Balanced Mary Kay welcomes new author - Shades Of Pink

I have said before, and will say again... I want this blog to incorporate a larger scope than just my personal observations and musings. Also, I am really busy in my "real" life right now.

As such, I have invited anyone who would like to be an "author" for this blog to let me know. Shay was the first to respond and has been posting some great thought provoking posts. Great Job Shay!!!!

Shades of Pink has also responded and I am looking forward to what we will see from her!

I am very serious about adding different perspectives and again emphasize that if you would like to be an author, let me know. It would be preferable if you have some experience with blogging (esp. on blogger) because it will come very simply for you. Also, I do want to see that you have been participating on this site already.

Please let me know if you are interested.... and Shades Of Pink.... Welcome!!!!

Stump the MK Newbie

Okay. This shouldn't be too hard. LOL

MKHonesty had a pop quiz for me on one of the posts, so I thought it might be fun for the experienced MK consultants to ask questions that every newbie should learn/know. I will do my best to answer. ;)

If you have a question, post it here and (hopefully) get an answer!

If I get stumped (highly likely - LOL), then I will cry uncle and someone else can answer.

This should be fun and great training, too! :o)

If you were on trial for being a Mary Kay consultant....

....would there be enough evidence to convict you?

I have a group of home business moms (over 400 members). I am always looking for moms to invite to the group. If I see a car with a bumper sticker for a home biz (or find out someone has a home biz by chatting with her), I ask for her card and hand her one of mine. (I have some just for my Home Biz Mamas group.) I am always amazed at how few are actually prepared for doing business - no biz card, nothing to write info down, etc.

So.....could you be convicted of being a Mary Kay consultant? Take the following quiz:

If you are talking to someone and she asks for a Look Book, what is your first thought?

1. "All of my stuff is at home! Oh no!"
2. "I don't have any Look Books! I need to order some!"
3. "I have 2 in my On-the-Go Tote. And samples and biz cards, too."

How many business cards did you hand out today?

1. 1
2. "What business cards?"
3. "I handed them out to everyone I talked to. And I got them to fill out the info card for me."

You meet a great prospect for your Mary Kay business. You need to get her name and number to follow up with her! What do you do?

1. Scramble around for a scrap of paper and a pen. Now where are they??
2. "I'll just keep it in my head. I won't forget."
3. You pull out a 2-part biz card. She fills out the info side, and you hand her the part with your info. You set up a time to call her.

If someone was looking for a Mary Kay rep, how would they know you sold Mary Kay?

1. "I have a biz card if she asks for one."
2. "Um. I dunno."
3. "I have a Mary Kay bumper sticker, a MK pin, and a Tote with Look Books in it. She'll find me!"

In closing, let me just say that customers are not going to fall from the sky if you are prepared to do business.

But they are certainly harder to find if you aren't.

"I don't have a consultant."

When I first decided to start my MK biz back up, I (of course) told my friends and family about it. Most of the responses I got were like this:

• "Really? That's great! I am out of (fill in name of product here) and I don't have a consultant anymore!"
• "Wonderful! My consultant moved and I really want to try the new things MK has."
• "I am so glad to hear that! I moved and lost touch with my consultant."

This got me thinking: why is there a "lack" of MK consultants? I have heard a lot about how the market is "saturated" - so how can this be that so many of my friends and family (and 2 strangers) like the products but "cannot" find a consultant? (Until now, of course! LOL)

[What follows is purely anecdotal (from an informal survey of those I have spoken to), but I would love to hear other stories from other consultants.]

First, let's look at the common reasons why someone no longer has a consultant:

• The customer moves and loses touch with the consultant.
• The consultant moves and loses touch with the customer.
• The consultant quits.

People move all the time. It is simply a fact of modern life. And it is true that a consultant may not be able to keep in touch with someone who moves (although having an email address may help in this regard - unless they change email addresses, too, of course).

Consultants sometimes move far enough away that they would prefer a local consultant. (Maybe they want to have a SCC and earn some hostess credit.)

And consultants quit. Life happens. The consultant that I was going to originally sign under quit because she and her hubby were transferred overseas and she felt it was best to leave MK until she came back to the States (in 3 years). Some consultants simply don't want to stay in MK. It happens. MK is not for everyone.

But with all of the talk about market saturation (from the anti-MK sites), one would think that finding a new consultant would be a piece of cake. Not so. Many in MK are personal use. From my own circle of people I know, 3 out of 5 are personal use.

Of the ones that are not self-labeled "personal use," they do not market their businesses like someone who is looking to make a full-time income at this business. Not even a sticker on their car. No pin. Nothing. So how do they expect to get new customers?

I have gotten 2 enthusiastic customers (not friends and family - these are people I did not know) simply from carrying my On-the-go Tote. (These are people who approached ME.) And I have only been using it since last Friday. (4 days). These are people who love Mary Kay but don't have a consultant. (Of the 2, one moved and the other had a consultant quit.)

Don't let the term "saturated" scare you. The market is NOT saturated. If a brand-new consultant can have 2 new customers in 4 days just by carrying a tote with a Look Book in it, then anyone can find new customers.

It's Your Life!

How do you measure success?

We have certainly all seen those people that are undeniably “successful”. They have money, notoriety and live the life they always dreamed they could.

We have seen the success stories of people that overcame great obstacles (and odds) to lead an extraordinary life that many people who have no obstacles will never realize.

Surely, some of you, have met someone that is not famous, wealthy or even “well off”… but, they exemplify the epitome of success.

The question then is, “What is success?”

Now it is clear that some things are socially accepted as signs of success.

Money.

Fame.

Legacy.

When you get to the end of your life and it is “game over”, what will make you say, “I was successful”?

Obviously, even by our own standards, there is always the possibility of being MORE successful.

How do you plan on becoming MORE successful? Today? This month? This quarter? This year?

Having fun - and making money

Today I made a sale while at Chuck E. Cheese with the kiddos.

No, it was NOT someone I met while I was there - it was a friend that was meeting us there and she asked me to bring my MK stuff. The kids played and we had fun with MK. Everybody wins! LOL

While it was not the ideal way to do a one-on-one, it really does show the flexibility of this business.

How else do you combine your "life" and Mary Kay? (Running errands while handing out samples and business cards, etc.)

Or do you not do that? Do you keep your "off" time "off" and only work your biz certain times?

Chime in here!

Most recent poll

Thanks to everyone who participated!!

Your MK Business This Week (2/22/08 - 2/29/08)

What's going on in your Mary Kay biz this week?

• Skin Care Classes?
• Recruiting appointments?
• Facials?
• Sales from reorders?
• Great day in general?

Post about it here - I'll try to have this each week.

"Failure" in Mary Kay (or any other company)

Since we have had several comments that have mentioned that MK "ain't my first rodeo," I felt this would be a good topic to discuss in general - since many people have tried more than one Direct Sales company in his/her career.

Some people might even hesitate joining Mary Kay because they have tried other companies and did not do as well as they had hoped. Or they hesitate to join because friends and family might say, "Weren't you selling XYZ Widgets six months ago?"

I hope this post will help ease their minds.

Imagine, if you will, walking into a job interview. You are 40 years old and have been out of college for 18 years. You hand the interviewer your resume, and he looks it over for a moment.

Then he turns to you and says, "I see you have failed at several companies before coming to the one you work at now. Now you are about to fail in your current job and want to come aboard with us. What is wrong with you?"

Can you see that happening? Of course not.

But why not? Why is it considered rude and appalling to be asked that in connection to your work history?

Because people understand that people leave companies for a variety of reasons. It doesn't mean the company is bad or the employee "failed" - it just means that the employee moved to a different job.

Why should choosing a Direct Sales company be any different?

I am 40 years old. I have been in more than one DS company. Over the course of 20+ years, I have been in some companies that closed, and some were not a good "fit" for me. Some I joined simply for the discount, and the starter kit had awesome stuff in it. LOL

Did I "fail" in those companies? No, I don't believe so. I did not duck my head and run when I left. The ones who closed - I had no control over that. (No more so than when an employee is laid off when a company closes.) I learned a lot at each company and met some awesome people. How can that be failure?

I did not go into debt for any company - so I had no bitterness or regrets in that aspect. However, even in the worst-case scenario that I have seen happen to some reps (the company shuts down and they are stuck with inventory - so they cannot return it), I have learned from smart women came out on top by using their heads and selling what they had on hand by whatever means they could (lesson learned - don't panic and use your smarts to make the best of a bad situation). How can that be failure?

There were some companies that I joined to get a good discount on products that I love. I got what I wanted and also met some nice people along the way. How can that be failure?

You don't really know what a company is truly like until you join it and get the Policies and Procedures Manual. Then you know the ins and outs of the company. I have joined companies before and knew immediately that the company was not for me. No big deal. I used the products in my starter kit and I learned the specific types of questions to ask before joining a DS company, so I can find out things before I sign on the dotted line. (Kind of like learning the right questions to ask during a job interview.) How can that be failure?

There was a company I joined (almost 20 years ago - am I that old??? LOL) and made very little money. I invested a lot in tapes, books and functions. I sponsored like crazy. I put lots of miles on my car (this was in the pre-internet days - you had to "show the plan" in person). But after paying for expenses, there was very little profit. But what I gained? Public speaking skills, friendships (that last till this day), selling skills, and a LOT more self-confidence. (I still use some of the products, too - love 'em.) How can that be failure?

There were 3 companies I joined that went out of business. One company was a telecommunications company - no inventory, so I was not in trouble with that. The other two did not encourage inventory, so I sold off what little I had at full retail. I made money in these companies and made some lasting friendships - again, that last until this day. How can that be failure?

When people question why I have been with more than one company, I don't go into a long story. I simply say that they were not a good fit and leave it at that. I know the details, and that is what is important to me.

Just because I did not stay with a particular company, however, does NOT mean I will tell someone that they will succeed or "fail." My track record with a company has no bearing whatsoever on what someone else will or will not do. Period.

Why do some people feel the need to put the Scarlet Letter of "F" for "Failure" on those who have tried more than one company? I do not know. I have my theories. Maybe they have "failed" at companies (their word, not mine) and feel they have to label others in order to feel okay. Maybe they are afraid of not achieving a dream they have - so it is better to not try at all and ridicule others for even trying. Maybe they are just unhappy, bitter, depressing people all of the time and have no joy in their lives.

I don't know - and I don't bother worrying about it.

All I know is that I have a SCC tonight - and I will have fun and make some money.

And that, my friends, is not failure.

Negative people and your MK business

In the course of running your Mary Kay business, you are going to run into negative people:

• "You'll never make any money doing Mary Kay."
• "You can't find customers."
• "The market is saturated."
• "You have tried other companies - you won't last in this one."
• "It's all a cult."

Ignore them.

There are some people who thrive on making others miserable and tearing down their dreams. It is in their genes, I suppose.

There is a quote that says, "If you think you CAN do something - you are right. If you think you CAN'T - you are also right." Your mindset is so important.

Naysayers don't bother me. My dreams are strong!

Don't let them bother you, either. :D

Wow! (This ain't your Mama's Mary Kay!)

I just got my starter kit, and all I can say is, "Wow!"

I am completely blown away by how different this is from what I received when I signed up 13+ years ago.

Full-sized products, samples, online ordering options, an appointment book, DVD's showing a skin care class, an opportunity CD. And the bags! They are GORGEOUS!! When I was in, the starter kit had a big pink box you lugged around. LOL This starter kit bag is absolutely beautiful!

And the tote! Perfect size for taking with you, and wonderful for showcasing a Look Book. I can definitely see how just using the bag can get you some referrals/customers.

So now for some input - I would love to hear from all of you!

• Do you use your On-the-go tote? Do you keep a Look Book in it? Samples? Biz cards?
• Have you gotten customers/hostesses from it?
• Do any of you hand out samples with business cards?
• Do you wear your your name tag? Pin? Have you gotten customers from that?

I would love to hear any stories about how using these tools led to finding a customer or consultant for your team!

If you have NOT gotten results using these tools, I want to hear that, too! Tell about your experience and maybe all of us can brainstorm about how to help you get more leads from using the Tote and your pin.

What about the part-timer?

Well, boys and girls - I am getting my kit from MK tomorrow! WOO HOOOO!

Hubby asked about my goals/plans - so we sat down and talked about them.

I am actually going to work my Mary Kay business part time to start. Hubby and I worked out which nights I will do SCC's and facials and I will go to a meeting a few times a month.

We discussed inventory choices and made a decision about what to do with inventory.

I told him that I want to earn a car through MK, but that I am not putting pressure on myself to do it in my first year! I am going to build my business and put my family first.

This is one of the great things I love about Mary Kay. I did not sit down and tell him the hours I had to work - we discussed what my ideal schedule would be - and that is what I will work.

The fact that Mary Kay offers excellent earning potential by working a part-time schedule that I choose is one of the most awesome things about this company.

EVERYONE has bad days

Everyone has a bad day from time to time in any business, not just Mary Kay.

• I can remember when I lived in PA and worked in a store there. We had 4 inches of snow and our total sales for the day were around $50. (The average was well over $1000 on a weekday.)



• I have driven 3 hours to do a presentation and had no one show up.



• I have had 6 people call in sick in one day.



• I had an assistant manager forget to take the "closed" sign off of the door one day when I was off. Needless to say, sales were bad that day. :o)

I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

When you have a bad day in Mary Kay (or any business), you have a choice.

• Keep your chin up. Try to correct what you can. Learn from your experience, and try again the next day, or



• Get into a pity party and completely convince yourself that you will never succeed.

There are also people who would love to help you wallow in negativity - don't let them. Being around negative people (online or in real life) will only make you miserable. The worst thing you can do when you are having a bad day is find someone else to affirm your feelings of gloom and doom. (Some people even make a living off of the misery and hopelessness of others. They have an ulterior motive to keeping you miserable. Very sad.)

Think of it like this: every marriage has bad days. It's not like you are going to file for divorce because you have one bad day. There are days when you and your spouse may fuss and fight or simply get on each other's nerves, but you have a choice.

• Start fresh the next day, or



• Dwell on the negative.

The worst thing you can do on the bad days is find someone who isn't wild about your spouse and pour out your frustrations to him or her. After listening to your Aunt Myrtle agree with you about how horrible your spouse is for an hour or two, you feel worse - not better.

However, if you talk to your sister Sue (who thinks your hubby is a great catch - and she is right) and she reminds you of how great he is, you feel encouraged. You know the situation is only temporary.

It is the same thing with your MK business.

Having a rough day? Call your MK support circle and be encouraged. Ask questions. Get positive advice. Go to a positive, uplifting site and get encouragement.

Are you having a great day? Call your team members. Send a card to encourage someone. Post a positive note on a MK message board or blog. Make some phone calls. Share your positive energy.

Unrealistic expectations (in marriage or business) can cause a lot of frustration. Knowing from the start that there will be great days and not-so-great ones makes the journey easier.

Religion in Mary Kay

mk4me contributed this piece... you may have already seen it, but just in case you haven't, here it is.

If I am going to try this authoring thing, I figure I might as well jump in with both feet. This is a topic that has always really bugged me when I read the posts on PT about the abuse of religion in Mary Kay and have always wanted to comment. I truly hope I offend no one.

First, an observation I have made having been in Mary Kay for quite a few years, different parts of the Country seem to have a different flavor in how much religion is a part of the business. Being from New England originally, I guess we must appear to be cold heathens or something because I notice that it seems like the Bible belt states seem to be far more "religious". Now I am not saying people are more or less spiritual, it just seems there is a difference in how it is portrayed.

I have seen people that attend Church regularly and say they are good Christians and yet they will run over someone in the parking lot trying to leave the Church.

I personally feel very spiritual but when I am dealing with my business, I come across as business individual. I feel that my actions, behavior, and my treatment of others is the way I will be judged far more than what I say. (What's the old saying, Your actions are so loud, I can't hear what you are saying!)

Manipulation by way of religion is wrong in any situation. I personally get very offended when I read stuff like, "the God" we are taught to worship in Mary Kay isn't the same God we are taught to worship in Church. Mary Kay was a woman (personally I feel a wonderful woman) but not a saint. She put her panty hose on one leg at a time. Mary Kay is a business not a religion even if some choose to use it as "their" ministry. If an individual allows the issue to be confused, that is on the individual.

To try to excuse or justify wrong doing by saying, it was the way you were taught, you are only trying to make excuses for your wrong doings. If you feel guilty about your past behavior, apologize, ask for forgiveness, and move on. The day I stand in judgment, I don't think blaming someone else for my wrong doing is going to get me off the hook.

Saying that Mary Kay made you lie to your husband, or use someone else's credit card etc...is just wrong. It is wrong in MK and it is wrong out of MK. If you wouldn't do it outside of Mary Kay, why would you feel it is right to do it in Mary Kay.

I have been at Seminar where a speaker has not been my "cup of tea" because it is far more "preach-ey" than "speach-ey" but that is her right and her personality and just because it isn't "me", I still feel she has the right (we do live in the USA)to be who she is if she has earned her 5 minutes in the spotlight. If she is offensive to me, I have the right not to listen. If I were speaking, I would not expect someone to tell me I should be more Scriptural when I speak because that just isn't me.

The way I see things, we will have temptation in life. If we believe in God versus Satan, good versus evil, we will be put to the test over and over again in our lives. We are even given many examples in the Bible. From the very beginning we are given the story of Adam and Eve. Eve was tested, she chose wrong - Adam made his decision too. Can there be a more powerful scripture in choosing right from wrong. I believe we will be judged on our actions, we will be tempted, our strength to make the right decisions in the hard times is our test. These decisions measure our character. We will all make mistakes; we are imperfect humans, but being able to understand the errors of our ways and not continuing to repeat the behavior
is in my understanding where we will gain forgiveness.

I know I am far from perfect, just ask my hubby or kids. I have made mistakes and I am sure I will make many more, but if I make a poor choice that is on me, no one else.

One of my most favorite sayings - God was good enough to give you a brain; you should show some appreciation and use it.

As far as the Company philosophy of God first, family second, career third. I have no trouble keeping this in balance. If it on a rare occasion gets out of kilter, I adjust. There are times that I need to work for my Faith and family though. We are not wealthy and I contribute to the financial well being of the family. This means there are times that I must work even if it means maybe giving up something I would maybe not want to give up. The point is, it is RARE for me to have to make such a choice. I would rather have the choice that I have - than knowing every day I must leave my home and work 40+ hours a week, Monday - Friday with no flexibility.

This is a very emotional topic for me and I just hope some of my passion is coming through in my writing, because I would never want someone unfamiliar with our Company to believe everything they will read on PT. Mary Kay is not a cult. We are free to come and go as we please. There is even the 90% buyback if you choose to leave. We are not handcuffed, bound, or physically restrained, if you want to not be a part of Mary Kay, don't. It really is simple.

One final note, I have often wondered what they will blame if there is a consultant that is of a different faith or an atheist that makes poor business decisions? How would it be possible to manipulate an individual that didn't believe in the "God" you were using to manipulate with but still made the same mistakes??

Weasel words - Part Two (or, "You should be like me")

Part One dealt with the nature of legalese (called "weasel words" on PT).

This post will deal with the nature of the words in question. Please note that these are numbers from MK in Canada, not the US.

I am not going to copy and paste here. If you want to read the whole post, go here.

The entire tone of the post strikes me as being....judgemental. Not just against MKC, but of the reps themselves.

We have no way of knowing what the goals of those reps are. We don't know how many hours they worked. We don't know anything about these reps.

When I see phrases like

• "We don't know how much less, but I'll bet that for most of them, it was a lot less."


• "That means that 29,429 have not earned any commission, just their sales, we'll ignore that for now."


• "By my estimate, anybody who earns less than $6,000 commissions per month is not making an executive salary."

...it drives me crazy.

How do you know? How do you know how much money people made from selling products?

Who made you the judge of what is executive salary and what isn't?

How do you know what the goals of these reps were? Perhaps they made exactly what they wanted to make. Perhaps not. Your idea of success might not be the same as theirs.

To give another perspective:

When I was a Seventh-Day Adventist, I had someone come up to me and tell me what I believed and why it was wrong.

The problem is, he did not have any of his facts right, and he made himself look like an idiot because he pronounced judgement without taking the time to find out what my beliefs actually were!

I feel the same way about PT.

To sit and pass judgement on the success or failure of others without first finding out what the goals were in the first place seems just as foolish to me.

And that, of course, is just my opinion. :D

"Weasel words" - Part One

Recently on PT, the term "weasel words" was used to describe the fine print in the Canadian Applause magazine.

Then there was this statement:

"Every company uses them... the fine print at the bottom of the page. They tell a lot about the limitations on your life insurance, the warranty on your VCR and even how much money you will make."

There are 2 points I want to make about this particular post (hence, the Part One on the subject line).

First let's talk about the term "weasel words" and Mary Kay.

As the above quote shows, every company uses this type of language. Most companies refer to it as the "legalese" and it is a standard business practice.

Only on PT is a standard business practice labeled heinous and deceptive - and that is only if Mary Kay Corp. is doing it.

In front of me I have a Captain D's coupon. The "weasel words" on it are quite small, and my old eyes have a time reading it; however, they say:

"Expires 3/30/2008. Participating restaurants only. Limit one per coupon. Not valid with other offers."

Are these "weasel words"? Hardly. They are legal parameters put on the coupon so people don't try to sue the store if they try to use 4 coupons to get free meals or try to use one coupon for an entire football team and the store tells them they cannot do that (because the store would suffer hardship).

The legalese for Mary Kay is no different. In this day and age, there are people waiting to pounce on every company (not just MK) to seize an opportunity to sue someone with deep pockets for not disclosing every single detail and being "misleading," so MKC is careful to cross every T and dot every I.

Wouldn't it be nice if PT were required to have the same disclosures? Wouldn't it be nice to have them back up statements such as

• No one makes money in Mary Kay.


• No one makes executive income in Mary Kay.


• No one is successful in Mary Kay.


• It is impossible to book and hold classes.

But they don't have to. They are not bound by the same rules that MKC is.

But I wonder....

If PT DID have to use the same disclosures....would they still be called "weasel words"?

What are you looking for?

Hubby and I recently bought a new car - a black Ford Explorer.

Before I bought one, I never realized how many people actually have a black Ford Explorer. Now that I have one, I see them everywhere (especially in parking lots - when I am trying to find my car!).

Mary Kay is a lot like that. You see what you look for.

I have seen some anti-MK sites say things like:

• "It's next to impossible to get women to book and hold classes..."


• "There are no retail customers for MK."


• "No one makes money in MK."

[Many of these comments have been refuted on this blog already, but that is not the point of this post. :o)]

• If you walk around thinking that no one will book and hold a class, then that is what will happen.


• If you think that no one pays retail for MK, then that will be your experience.


• If you believe no one makes money in MK, then you probably won't make money in MK.

The term "self-fulfilling prophecy" certainly applies here.

The appeal of Mary Kay

My name is Shay. I am the wife of a disabled veteran and the mom to four kiddos. I homeschool 3 of them. (The fourth is my sd and lives with her bio mom).

I am a former MK consultant (over 13+ years ago) and I am soon to be a brand-new consultant again!

Having been in MK before, I know what to expect, but I am looking forward to the changes that have taken place. (Internet training, etc.)

There are many reasons why women join Mary Kay. Mine include the following:

• Flexible hours


• Making extra money


• Being around adults (I home school - so adult conversation is a plus!)


• Making new friends


• Recognition/encouragement


• Getting a discount on great MK products

I am sure that I could think of more, but that's a good start! :D

Some reasons I prefer MK over a J-O-B are these:

• No child care costs


• I can work my own hours.


• I can work my schedule around my family.


• I have control over my own business - no one tells me what to do (but support and advice are readily available).

MK is not for everyone, but I believe that it is a great opportunity for those who treat MK like a business (not a hobby) and are willing to learn about the products and about sales. (Yes, I said the "S" word. LOL)

Everyone has different reasons to join MK (and I hope to have everyone's feedback on what their reasons are), but that is a little about me and why MK appeals to me. :o)

Thanks to David for letting me chime in on this blog. :D

-----Shay :o)

Balanced Mary Kay welcomes new author - Shay

I have said before, and will say again... I want this blog to incorporate a larger scope than just my personal observations and musings. Also, I am really busy in my "real" life right now.

As such, I have invited anyone who would like to be an "author" for this blog to let me know. Shay (aka - ShaySC, MKShay, etc.) is the first to respond - and hopefully will be the first to start posting!

This is a first for me (adding authors) so hopefully all will go well and soon several of you will be able to get new conversations started.

Please let me know if you are interested.... and Shay.... Welcome!!!!

numerous apologies

I know you may be thinking this site is gone for good.... or that I have been swallowed up by some unknown force.... I am still here, and you can still talk about Mary Kay and Pink Truth.

Welcome to all the newcomers, and thanks to all of you that are keeping the discussion going.

If you would like to help make this site interesting (by authoring some posts) let me know. Please sign up for a blogger profile and then email me with your profile ID and I will add you as an author.

Please make sure that posts are spell checked and read for continuity.

Zen and Shay, you already have profiles, just zing me an email if you are willing to be "added".

Thanks all.... more later

Riddle me this

I need something to distract and entertain everyone while I am busy. Let's try a riddle.

Three college buddies are on a "road trip" and stop to spend the night in a hotel.

The Hotel manager informs them that the cost is $30 for the night, so they each turn over a $10 bill.

As they are making their way to their room, the manager remembers that he is offering a $5 discount that night and sends his assistant with 5 one dollar bills to make things right.

The three buddies give the assistant a $2 tip and each take one of the three remaining dollars.

Here is the problem. They have now each payed $9. $9 X 3 = $27. $27 + $2 (tip) = $29. But we started with $30. So the question is, "Where is the missing dollar?"

I will weigh in at the end (and/or beginning) of each day.

If you already know the answer don't spoil it for anyone else... But you can help me by answering any questions that come up during the day.

Don't let yourself get bogged down with complex things like taxes or the assistant being into "dollar-bill origami". It is a very simple problem with a very simple answer. And hopefully, the solution will help illuminate the conversation about Mary Kay!

Good luck!

Time to catch up

I feel like I have just barely been keeping up with this site. So it is time to do a little catching up.

First of all, the most recent polls.




Thanks everyone for voting and look for some semblance of the new title for this site in the near future.

Second,

Who does everyone think will win the Super Bowl tomorrow? Should have asked that a while ago, but if you are on and want to weigh in, go ahead.

Third,

If you want to discuss which seminar affiliation you are in - now that we know the "stats", you can talk about that here. My wife is in Sapphire, but I am not sure if I will be at seminar this year.

Fourth,

Anyone watch Lost? Should we start discussing it here?

Fifth,

Welcome to all the new people that have been commenting. I regret not having more time to thank you personally for your comments, but your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Thanks everyone.

Production Requirement Reduction

Zen Blogger/Shades of Pink has mentioned that InTouch has announced that Mary Kay is reducing the production requirements for Grand Achiever.

First of all, anyone that has any information or questions about this that they would like to share here, you know what to do. (and yes, you should all go read InTouch first - but if you find a blog to me more credible OR don't have access to InTouch OR are just plain lazy, you can read and ask questions here!)

Second, let us discuss the concept of lowering standards.

Is it good? Is it bad?

I have mentioned before the nature of the academy that police officers must complete before becoming an officer. I will also point out the fire department academy. (I recently read a fantastic article about the attempt in Los Angeles to increase the number of women in the LAFD - which has failed thus far because the female candidates really struggle to meet the necessary standards - another hot topic... for another time!) The importance of maintaining standards in some industries is very obvious. In other industries it is considerably less important. Underwater basket weaving comes to mind.

Which is the case with Mary Kay? Should the standards increase? Should the barriers be lowered?

If the answer varies from person to person (invariably - some will perform better with higher expectations while others will bloom if they can "just get their foot in the door"), which "personality" should be given precedence?

Thanks Shades for bringing up this topic!