Tired, overwhelmed, weary, fatigued, jaded—unfortunately these words describe much of America’s female work force. The combined pressures of rearing kids and competing in fast paced work settings often turn women into robots on auto-pilot as they struggle to find equilibrium. Finding that ideal balance between socializing and work, family-time and friend-time, right brain and left brain, and even childhood wonder and mature perspective creates problems for both men and women, teens and adults. Yet somehow select individuals successfully move past any family problems or frustrations at work. They go after what they want, persistently follow their dreams, persevere, and manage to respect those around them. It is those people, I believe, that lead the world. Just as Daniel Golemanetal states, “gifted leadership occurs where heart and head- feeling and thought- meet” (62). Having self-awareness as well as social-awareness and knowing how to read the emotions of those around them grant leaders an ability to successfully interact with people and attain what they and others need and desire. In fact, the creative process of writing tends to bring out our struggles toward creativity and goal achieving. Writing is listed as therapeutic, as a way to bring out our inner childhood wonder, by allowing us to express our true ideas on paper. 
(Putting Pen to Paper)
(Putting Pen to Paper)
A role model should guide themselves and others in the same manner we create new understanding as we write. Exhibiting a sense of morality for people to emulate, role models have the courage to achieve goals and put into motion new ideas. This often involves stepping out of comfort zones, using natural talents and abilities, and realizing that they can do it. The popular Nike phrase, “just do it,” suggests the struggle many of us have in taking that first step. Texas native Mary Kay Ash, founder of the international direct sale cosmetic company Mary Kay Inc., did take that first step. She helped many women realize their dreams as she pioneered a compassionate manner of doing business by “praising people” to success (Company Founder). Mary Kay “generate[d] excitement, optimism, and passion for the job ahead, as well as cultivate[d] an atmosphere of cooperation and trust” just as Golemanetal states a leader should (63). How did Mary Kay achieve greatness while staying honest to her morals and maintaining balance in her life? Coupled with an outstanding personality, it was the creative act of writing that guided and defined Mary Kay Ash’s life of perseverance, persistence, and passion.
(Mary Kay Inc. Logo)
The act of writing itself inspired Mary Kay to launch her new, unique form of business. With no college education and frustrated and discouraged after 25 years in the direct selling business, Mary Kay Ash retired from her position as a national training director in 1963 when a less experienced and skilled man was promoted above her at a higher salary (Company Founder). She decided to write her memoirs in order to help woman overcome some of the obstacles she had encountered in the business world. First, she listed all the positive things the companies she had been with had done and then changes she would make to create a better company (Ash 1981, 20). Putting pen to paper, Mary Kay was able to express her true feelings and organize her thoughts. Her visionary memoirs quickly evolved into a dream company that would give women boundless opportunities. So after just one month of retirement, with the help of her past experience, $5000, and her son, Richard, she founded “Beauty by Mary Kay”. Her creative business plan was not founded on a competitive business rule but on the Golden Rule.
It is Mary Kay’s novel business philosophy that still inspires individuals to balance passions and work with the important things in life like family. Mary Kay proposed living by the Golden Rule, “do to others as you would have them do to you,” in not only everyday life but also in business life. She chose to bring morality to the workplace and thus empower women to succeed in a balanced manner. “God first, family second, and career third” was Mary Kay’s motto for her outstanding career and personal life involving three children (Ash 1995, xii). In our stress filled and time-crunched lives in which we must earn money to survive, this phrase seems impractical. Nevertheless, she claimed that “you can have it all” by following this motto. Mary Kay certainly did have it all, so her guideline for a balanced life creates a standard to strive toward. She also espoused this phrase to her employees as a way to boost sales and improve lives.
Interestingly, this enthusiasm for her business strategy and for her career began with a single book. One day a door-to-door saleslady knocked on Mary Kay’s door selling a book on child psychology. Mary Kay desperately wanted to buy the expensive book. Sensing Mary Kay’s interest, the salesperson proposed that if Mary Kay could sell ten of the books, then the salesperson would give her the volume for free. In only a day and a half, Mary Kay sold all ten books and received her own copy. Shocked that Mary Kay’s enthusiasm had sold the difficult-to-sell books so quickly, the lady hired Mary Kay on the spot, and Mary Kay thus embarked on her first sales experience job. Indeed, Mary Kay states in her memoir, “enthusiasm is a great advantage in anything you do [. . .] I’m sure my own enthusiasm was my number-one asset when I first got into sales” (Ash 1981, 42). Her success in life reminds us to stay enthusiastic and involved in what we do.
By supporting this enthusiasm and allowing employees to maintain a balanced life, Mary Kay Inc. soon reached tremendous success. On its 40th anniversary in 2003, Mary Kay Inc. was employing over 1.1 million beauty consultants in over 30 markets and produced a wholesale of nearly 1.7 billion dollars (Mary Kay Milestones). Offering sale incentives such as pink Cadillacs (see photo) to highest sellers and providing a family friendly environment has continued to empower women employees since the 1960’s. Today most people know a neighbor, family member, or friend who either sells or uses Mary Kay skin products.
(Mary Kay’s books from the UT PCL Library)
Amongst Mary Kay’s massive entrepreneurial actives, Mary Kay chose to share her wisdom and wealth through writing books that became best-sellers. After publishing her autobiography, she chose to write the self-help books she had dreamed of writing when she first retired. In Mary Kay—You Can Have it All, she shares her lifetime wisdom as America’s foremost woman entrepreneur. In it she discusses everyday problems and skills such as the taking business skills home, self-image, intuition, adaptation, humor, and time management(Ash 1981, vii). In Mary Kay—On People Management, she reveals the secrets to her success in empowering woman while generating massive sales at the same time. She offers countless morsels of advice for generations of people to come. Her writing inspires individuals to dream, goal set, and to take the initiative: “You see, the world is full of people who do a lot of dreaming [. . .]—but who never take that first step [. . .] So many people are afraid of failure [. . .] Remember: the death of fear is in doing what you fear to do!” (Ash 1981, 95-96).
Mary Kay’s innovative approach to empower women, her beneficial writing, charismatic personality, and charitable foundation she established for cancer research earned her many well-deserved awards, recognitions, and television documentaries. Recognition as one of America’s 25 Most Influential Women, and having Mary Kay Inc. named one of the top 100 businesses for women to work in America stand out (Company Founder).
The initiative and courage involved in starting any company, whether it succeeds or not, calls for the utmost respect and admiration. Taking that first step allows individuals to accomplish what they dream and even support those around them in any area of life, not just business. Channeling one’s enthusiasm and passion, as Mary Kay Ash did, also takes willpower and a strong sense of self-identity. Perhaps one can discover that identity through the creative process that takes place while writing. Yet even if the act of writing does not inspire a life decision as it did for Mary Kay (in beginning her company), everyone can use the writing process to clarify what they have derived from life experiences. We can all hope to attain the persistence, determination, and innovativeness that Mary Kay bettered the world with.
Short two-minute video about Mary Kay Ash: http://reflectweb.reflectsystems.com/FileFactory.aspx?Player=1&MediaID=30995
Works Cited
Ash, Mary Kay. Mary Kay. New York: Harper & Row, 1981.
Ash, Mary Kay. Mary Kay- You Can Have it All. New York: Prima Publishing, 1995.
"Company Founder." Mary Kay- Enriching Women's Lives. 2007. Mary Kay Inc. 2 Oct. 2007.
http://http//www.marykay.com/company/companyfounder/default.aspx.
Golemanetal, Daniel. “Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603 Course
Anthology, Volume 1. Harvard: 2002.
"Mary Kay Milestones." Mary Kay- Enriching Women's Lives. 2007. Mary Kay Inc. 2 Oct.
2007.
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