Some Truth

[chite]

A few years ago, I wrote an entry for LJ Idol writing about giving up my Mary Kay directorship. I really did feel like a failure, and my friends were all so wonderfully supportive that it really made me feel better. I had not yet announced my intention to go into real estate training. It's hard to believe it's been three years since then

Comments

[kathrynrose]

This was really interesting. I'm sorry you went through it, but good for you for speaking honestly about it.

::Hugs::

[mokey4]

Thanks for your honesty... I always wondered about the bottom line as you went up the ladder. I am sort of glad that I'm crappy at sales- I would have been tempted to go for pink too.

Actually I've been meaning to tell you that my MK experience has helped me get a new job, as a Local Childcare Coordinator for Cultural Care Au Pair, a big au pair agency. It has a little bit of a sales component but I don't have to buy anything or pay any money - I just have to sign people up to host au pairs (and I make money regardless of whether I do any sales, but like most things if you're not making sales it's not really worth the time). In my interview one of the questions was about sales experience, and I was honest about my experience with MK and what I learned about sales and myself.

[mokey4]

PS and I'm sorry for what you went through, and the debt. I had little idea how tough it was, and no idea how much you were spending. You are a superb saleswoman though, and I bet that you learned from the experience and will do amazingly in real estate and whatever else you get into.

[chite]

I am glad that it did you some good, and congrats on the new position. You are now the third person from my former unit who works for Cultural Care. Small world.

I think that the people who are great sellers end up in trouble when they come across the problem of having to supplement inventory, because they really believe in the whole "you'll sell it, don't worry" line. Only, when you're now focused on recruiting, all of your best customers become consultants and so your reorders dry up.

[dabhug]

I am flabbergasted by these sales requirements.

I am affiliated with a direct sales company, and it doesn't feel anything like this, nor does it use the inventory basis. I'm sure there could be a certain level of this at the top levels, but it's never been my intention to achieve those levels (ETA: or to even "make money"). I can relate so much to your desire to not ask people to willingly go into debt to further your own success. If any of these things changes in my own situation, (and if it ever starts to feel like work, which has been my limit from the beginning) I quit. I have a full-time job with enough BS to deal with all that on top of it.

I am thankful for the post and your honesty and if it helps one person, good for you. I'm sorry that this happened to you and I hope that you can use it as a learning tool for the future. Best of luck to you and your family.

[chite]

Be very careful. If you're just doing it for the personal discount, have at it, but once you start doing any kind of selling, really look at how much you are spending to do so.

Someone I know was doing Pampered Chef and said she made 1/4 of the sales as profit. So if I had a $400 show, she got $100 for it. Then it occurred to me that she had to pay for the catalogs, the sales slips, the pens, the products to show, and the gas to get to and from my house. Chips away at that $100 pretty quickly.

[jnanacandra]

Very interesting. I'd always had the vague impression of Mary Kay as being somewhat of a pyramid scheme, but wasn't sure since you were involved and seemed to like it.

Thanks for telling your story. Not that I ever bought anything from MK anyway, but now I can be sure to warn others off of it :)

[chite]

When I started coming out of the Haze, I saw a web site that had references to the episode of Bullshit! I have seen clips and it just makes me sad because it shows how much they are all the same.

[chite]

And I am a very smart person. In the case of MK there are 45 years of corporate experience, and recruiting is very personality focused