The responses to it were interesting and certainly revealing. I will comment on the perceptions later, but I thought it was actually a pretty well written piece and wanted to get some discussion going about it here. You know, two sided conversation style!
Here it is, quoted directly from Pink Truth:
The Price of Success
You’ve probably heard that you must pay a price for success. While hard work and sacrifice are necessary, Mary Kay always believed that there was a way to balance the two — and maintaining balance was the true meaning of success. It’s not how much money you have or how many awards you’ve won — it’s how good you feel about yourself, your family and your place in the world. If you can come home at the end of the day and feel good about what you’ve done, that’s success. So how do we get there? You can start by keeping things in check.
1. Having It All Means Being Creative. Let’s face it — a woman can’t be in more than one place at a time. So how can she be there for her kids and continue to work? Be a positive influence even when you’re not there. A note tucked inside a lunch, being present for important events and passing on a healthy self-esteem can be very positive and powerful relationship- building tools. Find ways to make a difference even when you’re not there.
2. The Big Trade-Off. If your career is on the rise, and you decide you want to start a family, you may have to compromise a bit in both directions. Do you give up your career to be a stayat-home mom? Or do you spend less time with your family because your career allows you to provide them with financial security, stability and independence. When the time comes, you have to decide what’s most important to you and prioritize you life to fit your goals.
3. Tick-Tock Biological Clock. Before embarking on a wonderful career and taking the path toward success, think about having children. If now isn’t the time for you, then proceed full steam ahead! But if you want children, consider your timeframe before getting yourself in a situation where your career could overshadow your desire to be a mom.
4. Prioritize, Please. Remember not to work so much that you neglect your children and family. We have to raise our children and enjoy the friendship we have with our husbands — that’s what family is all about. And working too many hours can rob your life of the joys of family if you’re not careful. What good is a successful career if you sacrifice your relationships in the process? Balance is essential for professional women. We all want to spend quality time with our children, family and friends while we climb the ladder of success in our careers.
That's why the Mary Kay definition of success puts God first, family second and career third. It can work. You can have it all! Mary Kay wisdom taken from Mary Kay: You Can Have It All by Mary Kay Ash.
As promised, I will not comment yet. I want to hear some candid opinions about this Nationals recommendations from you my loyal readers first. Does this sound like sound advice? Or does it sound sneaky and manipulative? Or something else entirely? I would love to hear what you think BEFORE you go look at the comments left at Pink Truth! But if you want to get some inspiration, there is quite a bit of chatter there!
Either way, enjoy your Thanksgiving and leave your thoughts when you get a chance!
Thanks
Posts
This sounds good to me, as long as she is telling them this BEFORE they sign the contract.
ReplyDeleteI was told that you only work 15-20 hours a week. That this business is great for someone with kids. YOU CAN have it all. But, of course, that is not the case.
So I like this post. It's truthful.
I see nothing wrong with this posting for people who want to be doctors and lawyers you have to go to school for literally 7 years and if youre lucky be a paralegal, or a JR partner. How many get to be JR partners? You cant balance when you are working 70-80 hours a week and this is not from me I have heard many of them say this.
ReplyDeleteI think direct sales at 15-20 hours a week can bring decent money especially after you have built a client base. I dare anyone to say that you cant make good money part time if you work consistenly in any direct sales business. I think for a family an extra 200-300 dollars a week is good. I agree this posting is honest most people dont want to hear the truth.
GOOD MORNING!!! Ok I went to pt to read this article, and yes success has a price. You can make it to NSD if you work your business and work it the way the Mary Kay herself said to work it. I think that there is always a trade off in any business it is not just MK.
ReplyDeleteI have a salon and I can tell you when I first started it I worked my fanny off. Yes my family didn't see me much. However, I got my business off the ground and now my family sees me all the time. So you have a trade off. You have to think what you want and what you are willing to give up to get what you want.
I get tired of hearing oh my director told me that I can only work 10 hours a week and make a million dollars. WAKE UP people that is not going to happen. Anything worth having is worth working for. You have to put things in order.
I read what tc put before this message and the more I read of her stuff the more that I think that she is just mad because she didn't make it. I think that if she put as much energy into her MK business as she is trying to bring MK down she would have been at the top. We all need to stop blaming everyone else for how our life is. We need to take responsiblity for the things in our life because after all it is our life.
If you like working your MK business then work it. Share with others what has worked for you. If you don't like MK then move on. If the people that are bashing everything MK spent as much time working their MK business as they do trying to tear down this company in my opinion the would be on top.
I will say this everything has a price and it is up to the person to determine what price they want to pay.
With that said have a BLESSED DAY
Pink Bren
As a whole, I think is pretty accurate. There is a price on success We need to remember that the definition of success is also very different for everyone.
ReplyDeleteThere will always be a price for any trade off. The question you must asked your self, "is the price worth it"?
I have several consultants in my unit very parttime working to earn enough for their kids lunch money, and the extra's for their kids that pop up not usually in the family budget, gifts, and to save on her own products. They do this and they do it well, so imho, these ladies are successful, they are acheiving the goal that they set for them selves.
They work a few hours a week. Do they feel the time away from their family is worth the money they bring in. In these cases, yes, they do.
I work more hours but I run a unit and take care of my clients. I have a family to care for and we need my income. I am away not too much and get to work some days, some nights, and schedule more or less when I want to schedule. I bring in what I need to, to pay my bills, and support my family, etc. For me not working isn't an option as we need my income. So am I a success? I feel I am, I am doing something I love, balancing my faith, family, and career, and bring in enough to keep us very comfortable. I do what I do well and enjoy it. Would others say I was successful, those that know me would say yes! (Those are the ones that matter) then I am sure there are others who would say, "are you a million dollar director?" answer NO, "do you go on the top director's trips"? answer NO, "Do you have the Pink Cadillac?" Answer NO but I could have, our unit qualified for it, but I choose not to have to worry about maintaining the production for the Cadillac because I knew it would mean committing to more time than I am currently giving my business, so we are a very happy Grand Prix unit making no coop payments.
"Do I make 6 figures?" "no" but I make very good money, and once all the kids have graduate from high school and I have more free time, I plan on doing more but right now, my time is sent where it counts the most.
I am sure some would say yes, and others would say, no. She isn't successful because she doesn't have the Pink Cadillac. Well, having the Pink Cadillac doesn't make you successful. Did you realize, you can be a director in a Cadillac (who is not making production) making far less than a Grand Prix (now Saturn) unit that is making production. Which one would you consider more successful. When considering whether or not one is successful or not, there is much more than outward appearance.
For those that are happy they quit Mary Kay because they missed being away from their family, then obviously the price of success for them wasn't worth it. But what were they looking for? If now they are a SAHM, did they plan on earning a little extra income to help their hubby or did they think they were really going to be making 6 figures in 15 hours a week just getting started and never being away from their family. What my brain is thinking and my heart is feeling isn't transferring to paper the way I want to but basically, if you didn't want to be away from your family and your family could afford you not to be bringing in any additional income, then actually, the price of success in your case will be too high if you have to be away from your family at all.
In my case, before MK, I was a salaried employee, of course your salary is based on 40 hours a week, but I honestly can tell you, I don't ever remember working a 40 hour week. 60 hours a week was the average for me and often I would bring work home. I was making a good salary and was considered a success as I moved up the Corp. Ladder in my industry but was that much time away from my family worth it? NO! But we need my income. Literally, my babysitter was there when my daughter said her first work, my babysitter was there when she took her first step. My babysitter, cleaned up my son's knee when he skinned it on the playground at school. Was the big dollars I made worth missing all of this? NO
This is where I would throw in my "I" story but that can be shared at another time.
There is a price to success,
if you need to work only you can decide if the value of what you are getting for being away from your family is worth being away from your family. No one can answer that question but you.
I think the article is great...but it does certainly go against what some say when recruiting people into MK. I love MK, but I am smart enough to see that you will have to leave the kids at home when you go to meeting, a SCC, a MK event, seminar, career conference, etc. Yes, you will still see your kiddos A LOT more than the average working mom, but when will you see your working hubby? Nights and weekends are for SCCs or meetings, events, interviews, holiday open houses, debuts, etc.
ReplyDeleteI feel MK is great for someone who doesn't mind working a few hours in the evening between 7-10pm and during the day making some calls or getting new leads. You must be able to give up some hours (say 6) on the weekends as well for SCCs. Most people will want to hold them in THEIR spare time, not yours. This is a big issue in booking. Yes, you can set your own schedule, but you must be flexible if you expect to have your clients want to book with you. They will expect you to work around them.
Will you still maybe miss that first word? Maybe. Will you still possibly have to use childcare? Yeah. Will you still be away from your kids some? Yes.
This is the only problem I have with using the kids as a way to recruit. Who's to say you won't be at a SCC when they decide to say "ma ma"? The only way to avoid such a thing is to be constantly there, which is not possible.
I like the post from the NSD, it shows that a trade off will take place. That includes if you decide to work hard on MK, especially if you have an additional job or other responsibilities. That is the full story.
Is MK the devil? No, it's a job. Anyone with any job will have tradeoffs to make, and MK is no exception to this rule.
It is all really about what works best for you and your family's financial and emotional needs. Do what is best for you as a whole...and please be truthful that MK does take some time and effort to reach the top. Not tons, but some. You can do it in 20-30 hours a week...but that may seem like a lot if you have another job or what not. However, even with 5-10 hours a week, you can make some extra cash. This is what the majority of people need and want.
Remember, it is all about what works best for YOU. And that is ok...
Thank you everyone for your participation!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I really have to say much more. I would have hoped that something so honest and upfront would be applauded by the people who say that no one tells the truth in Mary Kay.
Thanks everyone for your speaking on behalf of the "other side"!