, Mary Kay, you’re thinking just like a woman”, Ash believed she had finally earned their

respect and staked out her claim in the company. That is, until one day in 1962, when a man who Ash had

trained was promoted to be her supervisor, with a salary twice that of hers.

Ash quit World Gift Co., but she didn’t give up on her dreams. “Those men didn’t believe a woman had

brain matter at all,” said Ash. “I learned back then that as long as men didn’t believe women could do

anything, women were never going to have a chance.” With that, Ash set out to prove wrong every single

man who had ever stood in the way of her professional success.

“I knew that I had been denied opportunities to fulfill my optimum potentials simply because I was a

woman,” said Ash. “These feelings were not mere indulgences of self-pity, because I had personally known

so many other women who had suffered similar injustices.” Instead of giving in, Ash decided to break out

on her own and challenge her doubters. She knew that the only way to silence those who said she couldn’t

be in the business world because she was a woman was to prove them wrong.

Once she had established her own success, Ash devoted her life to opening up opportunities for other

women who had been denied. “You can do it!” she exclaimed. “So often a woman comes to us who

desperately needs to hear that. Frequently she is a housewife who has been out of the job market for many

years, or who has never worked outside the home. When I see a woman like this, I want to do for her what

nobody did for me, in the way of providing opportunities.”

To that end, Ash saw her company as one that provided more than just jobs. Instead, Mary Kay Cosmetics

was about self-improvement and creating a new way of life. Ash had broken down the barriers standing in

her own way and wanted to help others do the same. “You cannot keep determined people from success,”

said Ash. “If you place stumbling blocks in their way, they will use them for stepping-stones and climb to

new heights.”

Lesson #5: The Follow-Through is the Most Important Factor

“Those who are blessed with the most talent don’t necessarily outperform everyone else,” Ash once said.

“It’s the people with follow-through who excel.”

The idea behind Mary Kay Cosmetics might not have been the most original or creative; after all, Ash had

worked for numerous direct-sales companies in the past, and cosmetics were surely nothing new. However,

what made Mary Kay Cosmetics the success that it became was Ash’s single-handed commitment and

enthusiasm for her project.

“A laurel rested upon becomes wilted,” Ash liked to say. Ash was not only dedicated to her company, but

she was also committed to change. She understood that, especially in the beauty industry, change was the

one factor she could count on as remaining constant. Ash’s business principles would never change, but she

was fully aware of the necessity of changing her products and her business along the way in order to meet

the changing demands of the market.

“Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm,” she said. Ash also understood that part of

being committed to a goal was getting the commitment of others alongside you. In order to do that, she

needed to inspire in others the same passion for her products that she had, and that required enthusiasm. “If

you act enthusiastic, you become enthusiastic,” said Ash. “A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will

go further than a great idea that inspires no one.”

In addition to encouraging her sales team to be enthusiastic, Ash tried to ensure that this was also spread to

the customers. In order to do so, Ash would limit the product line so that the salesperson could be

thoroughly knowledgeable about each item, and would restrict the number of people at a Mary Kay house

party to six, in order to maximize the amount of personal attention given to each. Ash also insisted that the

emphasis at these sales parties was on teaching about her products rather than trying to sell them. She

believed that this would make the experience more enjoyable for both the customers and the sales team.

Through a combination of enthusiasm and commitment, Ash was able to do something that she says is

possible for anyone to do – achieve her dreams. “Do you know that within your power lies every step you

ever dreamed of stepping, and within your power lies every joy you ever dreamed of seeing?” asked Ash.

“Within yourself lies everything you ever dreamed of being. Become everything that God wants you to be.

It is within your reach.”

Ash understood that whether she was selling furniture or cosmetics, enthusiasm and commitment were

what would seal the deal. After all, if she didn’t have that faith in her own company, who else would? She

needed to have those character traits and she needed to make them contagious.

To fellow entrepreneurs, Ash poses this very challenge of commitment: “Dare to grow into your dreams

and claim this as your motto: Let it be me.”

The Business of Beauty: How Ash Changed an Industry

Ash once said that “people fall forward to success.” In her case, it seems she didn’t fall so much as she ran

towards her dreams. With ambition and determination, Ash created not only a successful billion-dollar

company but also one of the few to be featured three times in Fortune magazine’s “The 100 Best

Companies to Work for in America.” How did Ash break through the glass ceiling of gender discrimination

to become a household name around the world?

She Put People First: “We need leaders who add value to the people and the organization they lead,” said

Ash, “who work for the benefit of others and not just for their own personal gain; who inspire and motivate

rather than intimidate and manipulate; who live with people to know their problems and live with God in

order to solve them; and who follow a moral compass that points in the right direction regardless of the

trends.” From her Christian upbringing, Ash instilled within her company the philosophy of operating by

the Golden Rule. It was her respect for the people around her that gained her a loyal and hardworking sales

team.

She Had a Clear Vision: “Our Company was begun with only one objective,” said Ash, “that of giving

women the chance to succeed, an opportunity that simply did not exist in the early ’60s.” Throughout her

career, Ash made a habit of setting goals for herself and then striving to reach those goals. It was only

through having a clear vision and direction in her head that she was able to come out on top.

She Followed Her Gut: “Many women have made the mistake of changing their beliefs to accommodate

their work,” said Ash. “It must be the other way around.” When others told Ash she wouldn’t be able to

make it in the cutthroat business world, and when ‘experts’ cautioned her against making certain moves,

Ash stood firm in her beliefs, trusted her gut and followed her instincts on the path to success.

She Was Strong-Minded: “Every failure, obstacle or hardship is an opportunity in disguise,” said Ash.

“Success in many cases is failure turned inside out.” Whether it was being passed over for promotions in

favour of less qualified men, or having her opinions discounted because she was a woman, Ash

experienced her fair share of challenges. However, she refused to back down. “When you reach an

obstacle, turn it into an opportunity,” she said.” You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner,

or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser…Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra mile that

failures refuse to travel.”

She Was Determined: “I believe that most successful people are ordinary people with extraordinary

determination,” said Ash. The passion she had for her company was infectious, and allowed not only Ash

to see her goals through in the long run, but also everyone around her. “I was taught to put my best effort

into anything I did, and I can honestly say I've always done that,” Ash said shortly before her passing in

2001. “Still, there were many times when I failed, many times when I was disappointed. We didn't set the

world on fire from the first day: disappointments, setbacks and work have created the Company as it is

today.” That company, Texas-based Mary Kay Inc., remains one of the largest direct retailers of skin care

and cosmetics in the world, with revenues in excess of $2.2 billion; that’s not bad for someone who was

“thinking just like a woman.”

Mary Kay Ash Quotes

People fall forward to success.

We need leaders who add value to the people and the organization they lead; who work for the

benefit of others and not just for their own personal gain; who inspire and motivate rather than

intimidate and manipulate; who live with people to know their problems and live with God in

order to solve them; and who follow a moral compass that points in the right direction regardless

of the trends.

Our Company was begun with only one objective, that of giving women the chance to succeed, an

opportunity that simply did not exist in the early ’60s.

Many women have made the mistake of changing their beliefs to accommodate their work. It must

be the other way around.

Every failure, obstacle or hardship is an opportunity in disguise. Success in many cases is failure

turned inside out.

When you reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome

and be a winner, or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser…Refuse to throw in the

towel. Go that extra mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success

than to be rested from failure.

I believe that most successful people are ordinary people with extraordinary determination.

I was taught to put my best effort into anything I did, and I can honestly say I've always done that.

Still, there were many times when I failed, many times when I was disappointed. We didn't set the

world on fire from the first day: disappointments, setbacks and work have created the Company as

it is today.

For every failure, there's an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come

to a roadblock, take a detour.

Those men didn’t believe a woman had brain matter at all. I learned back then that as long as men

didn’t believe women could do anything, women were never going to have a chance.

I knew that I had been denied opportunities to fulfill my optimum potentials simply because I was

a woman. These feelings were not mere indulgences of self-pity, because I had personally known

so many other women who had suffered similar injustices.

You can do it! So often a woman comes to us who desperately needs to hear that. Frequently she

is a housewife who has been out of the job market for many years, or who has never worked

outside the home. When I see a woman like this, I want to do for her what nobody did for me, in

the way of providing opportunities.

You cannot keep determined people from success. If you place stumbling blocks in their way, they

will use them for stepping-stones and climb to new heights.

Those who are blessed with the most talent don’t necessarily outperform everyone else. It’s the

people with follow-through who excel.

A laurel rested upon becomes wilted.

Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.

If you act enthusiastic, you become enthusiastic. A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will

go further than a great idea that inspires no one.

Do you know that within your power lies every step you ever dreamed of stepping, and within

your power lies every joy you ever dreamed of seeing? Within yourself lies everything you ever

dreamed of being. Become everything that God wants you to be. It is within your reach.

Dare to grow into your dreams and claim this as your motto: Let it be me.

Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it so

it goes on flying anyway.

If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right.

You can have anything in this world you want, if you want it badly enough and you’re willing to

pay the price. 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. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.

God first, family second, career third

Over the years, I’ve observed that nearly all high achievers know how to make good of those

1,440 minutes in each day.

We must have a theme, a goal a purpose in our lives. If you don’t know where you’re aiming, you

don’t have a goal.

An average person with average talents and ambition and average education can outstrip the most

brilliant genius in our society, if that person has clear, focused goals.

A good goal is like a strenuous exercise – it makes you stretch. Give yourself something to work

towards constantly.

We must figure out how to remain good wives and good mothers while triumphing in the

workplace. This is no easy task for the woman who works full-time. With your priorities in order,

press on, and never look back. May all of your dreams come true. You can, indeed, have it all.

I can say unequivocally that every decision we make at Mary Kay Cosmetics is based on the

Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

God didn’t have time to create a nobody – just a somebody. I believe that each of us has God-

given talents within us waiting to be brought to fruition…Each person is unique and special.

I have learned to imagine an invisible sign around each person’s neck that says ‘Make me feel

important. I never cease to be amazed at how positively people react when they’re made to feel

important.

Everyone wants to be appreciated. So, if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret.

Mary Kay Cosmetics is known for ‘praising people to success. We think this is so important; we

base our entire marketing plan on it.

It doesn’t make any difference whether the product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as

good as the people it keeps.

We treat our people like royalty. If you honor and serve the people who work for you, they will

honor and serve you.

Some might consider the Golden Rule corny and old-fashioned, but no one can deny its simple

truth. Imagine how much better our world would be if everyone lived by this creed.

The boredom of retirement caused a deepening sense of discontent. I had achieved success, but I

felt that my hard work and abilities had never been justly rewarded.

Before long, I began asking myself, ‘Why are you theorizing about a dream company?’ ‘Why

don’t you just start one?’

From my own use and the results I had personally received, I knew that these skin-care products

were tremendous and with some modifications and high-quality packaging I was sure they would

be big sellers!

Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.

My mother’s words became the theme of my childhood. They have stayed with me all my life:

‘You can do it.

It was the lowest point in my life. I felt like a complete failure as a woman.

He took my hand in both of his, looked me square in the eye and after a moment said, ‘Somehow I

think you will’. Those five words changed my life.

I envisioned a company in which any woman could become just as successful as she wanted to be.

The doors would be wide open to opportunity for women who were willing to pay the price and

had the courage to dream.

My goal is to live my life in such a way that when I die, someone can say, she cared.

I know now that my legacy is assured. The Company has my name, but it also has a life of its

own. And its life’s blood is the philosophy that many thousands of women have made a part of

their lives. They embody that philosophy of sharing and giving and, as such, it will always live on.

Every silver lining has a cloud.

When God made men, he was just practicing.

So many women just don't know how great they really are. They come to us all vogue outside and

vague on the inside.

The greatest pollution problem we face today is negativity. Eliminate the negative attitude and

believe you can do anything. Replace 'if I can, I hope, maybe' with 'I can, I will, I must.

Listen long enough and the person will generally come up with an adequate solution.

Criticize the act, not the person.

The speed of the leader is the speed of the gang.

Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall

cease to exist.