Things that make you go Hmmmmm

Found on Pink Truth today!!!Click to see full size version.

Isn't the thing that makes Mary Kay evil the whole "buy this much and get this"?

Kind of makes you think!

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Most Recent Poll

Results of the most recent Poll.

Thank you to the 38 people that voted.

Actually, just for fun, I voted on the last day that I was at work as a National!

So - Thank you to the 37 people that voted, and if anyone actually thought there was a National voting on here, I apologize for tricking you.

Sorry it took so long for me to process and post this poll. It has been kind of rough lately.

Thanks all. Always looking for suggestions, feel free to post them here. I am specifically looking for things that can be answered by people in or out of Mary Kay.


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Insult to Injury

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I have been suffering through a bit of a cold. NOT fun for traveling. I lost my voice on Christmas day and have been struggling to find it since.

Not to be outdone, my body has decided that a little more excitement was in order and starting at about 3pm yesterday subjected me to what I can only describe as food poisoning. Vomiting every 20-30 minutes for the better part of 8 hours and then subsiding to every few hours overnight.

My wife and I were fortunate to "share" this affliction... Thank God we have two bathrooms where we are staying. At about 4am this morning, it hit my dad as well.

We all seem to be recovering now, and rest has been the order of the day. Liquids only and all that!

Thank you all for continuing the running commentary and please forgive my considerable absence.

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It really wants to snow

Still enjoying relaxing with my family. It is raining now, but at 32 degrees, it is really trying to turn to snow. It's 10.30, so hopefully overnight, we'll get some of the white stuff!

What does that have to do with Mary Kay?

Does EVERYTHING have to be about Mary Kay? ;)

Hope everyone is enjoying their vacation... or working (if that is what you are up to).

Goodnight all.

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Merry Christmas All!!

Sorry this post didn't go up sooner... It has been a whirlwind these last few days.

It looks like it will be a busy week as well, so I may only post here and there. Sorry for the vagueness, and thank you all for your kind wishes.

Merry Christmas to all...


... and to all - a goodnight.

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This Week On Pink Truth 12/22-29/07

You know what to do.

It looks like things have slowed down a bit over there for the holidays as well but... if you see something...and you want to say something....go ahead.

Thanks

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Ill today, traveling tomorrow

Today I had/have a cold :(

Tomorrow I am packing and traveling to NJ!

Christmas Eve and Christmas are lining up to be pretty busy days with family.

Most likely not a whole lot of action here. If you want to wish each other Merry Christmas, this post would be a good place to do that.

I am going to post a "this week on PT" after this one. So you can post things there.

Thanks, Merry Christmas

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Christmas WITH Mary Kay!

Well, THEY kind of asked for this one!

On a recent post, "Christmas without Mary Kay" a commentator comments,

"Reading all these comments, I can just FEEL the sense of 100% true relief and joy you all have. I have it too. It's more real than any what-I-thought-was-real-at-the-time joy I had in MK.
I think to myself, if this was a pro-MK site, all the comments about how great MK is this time of year would be completely bogus. Denial is so ugly.
THIS site is the truth.
Gosh how I wish every Director could be lifted out of the fog this season.
That is my prayer for the New Year.
"2008-it's not too late...Get out of the fog and your life will be great".
(truly great, not the "fake great" we were all brainwashed to say)"

This is not a pro-MK site (it is not an anti-MK site either), but I get the feeling there will be some comments about how great Mary Kay is. My question is (as you say how much you love Mary Kay), "Are you being completely bogus or in denial?"

Go ahead and let me know what your Christmas is like "IN Mary Kay"!!

Thanks

P.S. About Christmas - I WILL be traveling to NJ for the holiday, but I plan to bring my trusty laptop and will TRY to continue posting from there. I will be pretty busy with family and I am sure they do not want to see more of the backside of my Toshiba so there will probably be some "lulls" in productivity. Enjoy your families and friends and feel free to stop in whenever you need to "get away" for a bit!

Welcome to....

Help me out here.

We NEED a name for this site. I really want to create a new "welcome" post. But I can't seem to get past the line, "Welcome to....".

Welcome to what? Balanced Mary Kay is lame. It is too long, and not interesting AT ALL.

The Truth About Mary Kay is worse. It is true that is what we are looking for, but we don't really have the corner on that market yet!!! Plus it is pretty lame for the name of a blog.

Pink lighthouse and pinking shears have set a pretty high bar for originality and cleverness-ality!

My brain is ABSOLUTELY fried. If I try to generate something new and original we are going to end up with "bicycles in snow" or "air speed velocity of an unladen swallow" which are both even worse than the bad examples I gave earlier.

So PLEASE, help me out. And don't be offended when I don't use your idea! ;)

Ok, go.

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Sales Guru OR Master Manipulator?

I recently walked into a cigar shop. I did not walk in because I was interested in buying a cigar. I walked in because part of my job required me to venture into this cigar shop and discuss something with the owner.

The required conversation was quite brief and after exchanging pleasantries and dealing with business, I asked him about his products. It was a sort of generic, “What would you recommend for someone who has never smoked a cigar (me) but was just a little bit curious?” He walked me over to a bin of cigars and pulled two out. “This one is a pretty good place to start”, he explained.

He walked me back to the register while he told me a little bit about it. When we got to the register I asked him about cutting off the ends. I had seen people in movies cutting their cigars but had no idea what needed to be cut. He took out a cigar cutter removed the cigar from its packaging and showed me by cutting it right in front of me. Then he showed me how to light one by lighting the second one he grabbed. So now I have a cut cigar in a “fresh-lock” baggie sitting on the counter in front of me.

...



He is smoking a cigar and has a “I am really busy so if you’re not going to buy anything, get out” demeanor. Not rude, just busy. Then… he said nothing. There was a long awkward silence. Probably not really long, it just felt long. I knew he wanted me to buy it. I knew he couldn’t really sell it now that it was out of its wrapper. Finally I volunteered, “How much is it?” “Two Bucks”, came the instant reply. Again, silence.

Finally I pulled out my wallet.

I have thought about that encounter quite a bit. Is he a really good salesman because he got me to buy something I would otherwise have not bought?

Is he manipulative because he knew I would feel bad about not buying something he would have a hard time selling.

I know it is just two bucks and either way it doesn’t really matter, but I believe that how you see this scenario will say a great deal about you as a consumer, as a sales person, and will probably be a good indicator of what makes you uncomfortable about Mary Kay.

Sales is sales. The point of being a sales person is to convince people to buy the product you represent. If you are not convincing people, you are just an order taker. (Tom Hopkins) Anyone can take an order when someone is already convinced that they need what you have. It takes a salesperson to convince someone that they need what you have.

It seems like there are three types of people that sell things. Only one should be considered a “salesperson”.

Order taker – not a salesperson. (People already wanted the product)
Manipulator – not a salesperson (People never wanted the product – now they hide from you)
Convincer – salesperson (People didn’t want the product, but you won them over and they love you for it!)

Because not everyone will want what you have to offer, a good salesperson knows when a “no” is really “I’m not sure” and when it is “NO, NOT EVER”. There is no point wasting your time with a “NO, NOT EVER” but a “I’m not sure” is exactly where you want to spend your time. Overcoming objections is a huge part of sales.

What are your thoughts? What are good sales tactics? What are awful tactics?

What are things you know work, but are uncomfortable doing because you hate it when it is done to you?

Where do you rank yourself? 1 – 10

1 is the order taker. “I don’t sell to anyone unless they ask me” “I don’t offer ‘up sale’ items, or suggest anything that they have not asked for specifically”

5 is the happy middle. “I pride myself greatly on my product and won’t “give it a rest” until either you have tried the product, or made it clear to me that you are not interested at all.

10 is the manipulator. “I won’t leave you alone until you get a restraining order, and even then, I know you are just “playing hard to get”. I will send you catalogues through a friend of a friend.

The difficulties of always being right.

"I am always right. I am never wrong. I thought I was wrong once. It turned out I was right."

A friend quoted that to me once and I have never forgotten it.

The more I read on Pink Truth, the more I realize that the majority of the "heavies" over there can quite simply never be wrong.

Before they were in Mary Kay, they were "being stalked" by those "horrid little kay-bots".
When they joined Mary Kay, they "knew something was fishy" but enjoyed the attention.
When they bought inventory, it was somehow the right thing to do at the time.
When they began front loading their consultants it was because someone told them to.
When they got charge backs because those front loaded consultants returned their product it was the companies fault.
When they got tired of the whole thing, they "saw the light" and "broke through the pink fog"
Now sitting atop their "thrones" of Mary Kay Authority, they proclaim that their experience absolutely MUST be the ONLY experience to be had in Mary Kay.

Today's "religious" post seems to have split some of the ranks and very clearly illustrates the problems involved with mixing business and faith.

Yes, I said it is a problem.

I am not saying it is a problem that is not worth overcoming. I am saying that often, people see God's role in their life... differently. As we have discussed on this site already!

Ironically, we ALL seem to agree that manipulation is bad whether it is Mary Kay or Pink Truth doing it!

Hopefully as we all navigate what is right, what is wrong, and what are good business practices, we will all learn something HERE.

Thank you to everyone that has been continuing to make this site grow. We recently had our 1,000th "absolutely unique visitor" and are getting about 600 page views/day and about 150 visits/day!

If that does not seem like a lot, compared to one month ago, we were at 86 page views/day and 32 visits. So it shows some pretty good growth.

I personally still do not feel that it is "ready" to be publicized - I.E. "tell your friends to check it out". There are still a lot of little things that I want to do to make it easier to navigate. I am hoping that with the Christmas break I have from work I will be able to get some of these things accomplished. Of course, it does seem like catching up on my "real life" stuff is pretty time consuming as well. We will see!

Thanks everybody for all your participation. Goodnight.

Nothing Follows

Trouble Navigating the site

Apparently some of you are having trouble navigating this site.

I have no problem seeing it on my computer. Can you guys tell me a little more about the problems you are having?

What browser are you using?

What are you able to see?

What are you not able to see?

Some of you obviously can leave comments - if you can't leave a comment, email me at balancedmarykay@gmail.com

Thanks

Sexual Deviation and Mary Kay

Do these two things go together?

An occasional commenter here by the name of blessed (known on Pink Truth as blessedone and in real life as... just kidding, I don't post real names here unless they wish to be posted) posted a comment today on Pink Truth.

"Who could ever imagined there is actually an entity out there that so effectively uses one of the most beautiful, vital attributes one could have (personal faith in Christ) as a sword to cause such damage? Just disgusting. "

I know, right. Blessed, I could not agree with you more! Oh wait, what... you are not talking about Pink Truth? You are talking about Mary Kay? Oh. Well, some people do that and it bothers me too. I don't think that the vast majority of people in Mary Kay are this way.

Moving on, he further states;

"There seems to me to be a strained parallel between the way targets are approached for recruitment into Mary Kay Cosmetics and a sex offender’s “grooming” of victims. The immediate strain of this analogy should be apparent; Mary Kay is not seeking to sexually assault children. Nonetheless, the method of entrapment is similar. Few sex offenders force themselves onto children. They go to great lengths to establish a rapport with the victim, to cultivate and place themselves in a position of trust. This “grooming” process can be extremely successful so long as the perpetrator has the element of time and exposure to the victim. In many instances the victim does not have a complete comprehension of the depth of the deviance being committed. Some victims are actually distraught when the relationship with the offender abruptly ends after the crime is discovered. It’ not unusual for the victim to be remorseful over the loss of a “close friend.” What’s more, many victims wrestle with feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and loss of self esteem following molestation. The similarities are uncanny. "

To quote you on this site, "are ya kiddin me?"

The similarities are uncanny?

The reason that "grooming" is so unnerving to the majority of the population is that it bears uncanny resemblance to "normal" behavior.

The reason that it is WRONG is because of what all of that care and attention leads to (namely abusing children).

It is NOT wrong for someone to "woo" a potential business partner/associate/employee in the recruiting process. In most of the good jobs I've had my eventual boss took me to lunch, dinner, coffee throughout the negotiating process. Through the time that I worked for them they also "took care of me" with occasional "thank you" meals, drinks, etc. This is (nod to SHAY) SOP - Standard Operating Procedure. I would not go to my last boss and say, "take me out to dinner tonight or I am going to think that you never really "meant it" when you did it before."

I am glad that you acknowledge that this "parallel" is strained, but in fact they are nothing alike. There is nothing wrong with a full grown man establishing a "rapport" with a child. It is when his intentions are devious that this is appalling.

Most women in Mary Kay do not have devious intentions for the women they are building a rapport with. They simply want to offer them a business proposal. If the rapport building stops when the recipient expresses a lack of interest in what is being offered, is that strange?

*Just found another contradiction!

"Mary Kay ladies will not stop hounding me to sign up, when I say "no" they should just leave me alone"
vs.
"Once she found out I was not interested in me, she stopped talking to me, calling me, taking me to coffee"


Anyway,
Because there are some "predator" like people in MK, I believe that it is accurate to say that THE TACTICS of those individuals (the ones that ARE just being nice to you to try to get your credit card out of your wallet) bear an uncanny resemblance to THE TACTICS of a sex offender.

Thoughts?

Business Lessons from the Cleaning Lady

Recently Pink Truth posted a directors explanation of how you can make money even if you don't have very much to start with.

She (the director) made some good points and some suggestions that are probably unsavory to most.

She also listed some numbers that were very confusing to me. I don't know where she (the director) came up with these numbers, but it was very hard to follow!

Naturally "babynurse" logged a laundry list of potential expenses (some one-time, some recurring) as though you need to count on incurring these expenses regularly??!?!

But just now (12:55am) SUEC hopped on and said;

"I thought that MK is "an investment" then why if it is a (edited) investment is it depreciating faster than my new car I just drove off the lot? Investments are supposed to APPRECIATE, not DEPRECIATE in value!!

Good point about all the over hidden fees... Oh and babynurse's math has so much more truth and credibility!

Add, all that plus "You can't afford to not have childcare and a housekeeper" to that laundry list of "PROFIT" and there you have it... I have news for you... I work as a Housekeeper for MYSELF and I make $25/hour plus tips!! People actually call me with work, not run and avoid me!!

Now that's a "BUSINESS"... You shouldn't have to call customers to basically beg them to buy something from you!!!
They should be begging you!!

OH... PCP... It's a Joke!! I have never sold a dime using PCP!! That's why it's called "JUNK MAIL!""

I couldn't help posting this with some thoughts of my own.

1. I am not sure if you understand the concept of investing here, but you can not apply a depreciating or appreciating label to this kind of investment.

Your equation should look more like - Assets − Liabilities = Owners Equity

I fear this will be lost on most of us, but if you are curious, Wikipedia explains it like this:

At the start of a business, owners put some funding into the business to finance assets. Businesses can be considered for accounting purposes to be sums of liabilities and assets; this is the accounting equation. After liabilities have been accounted for, the positive remainder is deemed the owner's interest in the business. Thus, in accounting terms, ownership equity is the remaining interest in all assets after all liabilities are paid. If valuations placed on assets do not exceed liabilities, negative equity exists.

I suppose that you are asking, "if my "ownership equity" is supposed to be appreciating, why is it in fact depreciating?"

If that is what you are asking, I believe we would need to study your personal business model and individual practices to determine "why".

2. Babynurse was talking about something completely different...You can't say it was MORE anything. It would be like you saying, "I like chocolate", and me saying, "I hate TV" and someone saying, "what David said has MORE truth and credibility". Makes no sense!

3. More expenses that are not necessary. AND then we get to it. Apparently, cleaning houses for a living is a BETTER example of a BUSINESS than Mary Kay. Apparently, if you clean houses people will come out of the woodwork begging you to clean their house. I am curious, SUEC, how long did it take you to have enough clients paying you $25/hr to make a living doing it?

I really dislike when Mary Kay people say, "just quit your job and Mary Kay will bring the money to you". But I have a friend that cleans houses. She recently moved and sold her business in her old location and tried to start one in her new location. This plan FLOPPED. Any time you start a new business, it takes time and energy to develop clients.

I wonder, based on Pink Truth math, do your clients pay you for the time you spent finding them? Do they pay you for the time you spent on the phone, delivering flyers about your business. etc? How long does the average house take to clean? If you spend 1hr per house per week, and want the seemingly standard $1,000/wk you have to hit 40 houses every week. I am sure you do not get paid for all the driving between houses, your cleaning supplies, etc.

I am not saying that cleaning houses is any better or worse than selling Mary Kay, I AM saying that for all the complaints on Pink Truth about Mary Kay, it seems incomplete for you to say that you make $25/hr with no explanation of your expenses or the time it took for you to build your business to a point that you were able to make a living.

Judi recently asked here, "Why, if Mary Kay makes so much money, would you not quit your current job?" I think if we were to study the house cleaning business model, we would see a similar necessity to build slowly while relying on an alternate source of income.

Any thoughts?

SUEC, do you read here? If you do, I am sorry I did not ask this question on Pink Truth, but I was banned. I would love to discuss this with you here! Feel free to drop a line!

Guest Speakers, Special Events and Motivational CD's - OH MY!

Great topic here. I won't say much because I want to hear everyones views.

Please don't just agree with the person above you. You don't necessarily have to disagree with them either!

There is a myriad of ways you can spend/invest/waste your money in Mary Kay other than on product and supplies. There are many special training opportunities available.

These range in price from FREE to hundreds of dollars. (thousands anyone?)

Which ones are worth it? Which ones are worthless?

If ALL are valueless to you, what would you like to see that would help YOU?

If you feel that certain events are worthless, do you feel that is just an expression of your evaluation of value, or are they ripping everyone off?

For instance, "I HATE going to events. (not MK per se, but actually almost any event) However, I recognize the great value of events for many people".

Ok, your turn. Give it a shot. Which ones do you attend and why?

Nothing Follows

Great Question About Mary Kay

Judi, one of the original readers here and long time commenter asked a question a day or two ago.

While I was only able to briefly respond, many of you lent some interesting perspective to the question.

I have been informed that this blog is a little difficult to navigate, and I concur. I will be working towards fixing that (temporarily and long term) this weekend. I have tomorrow and Friday off work so, for me, today is Friday!!!! *big sigh of relief*!

That said, Judi asks:

The reason I talk about quitting jobs and doing MK full time is because pro MKers all have such positive things to say about MK. They say how wonderful their business is going. They only have inventory that they actually sell. Not much is sitting on the shelves. If it is so wonderful, why hasn't it replaced the other job? If you weren't working at that job couldn't you put more time to MK and make more money? Then you wouldn't have to have 2 jobs. This is what I don't understand. If you are truly making money that is worth the time you put in, wouldn't you be better off devoting more time to that endeavor.

And as for my Director and her finances, I got to her house one day - the house keeper let me in - and my director did not know I was there. I over heard her fighting with her husband over the co pays she had been making on her car and the fact that her business was losing money. That's how I know about her finances. Believe me, she would have never told me that.

And if you can make money by selling only, not having to recuit, then you dont' have to be a director. You can just sell. I don't think being a director is wonderful. I never aspired to that. I wanted to make my $300 per week after business expenses and taxes. I never did it for more 3 weeks in a row. It was not consistant. And I know there are other jobs that the income is not consistant. But I was lead to believe that MK would be. Even after questioning it and saying the if it's too good to be true it probably is. My director said oh, no it's not. That's the beauty of MK.

To recap, if MK is so good and you CAN make money with it, why keep your other job? Why not do it full time? Devote more time to the money making job and quit the other. Especially if you have kids. Wouldn't it be better to only have 1 job? I am not being ugly. I truly want to understand.

In essence, "If Mary Kay is such a solid money earner, why not quit you current job and work Mary Kay full time?"

I think this is a very good question and well worth the exploration it requires.

My immediate response to her question was;

I don't have much time, so I will try to make this brief. Hopefully I can write a full post about it soon because it is a very good question.

Simply put; most sales situations require a building process. You will not be hugely successful overnight. That is why you should always avoid "get rich quick" schemes. They almost inevitably will destroy you.

Mary Kay was never meant to be a get rich quick scheme. Some people (your director from the sounds of it) have *tried* to twist it into that. If you look closely at some on PT, you will see that many of them either tried to do that themselves, or were led to believe that was the case.

Do not be confused by people that tried to "get rich quick" for many years! The fact they were doing the wrong thing over and over again, expecting different results, does not mean that they were not trying to "get rich quick".

While some people CAN start with no job, or quit their current job, it is generally not recommended. The ideal way to build a client base is one customer at a time, and very patiently. You have to demonstrate yourself to be consistent to your clients so that they know they can rely on you when they need you.

There are plenty of stories of women that encountered circumstances in life that necessitated them making an "instant" income to survive. If you look at the hours they put in to survive, you and I would probably pass out from exhaustion just thinking about it! That is not a typical persons ideal!

Most people would prefer to add a little here and a little there until they have something much bigger.

AND

If you can build this way, why drop the other income?

Month 1 - $4,000 from job, $100 from MK

Month 12 - $4,000 from job, $600 from MK

Month 48 - $4,000 from job, $3,000 from MK

I am not saying this WILL happen or that getting to $3,000 will not require more effort than getting $100, but if that was what you were finding, why would you quit the $4,000/month job?

When you come to the place that you are making the same amount monthly that you make at your job, would you rather (in this illustration) make $4,000/month OR $8,000/month?

I would choose the bigger number. Especially if it was not requiring a lot of effort!

More on that later, got to get to work.

Not very brief, I know, but when have you ever known me to be brief?

Anyway, if you have not followed this particular conversation you can pick it up here as there are several other responses there. If you have a response there that you feel is worth repeating here, that is more than OK!

So here is your place to explain how you view YOUR Mary Kay business.

If you only work it part time, why?

If you work it full time and are making enough money to live off, how?

Did you have to build up to where you are? How long did it take? What are you doing to "get to the next level"?


I guess it boils down to, "How do you run your business and why?"

Caption that photo

I don't know if I am the only one, but whenever I see that 'caption that photo' post, I wonder...

Well in case I am not the only one, wonder no more.


Heres the 'image'

And here are a few of the comments.


I know, I know, not exactly thrilling, but it is what it is.

Contradiction

Aristotle seemed to think that, "One cannot say of something that it is and that it is not in the same respect and at the same time."

I tend to agree.

Intrigued? Laurence R. Horn continues the thought just a bit;

Those who stubbornly demand a proof of the law of non-contradiction (LNC) (also called the law of contradiction) simply “lack education”: since “a demonstration of everything is impossible”, resulting in infinite regress, at least some principles must be taken as primitive axiomata rather than derived from other propositions—and what principle more merits this status than LNC? (1006a6-12). In first philosophy, as in mathematics, an axiom is both indemonstrable and indispensable; without LNC, “a is F” and “a is not F” are indistinguishable and no argumentation is possible. While Sophists and “even many physicists” may claim that it is possible for the same thing to be and not to be at the same time and in the same respect, such a position self-destructs “if only our opponent says something”, since as soon as he opens his mouth to make an assertion, any assertion, he must accept LNC. But what if he does not open his mouth? Against such an individual “it is ridiculous to seek an argument” for he is no more than a vegetable (1006a1-15).

Read more here if you are interested.

The point of this post though is to examine the less philosophical contradictions that we find on Pink Truth.

Speaking the real truth has requested a post about the contradictions on Pink Truth.

STRT - you got it.

She gets the ball rolling with;

1) Anti-MKers claim that the market is saturated. They also claim that there really are no end customers. HUH? How can both be true when you sell a consumable product and most adults use some form of something that we sell.

2) Prizes from directors. Anti-MKers claim that the prizes are cheap. But, they also claim that they spent a lot on prizes and other expenses when they were directors. Hmmm. If directors only give out cheap trinkets for prizes, how does that get so expensive? Especially if no one in their units is doing anything as anti-MKers claim.

3) Anti-MKers include all sorts of expenses in the math about how much we earn, including taxes, housekeepers, baby sitters, training, clothing, etc. However, they make no deductions for these types of expenses when they state the amount made by those in other businesses. That's apples and oranges, not apples to apples.

4) LISTENING TO YOUR DIRECTOR. Many of those who have left MK claim to have listened to their director about inventory, etc. I wonder if they also listened to their director about holding appointments and selling products. Yes, I recommend inventory if you can afford it, want it, and plan to sell it, but I also recommend that you get yourself some appointments booked right away and sell the stuff. It's not fair to blame your director if you took her advice about one and not the other. She gave the advice based on you doing both.

Have you seen some contradictions?

On Pink Truth?

In Mary Kay?

On my site?

After all, "One cannot say of something that it is and that it is not in the same respect and at the same time."

Quick post from work

Just about to get off work, and then straight to Christmas Staff Party!

Will probably not get the chance to respond to anyone tonight. Sorry!

I may try to post a quick thought or two when I get home tonight, but it will not likely be too exciting.

Thanks to everyone that contributed today!

Nothing Follows.

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Of Mice and Car Dealerships

Atrocious misunderstanding of facts aside, Pink Truth continues to insist that Mary Kay is... is... well at this point, I am not even sure what they are insisting over there.

On the one hand, they are still complaining about how long it takes Mary Kay to "get current"

Done it said (at 5:31 today, Dec. 17):

"New shades of lipstick its about time!!!!"

While elsewhere, it seems many others are moaning about how hard it is going to be to get rid of their old lipstick. OR Complaining about losing their commission check when product gets returned. T-t-t-t-t-thats what happens when you front-load. T-t-t-t-t-t-t-thats why front-loading doesn't work. Oh yeah and aren't all of you "out" of Mary Kay? Why do you care what colors they have or don't have? Why do you care if a front-loading director "loses" their commissions? Isn't that kind of the justice they deserve?

Anyway, as I said, all that aside:



I have been wanting to draw a comparison of Mary Kay to something we are all at least a little familiar with. Car Dealerships and the Car Salesmen that work there!

I was pleasantly surprised by Raisinberry's comment today:

"mkdv24...oh you cracked me up!!! TRIPLE 21 ! What are they thinking???? If this was a real sales contest, they would just watch the sales and award the highest sellers...like top ten... or top 100 and it would have NOTHING to do with a pre determined number, pulled out of the air.REAL SALES CONTESTS ARE BASED ON SELLING

Imagine the car dealer telling his salesmen that they win the trip to Cancun when they sell triple 21 cars! O my Lord...i used to FALL for this stuff!"

So, I will combine an answer to this, with my illustration. I hope it does not prove too confusing!

First of all, Shay (our star fleet commander ;) ) answered the question of sales contests excellently. You will have to go find her comment yourself as I am not sure it will make it to the main page as quickly as I would like. You should be able to see it - here -

I just wanted to point out to RB that a CAR and a TUBE of LIPSTICK are two different things. The CAR is going to cost ummm quick calculation..... at least several thousand dollars more than the lipstick. Totally different ballpark.

On the flip side of that... if you adjust your numbers, most car dealers (if not all) WILL say... If you sell x cars today/this month/this quarter, you will win xyz. To take it a step further, if you wanted to (as a salesman) you COULD buy the number of cars that it would take to reach that goal. BUT WHY?

Ok, now onto the illustration.

In a car dealership (not all, but most) you have the following "levels".
Owner
GM - General Manager (sometimes the owner doubles as GM)
GSM - General Sales Manager
SM - Sales Manager
Salesman. (sorry, no fancy initials here!)

Now, the owner wants to make money. In order for the owner to make the money he wants/needs to keep the business running and worthwhile he will determine how many cars need to be sold each month. (again, sometimes this task is relegated to the GM, the point is, the owner says, "we need to sell this many cars this month")

The owner tells the GM, "If you want to keep your job, this store better sell this many cars/make this much money". (He probably rarely uses the words "if you want to keep your job", but believe that it is WELL known that the target MUST be reached)

The GM, along with running all the day-to-day of the store, will sit down with the GSM. He will make sure that the GSM knows how many cars HAVE to move that month. They will probably strategize about what sales incentives to offer, what kinds of discounts they can offer, etc.

Now the GSM will get all his sales managers together and tell them what programs they are running. There will almost always be a, "sell this many and get this" sort of incentive. There are also, get this, incentives for how much money the salesman makes on the deal. If he sells a car that the dealership is "in" $7,000 - for $10,000 he will get less of a bonus than if he sells that same car for $12,000. I digress.

Now each sales manager goes to his department and tells his team (usually 4 0r 5 but it varies) how many cars they need to sell. THEN he says, "AND if you sell x cars today/this week/this month you will "WIN" xyz".

In short, "the car dealer telling his salesmen that they win the trip to Cancun when they sell triple 21 cars!" is REALLY not that far off.

More to the point, on the flip side of the prizes, the glitz, and "all that" the car sales business is BRUTAL.

First of all, ANY and ALL of the people in this equation are VERY disposable. If any of them from top to bottom, don't "make production" (yes they call it that there as well) they will be gone so fast that no one will even know where to find them.

Worse still, if you do "too good", you may be in danger. You see from the owner on down, no one in that world wants YOU to make money. They want as much of the pie as they can get. When an individual (esp. a sales manager) starts to do really well, he/she is in GREAT danger of whats known as a renegotiation of the terms.

They may start out receiving 20% of the PROFIT of each car. But if they start moving 20 cars a month, 20% becomes too big of paycheck and management starts feeling "ripped off". So all of a sudden, you get 5% of the profit of each car you sell.

What's that, you don't like that deal? Well you can always quit. I am not joking, nor am I exaggerating. It is really foolish because dealerships lose some of their best salespeople this way, but greed "has a way".

To wrap things up a little and in conclusion;

1. The "similarities" that Mary Kay shares to a "pyramid structure" can be seen in almost any sales organization - mlm or not.
2. The "deal" with Mary Kay is actually a LOT better than many other industries.
3. The fact that Mary Kay has a hierarchal structure that favors those "on the top" does not make it a pyramid scheme.
4. Sales incentives are often laid out with a goal. Again, read Shay's point on this one - its a good one.
5. You can find dishonest people in any industry. I have seen entire dealerships that are corrupt. From the owner to each sales person, you are almost guaranteed to get ripped off just from walking in the front door. Let's say that this dealership sells Mitsubishi. It would seem a bit silly to start a website levying vehement attacks against Mitsubishi Corporate because of this dealership. It would be even worse to levy attacks against EVERY individual Mitsubishi salesman because of this store.

Now, I guarantee you that you can find at least one Mitsubishi dealership that is this corrupt in every single one of the great 50 States. Still not a just cause to say that Mitsubishi is bad. Corruption is everywhere. I think that Pink Truth should perhaps simply change their name to "Anti-Capitalism", broaden their topic a little to include every industry in the world, and *pow* they will be MUCH closer to "doing what they say they are doing".

From Today's comments

Some things came up today that I felt would be worth mentioning here.

First, Shay in SC asks:

"If you have someone wanting to join, do you advise them to wait until after Jan. 1st, or have them sign up now?

I guess my thoughts are that it is too late to get sales for Christmas (as a new consultant, not an existing one), so it would be better to wait until Jan.

What are everyone else's thoughts on this?"

Going back to a very old post, (HERE) about Donna Meixsell, an anonymous visitor mentioned:

"i am very close to the Meixsell family and know personally that the money the hotel required them to spend on food highly exceeded both estimates and she actually spent money out of her pocket to host this even, rather than making any. She's a remarkably amazing lady with a heart of gold. If haters could open their heart to family, friends and god maybe they could learn some of the go-give spirit that Donna has."

Check it out if you haven't read it yet (or in a while)... it may even bring back nostalgic feelings... (already???)

Many thanks to everyone participating in the "Today/This Week on Pink Truth". Also, thanks for all the participation all over the site.

Please leave any thoughts you have for Shay here!

Thanks.

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ATTENTION REGARDING NEW POLL

Sorry all. I forgot to specify on the new poll whether I was referring to ACTIVE recruits or OVERALL recruits.

For the sake of simplicity, that will refer to ACTIVE recruits.

If you are no longer in MK, we are looking for your highest point.

If you ARE in MK, we are looking for your CURRENT point.

If you voted incorrectly, simply click the "change my vote" link and select the correct answer.

If there are any National's reading this, I am not tracking where these votes are coming from, so your vote really will be genuinely anonymous (just thought I would throw that out there!)

Thanks all

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Sounds like good advice to me

Pink Truth today issued some advice to those ordering on a strictly quarterly basis.

Their advice is:

So if you order every three months or less, here's an ordering tip from our member pinkmigraine to help you: Wait to order until January 2.

If you place a $200 wholesale order in December, you will be A1, A2, and A3 in December, January and February. When the new products come out on the March order form, you'll need to order another $200 wholesale.

But if you wait to order $200 wholesale in January, you will be A1, A2, and A3 in January, February, and March. Then when the March order form comes out, you won't have to order a full $200, as you will have your earned discount. You'll be free to just order a few of the new items if you like.

This seems to be quite valuable. If it is helpful to anyone, good. If there is a flaw with this logic, please let me know. I would not want to lead any of you astray.

Give me some feedback, and for those of you that this applies to, if some of the wiser readers here give this the green light, make sure you take advantage.

Does anyone know if new products are always introduced in the same months each year? Or does it vary?

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Most Recent Poll

Well, we have seen a steady increase in participants in the polls... Until this one.

Here are the results, exuberant thanks to the 22 people that participated. Thanks also to everyone that has suggested ideas for future polls. Look for many of those to come soon.


Please feel free to continue adding suggestions for questions and/or how to make this site more useful and beneficial for you or visitors.

Thanks

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Does Multi-Level Marketing have a "dark side"?

As some of you know, a good friend of mine (that I have never met) keeps a blog called Scamtypes.com. He reports on hoaxes and scams of all sorts. It was through Pink Truth that I met him as he did an article about Mary Kay that they linked to and as they say, "the rest is history".

Today he has posted an elegantly simple overview of the nature and consequential inherent problems that the MLM model of distribution can encounter.



To give you a little tease, he concludes:

Personally, as many readers here already know, I am not a fan of multi level marketing.
However, I am aware that many people can, and do, earn a good level of income from various types of network marketing.
When you consider that any business, MLM or not, works on a hierarchical backbone then it does put some anti-mlm complaints into perspective.
Many of the MLMs that I have reviewed have appeared on these pages because I am predisposed to finding the ones that may be bad apples, due to the nature and theme of this site.
As stated above, everyone is different and so we all perceive multi level marketing in different ways too. What works for one person may prove to be a spectacular failure to another. What makes one person a millionaire can appear to be a scam to the next recruit who joins.
Ultimately, anyone interested in joining a MLM should perform due diligence and make their own mind up, without any external pressures affecting that decision.

He also requests other peoples opinions about MLM's in general:

I’ve said before that multi level marketing is dead.

I’ve also aired my views on several different MLMs too. Please feel free to leave comments on those posts.

All I ask is that you respect peoples’ rights to have differing opinions. Feel free to disagree with anyone as vehemently as you like, just focus on what they have said and not on their individual personalities!

If you feel strongly about anything I have written then you are welcome to submit your own article, as long as it is helpful rather than a sales pitch - please contact me if you would like to do this.

I have found Scam (as he is called on his site) to be very open-minded and very intelligent, as well as witty and fun! He and I have both endorsed each other on our sites (you can find a link to his site in my links area, and he let me write an article for his site about Mary Kay

I would be greatly honored if a few of you would go leave him a comment about what you have found to be true in your experience with MLM. He is great at responding to comments and genuinely welcomes all points of view. As you hopefully picked up, he shares my emphasis on disagreeing as vehemently as you wish as long as you don't attack someone personally!

You can find this article by clicking here. If you have time, give it a read and leave you thoughts if you have any!

Thanks all

This Week on Pink Truth 12/15-22/07

Ok, having a "today on pt" post everyday is getting difficult to follow.

Let's try a weekly thing!

If you have something to say about the conversation on Pink Truth, this is the place to do it.

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Question for Pink Truth Users

Do you want your ex-Mary Kay compatriots to call you or not?

I am a little confused. Can you help me out?

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Further Pleading for Charitable Christmas Spirit on Pink Truth

If you have not already heard, I am profoundly disappointed and inconsolably nauseated by Pink Truth's decision to criticize the very spirit that makes this Season special by deriding Mary Kay's donation to the Today Show Gift Drive.

You can read my response here and here.

Today, they are still finding a voice to their outrageous and unfounded criticisms.

"unpinkinny" said:

Most teenagers I know (which includes my daughters) wouldn't use the lip gloss. They always said that Mary Kay was for "old" women! And I too wouldn't let any daughter of mine under the age of 12 or 13 wear any colored lip gloss.

katherinenot4mk said:

Is the lip gloss for girls and the banks for boys?

currantcraze said:

If I remember correctly, a good amount of that product "leaked". That certainly would be a surprise in the stocking of some unsuspecting teen Christmas morning

My request is simple.

Remove this post. Remove ALL of the ridiculous comments.

My reason is simple.

Mary Kay has generously donated to people in need. Those people (and those people alone) have the right to appreciate or judge this gift.

If ANY of you dares to call yourself a follower of Christ, please ask yourselves if your tactless indictment comes from the new heart you received. If not, from where are you drawing this hostility?

I will say again. Anyone that has posted a ridicule against these people being blessed should recant their statement. If not on Pink Truth, at least do so here.

This is unacceptable. You talk about sleeping at night. How's that going for you? Can you honestly live with yourself knowing that you have condemned a gift before it has even been given? Are you the one in such dire circumstances that you are reduced to receiving the charity of others? Do you know how that feels? How dare you reject something on behalf of those that are so grateful?

I would love to form a line of those receiving this gift from Mary Kay. Single file. Standing in front of this line facing the recipients would be a representative from Mary Kay and a representative from Pink Truth. Everyone in line would be informed of what has transpired here. They would be told, "Mary Kay (represented by ....) has donated the lip-gloss and/or poodle bank you just received." "Pink Truth (represented by ...) claimed that it was shameful for them to do this and that they should have just trashed that newly treasured gift you just received."

Everyone in that line would then get the chance to speak their mind and/or interact with either/both of them.

Pink Truth, I again implore you. Take back your hateful poisonous words. They do no one any good. You can hate Mary Kay as much as you want. But this helps no one.

Anyone who would like to add your voice to my plea, please comment here.

Also, if you have not already been banned on that site (it's all the rage these days, welcome Shay of SC!) and would like to make the most of your "one shot", this may be your time!

Something along the lines of:

"This criticism of an organizations generosity should not be tolerated. Please remove this post and all of its comments."

Or of course create your own wording. You will have to sign up for an account there. You will have to provide an email address -please don't use your primary email address as I have no idea what will be done with it- and check your email to activate your account. It is pretty simple, and after you get banned you may have a hard time viewing their site. Please only do this if you feel strongly about this. I am very passionate that this is not just "a bad thing", it is wrong.

Tracy, I will appeal directly to you here. I have no problem with you disliking Mary Kay. "To each his own", right? But THIS is unacceptable. Please. Search your heart and do the right thing.

Thank you all.

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MY production is falling short

Some of you may have noticed the Poll feature I have on the right hand side of this blog.

Since I put it up, every new poll has had more votes than the last one. This time around though, I only have 20 :(

I think I will go out and buy 16 computers, set up a unique internet connection for each of them, and cast those much needed votes! After all, as PT teaches us, THAT is the MK way!

While I am at it, I can subscribe to my feed to increase that number AND vote for my blog on the "bloggers choice awards"!

Happy Christmas to myself!

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A great question

MKKM recently posed a question that I myself have been curious about. I know some of you have touched on this already, but let's talk about this specifically.

I am new to your post, but have been a consultant for over twenty years. I was once a Cadillac driving senior director and then since I have been very part time as a consultant. Recently I have re-activated my business and am enjoying the many modernizations to the products and the packaging in the effort to be "on-trend." I am mystified, however, that the company is still insisting that we wear skirt, dresses or skirted suits to all MK functions. For the last week I have been observing my area as I lived my life... taking my kids to and from school, attending the various retail establishments and restaurants we frequent, and businesses we support... to date, the ONLY women I have seen wearing skirts are MK ladies!!! I kid you not. How can MK consider this to be "on-trend?" Who is there, corporately, who has the intestinal fortitude to encourage us to stop dressing like old ladies going to church and let us follow the styles of (young) women in today's work place. My husband made the observation that watching women come and go from the Mary Kay meetings is like watching them come into and out of church, not out of a professional office building. I want to really make a go of my career this time around, but I do NOT want to look dowdy and it is my personal belief that wearing a skirt, dress or skirted suit is not trendy enough to make other women want to listen to me tell them how to look better. We are selling "Parties." My customers attend in jeans or shorts. Wearing a business suit is way overwhelming to them. The beauty coat is a good idea, and I use one, but I would like to be able to wear a professional pant suit to my selling appointments and to my meetings and not feel guilty that I was being disrespectful to Mary Kay. I have back problems and have been told by my doctor not to wear high heels.... ergo what kind of dress can one wear with flats? I would like to know how some of you others feel about this issue and if it has come up in recruiting discussions?

I think that the discussion thus far has revealed that:

1. When you are "out and about" you should dress appropriately to your audience.
- SCC/Product Demonstration - dress based on those in attendance
Jeans with jeans
Dresses/skirts with dresses/skirts
Professional attire with professional attire
- Warm Chattering - based on the location you will be
Mall - Professional Casual (is that a category?)
Work - Whatever you wear to work
Everyday - Whatever you normally wear
2. There is no outright mandate from corporate for anything but official meetings
3. Depending on your director, some events may request/expect/require certain attire

So the question I would like input on - and I understand these will be opinions - is, "Should Mary Kay Corporate change its paradigm of dress requirements?"

If so, to what level?

If not, why?

Should there be an expectation for directors to change their requirements/guidelines?


There are a few restaurants that I really enjoy here in Los Angeles. They REQUIRE and I do mean require "after 5" attire (suit and tie for the gents, dress/gown/skirt for the ladies). If I don't feel like dressing up, I can opt to not eat at these places. But, if I want to enjoy their fare, you had better believe I'ma have a suit on!

Obviously a fine dining establishment and Mary Kay have almost nothing in common! But I threw that in there for some perspective.

Alright, on Donner, on Blitzen, on... Your Opinions!

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Today On Pink Truth

If you don't know what this is for, click the label below called, "today on pink truth" to read the previous ones!

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It's More Blessed to Give

By Mary Kay Ash
-Thanks to mk4me-

The following story truly illustrates how much more blessed it is to give than receive. It's my hope that it leads you to conduct your daily business and personal relationships with an attitude of giving. The Greatest Gift:A friend of mine named Paul received a new car from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around that shining new car, admiring it, touching it and petting it. The little boy looked up and asked "Is this your car, mister?" "Yes," said Paul. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas". The little boy was astounded. "You mean, your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you nothin?" Paul nodded.The little boy said, "Boy, I wish….." And Paul thought the little boy was going to wish that he had a brother like that too. But what the boy said astonished Paul. "I wish," the little boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that!"Paul looked at the boy, astounded. Then asked, "Would you like to have a ride in my new car?" The boy exclaimed, "Oh, yes, I would love that!"After a short ride, the little boy turned to Paul with his eyes all aglow and asked, "Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?" Paul smiled, because he thought the little boy wanted to show his neighbors he could come home in this great, big, beautiful car. But Paul was wrong again."Will you stop where those two steps are?" asked the little boy as they drove up to where he lived. He ran back up the steps and into the house. In a little while, Paul heard him coming back. He was carrying his little brother, crippled with polio, and he sat him down on the bottom step and sort of scooted up against him. He pointed at the car. "There she is buddy, just like I told you upstairs. Ain't she beautiful? His brother gave it to him for Christmas, and it didn't cost him nothin'. Some day I'm going to give you one just like it! Then you can see all the Christmas windows I've been telling you about."Well, Paul got out and lifted the lad up to the front seat of the car. His shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride. That Christmas Paul learned that it really is more blessed to give than to receive.

Thanks mk4me, what an excellent spirit for us to embody!

Pink Truth still doesn't get it - nor do they seem to care

Mary Kay has (again) joined the Today Show Annual Holiday Toy (gift) Drive - View

Pink Truth took offense and criticized their generosity - View

Several bloggers, myself included, expressed mild to extreme disgust at this senseless and ill informed berating of a corporation trying to help others. - My view - "ME"'s view - (and with a necessary caution regarding potentially offensive language) Duh's view

Pink Truth (although I don't expect them to read any of these for enlightenment) is still making the most ridiculous claims about why this is so "wrong"

Here is a summary of their complaints:

1. The value they use to promote their gift should be their cost, not retail value
2. This is an inappropriate gift because it is not a toy
3. They should not "announce" their charity as it takes away from the "point"

Massive amounts of credit are due to "ShayinSC" who posted this comment on their site:

First of all, even at 1/4 the retail of 2.6 mil, you are still talking $650,000 in products. Nothing to sneeze at, IMHO. I would wager it is about $649,999 more than anyone on here donated, too. (Correct me if I am wrong.)

My daughter is 9. She would love the bank and lip gloss. In fact, she has ASKED FOR lip gloss for Christmas (not that she is getting MK lip gloss, but that's another story).

As far as giving a piggy bank to needy children, it is a BANK, not a mutual fund. You put coins in it, not fortunes. Even needy kids have spare change sometimes.

Did MK donate discontinued products? So what? They didn't HAVE to donate squat. They could have trashed the stuff and taken a tax writeoff. They didn't. Instead, they donated it, and I am sure that if a girl gets lipgloss from MK, she won't KNOW or CARE if it is discontinued. She will just USE it.

Why rip MK apart for doing GOOD deeds? If you are so concerned about these kids, then think about them - are they really going to care about the politics of HOW or WHY they got a gift on Christmas? No. They will simply have something to unwrap and be happy to get.

JMHO Sorry I didn't jump on the bandwagon and rah rah with ya, but my pitchfork is in the shop.

If you really think what MK did was wrong, why not start a PT toy drive for the kids? Just a thought.

and then

As far as why MK did this (for the publicity) - ALL businesses do that. It's called civic marketing.

Even the Today Show is doing this with the toy drive. The toy drive itself is a marketing tool! (Hence, the name - "Today Show Toy Drive.") Does that mean that the Today Show has evil motives for this? Of course not! The are helping kids and getting publicity in return. If they did not want publicity from it, they would call it "The Anonymous Toy Drive" and not publicize the gifts they get/give.

She was banned from Pink Truth for this.

Also, unbeelievable said:

I just wanted to post something I found on another website that is important for everyone who is concerned about the age appropriateness of the lip glosses to read. The blurb is about Quixtar, but it's for the same Toy Drive:

"As part of its One by One Campaign for Children, Quixtar Inc. is donating more than $522,000 in product to NBC's Today Show Toy Drive via a direct selling industry effort to provide holiday gifts for thousands of children nationwide. Quixtar's gift of NAO never accept ordinary™ cosmetics and accessories is aimed at teen girls, one of the groups often forgotten during holiday giving drives. Quixtar's donation is being shipped to non-profit organizations across the country for delivery to disadvantaged children and families, providing in many cases the only gifts some children and teens may receive this holiday season.”

Media Newswire – http://media-newswire.com/release_1058319.html

My heart breaks for those older girls. I bet that most people, when they pick an angel off the angel tree pick littler kids because they are simply more fun to buy for! It seems that on this website, they have also been forgotten. I always think of 7 or 8 year olds when I think of toy drives, but this drive gives to people up to 18. I remember how fun it was to get makeup when I was a teenager.

I think it's just important to have all the info -- you may still think it's a weak gesture, but at least those lip glosses *do* have a target market.

And if you haven't picked an angel from the angel tree yet, consider the older boys and girls so they don't get left out! I know I'll be looking for a teen girl!

Her status there is currently unknown (to me).

Even after these points were made, these thoughts were posted.




Not that it will be heeded, but because I promised to devote energy to this, I will say again, "your complaints are invalid". You should all hang your heads in shame.

1. When an organization chooses to thank its sponsors, it does so by its own criteria. If the Today Show wants to express the value of donated gifts by retail value, that is their prerogative.
2. These are not only appropriate gifts, they are much needed gifts.
3. If Mary Kay should not announce their charitable donation, neither should these organizations:

Kohl's Department Store (www.kohls.com), Mary Kay (www.marykay.com), PartyLite Gifts (www.partylite.com), DK Publishing (www.dk.com), Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc (www.britannica.com), Jakks Pacific, Inc. (www.jakkspacific.com), Quixtar (Alticor) (www.quixtar.com), Microsoft (www.microsoft.com), Build-A-Bear (www.buildabear.com), Latasia (www.latasia.com), K'nex (www.knex.com), Cheerios (www.cheerios.com), Manhattan Toy (www.manhattantoy.com), Cookie Lee (www.cookielee.com), Rounder Records (www.rounder.com), Charmin (www.charmin.com), Udderly Smooth (www.udderlysmooth.com), Stride Rite (www.striderite.com), Imagination (www.imaginationgames.com), Hooked on Phonics (www.hooked-on-phonics.com), Direct Selling Association (www.dsa.com), Ty, Inc. (www.ty.com), Ugly Dolls/Pretty Ugly, LLC (www.uglydolls.com), Jockey Person to Person (www.jockeypersontoperson.com), Little Brown Books for Young Readers (www.lb-kids.com), Kid Galaxy, Inc. (www.kidgalaxy.com), Tupperware (www.tupperware.com), World Book (www.worldbook.com), Pampers (www.pampers.com), Mattel (www.mattel.com), Home Interiors & Gifts (www.homeinteriors.com), Aeropostale (www.aeropostale.com), Goody (www.goody.com), Avon (www.avon.com), Sanrio (www.sanrio.com), Traveling Bear (www.travelingbear.com), 4Life (www.4life.com), Hasbro (www.hasbro.com), JCPenney (www.jcpenney.com), Amazon.com (www.amazon.com), Sara Lee Inc. (www.saralee.com), Swiss Colony Occasions (www.swisscolonyoccasions.com), The Learning Journey (www.thelearningjourney.com), Fisher-Price (www.fisher-price.com), Tonner Doll Company (www.tonnerdoll.com), Zales (www.zales.com), Essential Bodywear (www.essentialbodywear.com), Lia Sophia (www.liasophia.com), Crest Whitestrips (www.whitestrips.com), Freddie Mac (www.freddiemac.com), Kay Jewelers (www.kay.com), Shaklee (www.shaklee.com), New Line Cinema (www.newline.com), The Southwestern Company (www.southwestern.com), LEGO Systems (www.lego.com), Pepsi Cola Company (www.pepsi.com), TFA In-Home (www.franceluxe.com), The Adventures of Thumbs up Johnnie (www.thumbsupjohnnie.com), Lavinia's World (www.laviniasworld.com), American Express (www.americanexpress.com), Buffalo Games (www.buffalogames.com), MasterCard (www.mastercard.com), Thirty One Gifts (www.thirtyonegifts.com), The United States Playing Card Company (www.usplayingcard.com), Razor & Tie Entertainment (www.myspace.com/alvinandthechipmunkssoundtrack), Signature Homestyles (www.signaturehomestyles.com), The Pampered Chef (www.pamperedchef.com), Arbonne (www.arbonne.com), Freelife International (www.freelife.com), High IntenCity (www.highintencity.com), Nature's Sunshine (www.naturessunshine.com), Cutco/Vector (www.cutco.com), United Media (www.unitedmedia.com), LEGOLAND California and Jumeirah Essex House (www.legoland.com and www.jumeirahessexhouse.com), Nuskin (www.nuskin.com), Stampin' Up (www.stampinup.com), Earth's Elements (www.earthselements.biz), Prestige Toy (www.prestigetoy.com), Tastefully Simple (www.tastefullysimple.com), Tahitian Noni (www.tni.com), AFLAC (www.aflac.com), Big Apple Circus (www.bigapplecircus.org), Tanner Companies (www.doncaster.com), Xango (www.xango.com), Oxyfresh (www.oxyfresh.com), TJ Maxx (www.tjmaxx.com), Longaberger (www.longaberger.com), Demarle at Home (www.demarleathome.com), Aqua-Leisure Industries (www.aqualeisure.com), Leapfrog (www.leapfrog.com), Southern Living at Home (www.southernlivingathome.com), AuraStella (www.aurastella.com), Brash Entertainment (www.brashent.com), TARRAH Cosmetics (www.tarrah.com), Lunch Table Inc. (www.proclaimgame.com), Vantel Pearls In The Oyster (www.vantelpearls.com), Detech (www.detech.com), McGraw-Hill Companies (www.mcgraw-hill.com), Butterfly Boutique (www.butterflyboutique.com), Reader's Digest (www.readersdigest.com), All Dazzle (www.alldazzle.com), Baby Crazy (www.babycrazy.com), L'Bel (www.lbel.com), Gems to Jewels (www.gemstojewels.com), Luxe Jewels (www.luxejewels.com), The Happy Gardener (www.thehappygardener.info), Advocare (www.advocare.com), Cedar Valley Publishing (www.cedarvalleypublishing.com), Susan Ross, Michele Baratta atHome (www.shopmichele.com), NSA, Udesign (www.udesignjewelry.com), Briarpatch (www.briarpatch.com), Dechaut Sheer Minerals Makeup (www.healthymineralmakeup.com), Cranium (www.cranium.com), Baby Splendor (www.babysplendor.com), Coin USA, Back Creek Rocking Horse (www.rockinghorseusa.com), Illumin (www.illumin.com)

Tracy, for the sake of those trying to enjoy this holiday, remove your bitter rantings, and the comments that follow. Please, acknowledge that you were wrong on this one, and allow the people receiving these gifts to enjoy them, the corporations involved the goodwill this sort of donation affords them, and the rest of us a chance to enjoy the fact that not all acts of charity are sanctimonious.

Thanks to everyone that is taking a part in trying to reach out this holiday season.

Today on Pink Truth

You all know the drill.

If you see something on Pink Truth today that you absolutely can't wait to "respond to", here is the place to do it!

Thanks

Nothing Follows

.

Mary Kay - Today Show Holiday Gift Drive

I am generally an easygoing and mild mannered individual. During the holidays, my pleasant overly optimistic nature only increases. With Christmas tunes in the air, beautiful decorations everywhere, and many constant reminders of the Gift we all received some 2000 years ago in the form of Baby Jesus, it is difficult to snap me out of my “goodwill to ALL men (and women)” mood.

Even with increased stress at work and the fuss of the holidays, I am much more forgiving of others offences, charitable in my “assuming or offering the benefit of the doubt”, and almost borderline obnoxious in my “nothing can bother me” attitude. As devastating as the news has been lately, I always come back to the reason for the season and, as Horatio Gates Spafford so keenly wrote, “It is well with my soul”.

Nonetheless, something has so thoroughly rattled my otherwise amicable soul today that I could not bear to ignore it. In the phenomenal holiday spirit of giving, Mary Kay has generously donated $2.6M in product to NBC’s Today Show’s 14^th Annual Holiday Toy and Gift Drive. “What is wrong with that?” you might ask. Nothing. What has nauseated me so thoroughly that I lost all appetite today was the incredibly insensitive, bitter response to this generosity on Pink Truth.

The release from Mary Kay, as quoted by Pink Truth is:

Tune in your television or set your TiVo! Saturday, Dec. 15, Mary Kay Inc. will appear in a short segment live on NBC’s The Today Show to present a donation to the Today Show Toy Drive.


This is the third year Mary Kay Inc., in conjunction with the Direct Selling Association, has made a donation to the Today Show Toy Drive, which was established to provide gifts to countless women and children nationwide. We're happy to report we have increased our contribution this year to $2.6 million in product from $2.4 million in product in 2006. Mary Kay’s contribution included thousands of Gigi ceramic coin banks and MK Signature® Lip Gloss. Mary Kay Inc. is one of the largest contributors through the Direct Selling Association, with 48 member companies donating approximately $7 million in products and services.


So please tune in to The Today Show, Saturday, Dec. 15 from 7 – 9 a.m. for the short segment outside in the plaza. And you can check the News Desk on the Mary Kay InTouch® Web site later this week for specific appearance time.


Warmest regards,


Randall Oxford
Vice President of Corporate Communications

I first read the lamentably pathetic complaint this morning before heading off to work. Although short and to the point, there is no mistaking the blatant criticism given and pure contempt felt toward this selfless act of charity.

“Mary Kay's donation is neither toys, nor is it much of contribution.”

“So they can trumpet this big donation, which probably cost them less than 1/4 of that retail value AND they probably couldn't do anything with the junky old lipglosses anyway.”

(although you can never be too sure, I believe these sentiments were from Tracy)

Then “The Scribbler” added:

“Ceramic coin banks and lip gloss? Talk about asking for an egg and receiving a scorpion - it's a TOY drive, for crying out loud!

In other news, after Mary Kay's insanely thoughtful, no-holds-barred donation, mall Santa beatings rose by 65%.”

Now while I feel a great deal of (what is the word…) pity for women that are so bitter that they can’t appreciate that a corporation like Mary Kay (say what you will about their business model) would try to help those less fortunate, I expected it to end there. In fact I kind of hoped I would see at least one, “C’mon guys, its charity” comment. There was not one all day. Every single person that commented today (thus far – all 26) berated Mary Kay in some way for their effort. With the exception of ONE person that said, “I have to say that I like the bank... I really do. But I am a dog person and have always been partial to the little foofy ones.” Not quite defending Mary Kay, but we will call it “neutral”.

Now as I said earlier, my tolerance for other peoples odd behavior is abnormally high around the holidays. When someone goes out of their way to do something for someone less fortunate than them, and the gift is rejected, I can often extend understanding toward the rejecter. If someone living on the street was given a water purifier designed to go on the faucet of a sink, for instance, and they rejected it (even violently), I would say, “well maybe that wasn’t the best gift for them”. But when anyone (plural) who HAS plenty, who is TYPING ON A COMPUTER, probably in a WARM HOUSE, and NO IDEA what it feels like to suffer (except maybe the “sting” of evil credit card debt) comes out ATTACKING the people that are trying to help those less fortunate, I have ZERO tolerance.

The Scribbler, NewJourney, pinkpeace, Lazy Gardens, okwithoutMK, Rachel, pinkfoglifted, ContourTHIS, Queen of Section 2, Pink Jihad, makincents, Christine, mkdv24, PinkIsNotMySignatureColor, SuzyQ, Nofoolinme, Raisinberry, Truth Not Tears, Timetogo and Tracy* (if it was indeed you that posted this)… HOW DARE YOU? Do you have no sense of decency? Do you have no shame? Would you prefer that these good people less fortunate than you get nothing? Do you really think that YOU should speak on their behalf? You don’t like Mary Kay lip-gloss? Good for you. But how dare you reject that gift on behalf of the recipients? You don’t like the cute little poodle bank? How “grown up of you”. But what gives you the sense of entitlement to suggest that the “thousands” that will be receiving this instead of nothing this year will reject it?

*note FadingPinkPom is not in this list as she did not actually say anything negative.

I have come to know and understand that Pink Truth does not enjoy research. Factual information eludes the readers AND writers at Pink Truth like Trix Cereal eludes “the Trix bunny”. As such, I have done a little of the research they SHOULD have done before making their unfounded accusations so they can realize just how shameful their behavior was today.

First of all, lets get a little clarity on the charity that Mary Kay has chosen to participate in.

Last holiday season, TODAY viewers, website visitors and corporate contributors teamed up to provide $26 million worth of toys, books, games, clothing, toiletries, electronics, musical instruments, CDs, videos, cosmetics and other suitable gifts to more than four million children via 203 organizations in all 50 states.

…

In 1994, the "TODAY Show Toy Drive" became the first independent gift drive in morning show history. The unique program is designed to provide gifts for impoverished children and teenagers up to age 18 nationwide. This year's effort has already begun, with items being shipped early to communities who have dire need to house and clothe millions of children. It's now time to reach out to every viewer. Please help us during these trying times to give a gift to every child on our list. For many of them, we are the ONLY source of gifts for the holidays.

MSNBC – http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21690771/ (emphasis mine)

This is not a “TOY” drive only. It is a GIFT drive. The target demographic for these gifts ranges all the way up to 18. They are asking for (among other things) toiletries, cosmetics, and other suitable gifts. Lip-gloss is (depending on where you are from) a toiletry or a cosmetic. The “gigi ceramic coin bank” is arguably a very desirable item. My wife “had to have one” when she saw it at seminar. It may not be my “style” exactly, but I know some people (even one or two on Pink Truth) that absolutely love it!

Let’s look at some of the other things being said about this gift drive.

“Bill Kennedy Jr. said he called the "Today Show" right away when he first heard about the gift drive. He said organizers were happy that he called because they thought Udder Cream would be a good gift for adolescent girls, who don't usually receive a lot of donated items.

Redex this year donated 40,000 units of Udder Cream, including four-ounce tubes and six-ounce bottles.”

Vindy.com – http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/321139517033456.php

“As part of its One by One Campaign for Children, Quixtar Inc. is donating more than $522,000 in product to NBC's Today Show Toy Drive via a direct selling industry effort to provide holiday gifts for thousands of children nationwide. Quixtar's gift of NAO never accept ordinary™ cosmetics and accessories is aimed at teen girls, one of the groups often forgotten during holiday giving drives. Quixtar's donation is being shipped to non-profit organizations across the country for delivery to disadvantaged children and families, providing in many cases the only gifts some children and teens may receive this holiday season.”

Media Newswire – http://media-newswire.com/release_1058319.html

If any of you over there had taken a little time to look into this, I suspect you would have discovered the same thing I just revealed here. Teen girls as a group are often forgotten during holiday giving drives. Based on that information, I would say that Mary Kay’s gift is more than just appropriate. It seems that it is perhaps amongst the more important gifts, reaching a segment that is often neglected.

It is with a very sad heart that I conclude this. I feel sad for the victims of the many circumstances that have left people in unfortunate scenarios. I feel sad for the many people and corporations that have gone out of their way to give where they were not required to only to be criticized by bitter, indifferent elitists. But most of all, I am sad for the women who are so deceived that they think they are helping people with this brutal, thoughtless attack on the goodwill of a company trying to reach out at this most wonderful time of celebration and giving. I earnestly pray for all of you. It is with great faith in the Power of God and great hope in His care for ALL people that I intercede on your behalf that He would shine His merciful light into the darkness of the pain and misery that has grasped your souls and draw you back into His Kingdom of faith, hope and love. I apologize to any of my readers that are not believers or are offended by the thought of praying, but my heart is so heavy for these women and my belief in the power of God so strong that I can’t help but express my faith in this way. It will not be the norm for this site, I promise.

Pink Truth, I leave you with this. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Your uncanny inability to divide fact from fiction has led you down a dangerous road. Your post today ridiculing a company that is helping others is absolutely and unequivocally unacceptable. If you have any decency, you will take that post down and replace it with an apology of sorts. In your attempt to defame the company you so love to hate, you have inflicted irrevocable damage on the very spirit this holiday season has come to embody. While I will continue to pray for each and every one of you, I will with every ounce of my energy declare the deplorable nature of your actions. This is truly pathetic. In the strongest sense of the words, I am appalled, disgusted, revolted and dismayed. I have nothing left to say.

If you are a reader on Pink Truth and would like to speak out against this atrocity, but fear being banned, I offer you full anonymity. I would not want to lump you in with this group. Please, for the sake of my devastated holiday spirit, let me know that not all of you are this far gone.

Religion In Mary Kay

So as to avoid this becoming a subject on multiple posts and difficult to track, please get the conversation going here.

*Important to note, the comments here do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of the author, Mary Kay, or the Truth about God!

Is it good to talk about God while you are talking about Mary Kay?
Is it good to worship God together while at meeting?
Is it inappropriate to mix God and business?

I know some of you have already made brief mention of your feelings about this on the Pros/Cons post, but I would love to hear some full thoughts (including verses) that back up your position.

*Everyone please keep in mind that no one is trying to force their point of view on you, nor should you try to change anyone's view here. This is just a matter of expressing what YOU believe and seeing what other people believe. Relax, you might learn something. Ask questions if you want, and while I allow it other places and use it regularly myself, for THIS post only, NO SARCASM.

Ok, Go.

Today On Pink Truth

Sorry, forgot to put this up last night.

Anything that you want to discuss about PT today, heres the place to do it.

Pros and Cons

I am growing weary of pointing out the glaring holes in the logic that Pink Truth calls truth.

I started this site, and still have as a major goal, to create a vivid and accurate picture of what someone should expect from the Mary Kay experience.

Secondary to that is the goal of listing advice and where to find advice to succeed.

Well below both of these is exposing the scam called Pink Truth.

In light of that, I request the following from you my readers:

Please provide a list of Pros and Cons in getting involved with Mary Kay.

If you only have Cons, you don't have to make up Pros! And vice versa.

Speak from your own experience as this will be the only thing you are qualified to speak authoritatively about. In other words, don't say, "my director is making $1M every year". Or "every director pressures you to buy inventory you don't need"

You can talk about what you liked, why you liked it, what you like about the product, what you hated, why you hated it... pretty much anything that you felt/feel about your experience with Mary Kay.

Go crazy, get detailed, whatever! This post will be saved as a link at the bottom of the page, so if you want to take some time to compose "all your thoughts", take as long as you need, it will be there for you when you are ready.

Still stuck on this whole income thing

I mentioned this yesterday, but then found the following in the comments and just had to re-ask it.

1. What do you do for a living if you are making $100K/year?
2. What do you suggest for the "little people" that don't have that opportunity?

"getmeouttahere" threw down three comments in a row:

"You forgot the chance of getting about 300-500 a montn possible in bonuses for qualified recruits, and 100 a month for each of their own qualified recruits. BUT you didn't mention the fact that the person will more than likely end up making payments on a car, or payments on insurance, the deductions for gas for going to and from appointments, prizes for the little people, and as you already mentioned social security and insurance! LOL!! Executive income my -edited-.

OH WAIT WAIT WAIT - Don't forget, you get TAXED on all your prizes from the company. So that cute "free car" you get taxed on, that free vacation, you get taxed on, all that cute jewelry everyone wins, you get taxed on. I know an NSD who made $350,000 (that sounds like someone "making money" to me!) in actual cash income, but in prizes made nearly $400,000 on the 1099. Now you tell me, what do you think the taxes would be on $750,000 in TOTAL income, I bet it ATE UP nearly most of her actual cash income. So all these NSD's run around looking cute with not that much money when you think about it!!

OH OH OH - And the funniest thing I ever heard was that executive income bull. I make nearly $100,000 a year. I don't have any work expenses other than gas to and from work, which is about $50 per week right now. And of course, I like to eat at our cafeteria, so about $40 a week on that. LOL!! They pay for half my social security and medicare - which all employers do. They pay nearly 75% of my insurance. Not only am I earning a retirement which at the earliest I can pick up in 7 years at the good ole age of 35, or if I wait the entire 25 years I have to go, I'd get my actual salary then whatever it would be. Not to mention my own 401K matching. Some idiot had the audacity to tell me I'd make a great director, I should do this full time, what about my family?, OH OH OH and I get vacation time and sick time, does MK give that? I didn't think so..."

If you are reading this, "getmeouttahere" please tell me, at the ripe old age of 28, how did you manage to land this stellar career? I am not doubting that you are earning that, just curious about how likely it is that someone "working a dead end job" is of achieving that?

How much school did you go to before getting where you are? Do you really feel that anyone can "pop into" that kind of salary?

I know many people with Bachelors degrees + that don't even make $50k. What industry are you in, and are they hiring? I think I might quit MY job and come join you!

I'm just sayin'.