entrepreneur.com/article/197602).
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In 1939, her business career took off when she became a salesperson for Stanley Home Products and received the Queen of Sales award her second year. Because of her success there, World Gifts made her an offer she could not refuse in 1952. After 10 years with the company, Mary Kay experienced first-hand, the "glass ceiling" and retired (www.biography.com/people/mary-kay-ash-197044). Despite this discriminatory roadblock, she developed a business plan and with $5000 and a skin cream formula she purchased from a hide tanner, the 45 year old opened the doors of Mary Kay Cosmetics on September 13, 1963 (www.justmeans.com/press-releases/Changing-Looks-And-Changing-Lives/11943). Because of her business acumen and philosophy, by the end of the second year 1 million products were sold. .
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Shrewdness was only one leadership quality of Mary Kay Ash. She had people-savvy, was charismatic, optimistic and above all innovative. Through her belief system of God-first, Family-second and career third, she developed a platform for her organization of gratitude and appreciation. Her employees, known not as saleswomen but consultants, were given incentive programs and commissions. She wanted her employees to benefit from their achievements and stressed the importance of living and working by the golden rule: treat others as you want to be treated. Mary Kay had remarkable marketing skills that she used to pioneer a new and different means for sales. Her business methods employed the multi-level marketing, or MLM, to sell its products (www.helium.com/items/1810643-mary-kay-business-opportunity). This example became a pinnacle of what MLM can do for companies via direct sales; the means being recruitment development of different levels. Mary Kay consultants profit off of those who they attract to work for the organization. Positions range from "Senior Consultant", "Red Coat" to "Director", all depending on the number of active recruits one has.