Ask Me about Mary Kay: The True Story Behind the Bumper Sticker on the Pink Cadillac

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Ask Me about Mary Kay: The True Story Behind the Bumper Sticker on the Pink Cadillac

by Jackie Brown

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 9 ratings · 5 reviews

Paperback, 394 pages

Published September 1st 2010 by Strategic Book Publishing

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Dec 08, 2010 Wild Women Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book is written by Jackie Brown, one of the original consultants who joined the Mary Kay line of cosmetics in its early years of formation. It was interesting to read about the plight of females in the early 1960s and the obstacles that they had to overcome in order to be successful business women. At the time women couldn’t even get loans or buy a car with their own money without their husbands’ permission, while at the same time many women who began selling Mary Kay products began to earn...more The book is written by Jackie Brown, one of the original consultants who joined the Mary Kay line of cosmetics in its early years of formation. It was interesting to read about the plight of females in the early 1960s and the obstacles that they had to overcome in order to be successful business women. At the time women couldn’t even get loans or buy a car with their own money without their husbands’ permission, while at the same time many women who began selling Mary Kay products began to earn more income than their husbands.

There were some times where I thought that the book dragged slowly with too much detail about how the business was formed and grown, and minute details about the conventions that the company had. However, looking back after reading it I think that many of what I thought were minute details ended up being significant in a later part of the story.

Throughout the book, the author paints such an intriguing portrait of the mysterious Mary Kay. Just who was this woman who managed to build a billion dollar cosmetics empire? Was she ethical or unethical? Was she collaborative or a dictator? Was she a liar, or a thief?

For years Jackie Brown looked up and idolized Mary Kay until one day a disagreement over money and pay caused a rift between the two women that resulted in Jackie Brown opening a competing cosmetics line and a huge legal and social battle between the two women and companies.

The book struck a serious nerve with me, having been royally betrayed by one of my mentors who I had idolized for years. I can relate to the heartbreak and disappointment that one feels when someone that they trusted and looked up to turns out to be unethical and stabs them in the back. I know exactly how Jackie Brown felt when many of her “friends” turned against her and took Mary Kay’s side in the battle, completely isolating her and spreading vicious rumors about her. And I know how it feels to always sometimes have a special place in a sad little part of your heart for someone who had betrayed you.

Was Mary Kay as unethical as this books makes her out to be? Certainly many successful women have larger than life horror stories that follow their legacy and paint them out to be the big bad ball busters. Did she really retaliate in the way that Jackie Brown claims she did, by having private investigators spy on Jackie, wiretap her house phone, and throw a bottle through her daughter’s window after Jackie opened up her competing cosmetics company? Who knows. The constant “Mary Kay had seven or nine or x amount of husbands” that is frequently alluded to throughout the book by Jackie, who pretty much claims to be a super ethical Christian wife, seems to be a bit suspect. When it boils down to it, who really betrayed who?

This book was definitely interesting to read, minus the last couple of chapters that detailed the author’s new cosmetics company, because when it all really boiled down to it…Mary Kay was the mysterious star of the story. After reading this book, I am definitely going to read some of the books written by Mary Kay, a highly persuasive and ambitious woman who created a billion dollar company that made many women rich in a time when the role of many women was that of housewife or secretary.(less)

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Nov 22, 2010 *Babs* rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Marketing, Sales, Recruiting, Drama

Shelves: arc-asked-to-review, marketing, direct-sales, drama

In December of 1963, grief over the recent assassination of President Kennedy gave rise to a heightened sense of urgency to "grab the brass ring now." So it was that on a snowy day in Dallas, a legal secretary looking for a brighter future for herself and her family answered an ad placed by a new company, Mary Kay Cosmetics. In Jackie Brown's brief interview with Mary Kay, she became convinced not only of the company's quality products and the founder's values, but also of the potential in the m...more In December of 1963, grief over the recent assassination of President Kennedy gave rise to a heightened sense of urgency to "grab the brass ring now." So it was that on a snowy day in Dallas, a legal secretary looking for a brighter future for herself and her family answered an ad placed by a new company, Mary Kay Cosmetics. In Jackie Brown's brief interview with Mary Kay, she became convinced not only of the company's quality products and the founder's values, but also of the potential in the marketing plan. Here was a company that would reward her hard work and dedication with an executive paycheck! Jackie rose through the ranks of Mary Kay Cosmetics as no one else did. Jackie's successes in selling and recruiting laid the foundation for a cosmetics empire and she herself became the gold standard for new recruits. But as the company's achievements spiraled ever higher, Jackie began to see flaws from within. And these were only the first warnings of a breach of trust so great it would start a battle between the two women. This is the story the public has never heard. The real story that fills in the gaps left by other published reports. It is a story of loyalty and betrayal, joy and heartbreak, recognition and disappointment, heady success and depressing failure. Ultimately, it is also a story of tragedy, and Jackie Brown is the only one who can tell it. Author Jackie Brown spent over forty years in the cosmetic business and was president of two cosmetic companies. Now retired, she lives in a small town in Arkansas.

My 2 cents:

Mary Kay and Jackie Brown are good role models for anyone running a business or wanting to. Both woman overcame so many obstacles through out their career and made it big. This book might make some people upset thinking Jackie should have left some things alone or out of the book. I am glad she didn't. It really makes you see the faith and how hard they both worked at their goals and businesses. I was shocked I guess I was expecting it to be no holds bared let everything out some of it was, but not like what a person might think. This was a great read for me and recommend it highly.(less)

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Nov 28, 2010 Anastacia Knits rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, biography, first-reads

I am not at all into makeup, cosmetics, & only the most basic of skin care. When I was asked to review this book, I agreed because Mary Kay is a household name, but what did I know about the history of the company? I didn't even know that there was an actual Mary Kay, let alone anything else.

The story starts in the beginning, of course, with the author, Jackie Brown, meeting Mary Kay for the first time, and goes on from there. The book reminds me of a badly written soap opera (not that the...more

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Feb 04, 2011 Donna Lyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

i wish there was a "loved it" star instead of "it was amazing" but whatever. I loved this book and I love Jackie Brown!! so many quotables. her determination and work ethic is to be admired. time with kids, not so much. but that is the price you pay to build an empire i suppose. very interesting to get a behind-the-scenes peek into the mary kay world back in the 60's and early 70's. this book is a keeper! i especially loved reading about the friendship between jackie and marjie.

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Mar 11, 2011 Kristin (Kritters Ramblings) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kritter-reviewed-2011

A great behind the scenes look at how this iconic company was started and where it went amongst controversy and drama. We all know the name Mary Kay, but few have heard where it all began. Who knew that behind the Mary Kay empire, stood women who helped build it customer by customer just to watch one of their mentors fall due to promises not kept.

I absolutely loved reading this book. It read like fiction and I had to keep reminding myself that it was all true. Although I know it came from one pe...more

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