Mary Kay: The Success Story of America's Most Dynamic Businesswoman

by Mary Kay Ash

The Story of America's Most Dynamic Businesswoman

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Business, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Autobiography, Christian

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Mary Kay Ash was an American businesswoman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.

Reviews

[Antoinette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me just say that it is incredibly difficult for me to pass up a bargain. So, when I found this gem of an autobiography in a 25 cent bin, I was helpless to stop myself. Settling in with some tea and a blanket, I prepared myself for a huge dose of propaganda. What I found was actually a sensitive, complete, inspirational autobiography of an amazing woman. Though there were a few irritatingly shallow parts, I walked away feeling positive about my purchase.

Ok...I get that Mary Kay Ash is all about making women feel better. I also get that she believes a well groomed appearance says a lot about a person. Still...COME ON! Do you really listen to self help tapes EVERY chance you get? Do you really believe a little bit of makeup can save the whole world? "I recently heard a very good definition of a woman's needs. From birth to age fourteen, she needs good parents and good health. From fourteen to forty, she needs good looks. From forty to sixty she needs personality, and from sixty on, she needs cash." Really...is that really all she needs? Never mind that this excerpt is from the chapter on How to Succeed in a Man's World. I find it offensive and unhelpful! It simplifies women, and intensifies gender roles...it isn't even worth analyzing. It was a silly, old fashioned comment that slanted the otherwise positive content of the chapter. A few more uncomfortable passages made me gag, but they are not worth mentioning. If you can read this for a quarter, by all means read away. If the price is anything higher, you would be wise to save your change for something more modern!

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Returning from a Mary Kay career conference, I determined to read Mary Kay's autobiography. She's not a writer, but many of her philosophies on life and business are insightful. I found myself quoting her to people more than I wanted to while I was reading the book. Regardless of what one thinks of Mary Kay Ash, you can't deny that she has a remarkable personal story and built a billion dollar company from scratch. Perhaps she knew a little of what she was doing?!

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more autobiographical than how-to. It clarified misinformation I had supposed was true about her, but wasn't. Interesting life story, not the least of which is the coincidence that the company from which she retired in 1960s, before she started MK Cosmetics, had its headquarters in my MA town! She offers a compassion and respect for body image starkly missing in mainstream media. She passed away 8 years ago after a long and passionate family, business, community and church-filled life.

[Herb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good "personal" manual on how to build a successful business and how to run it with a strong sense of morality and ethics. I think I would have liked Mary Kay Ash as a person, and you don't have to be interested in the cosmetics industry to enjoy this good story.

[Kate ☕ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Had to stop when MK judged her doctor, who wasn't wearing any make-up.

I realize this was written 50 years ago, and women no doubt needed a bit of encouragement back then (in terms of independence especially), but looking at it nowadays it's very superficial and shallow.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! I can hear Mary Kay Ash's voice as I read it.

[Grace Hudnall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for any sales person starting out. Very enthusiastic and inspiring.
Many useful tips for a career and time management.

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Miracles Happen by Mary Kay Ash

DNF

Mary Kay is a very prolific woman. She's one of the most successful business women in the world and her rise to fame in a world dominated by men set her apart from a lot of women. Mary Kay is the type of woman who always reached for the stars and wanted to do more than what was possible. She's a real inspiration and many women have careers due to her brilliant platform and marketing plan. She's an amazing woman, but she is not a writer. She is a time hopper-which isn't a good thing to be as a memoir writer. One second she's chronicling her childhood and the next she's talking about the start of her business. It's not smart formatting and it really made me uninterested. I didn't finish reading MK's memoir mainly due the poor writing as well as my complete lack of interest. I just don't find myself interested in learning more about MK than what I can find from her Wikipedia page. Maybe memoirs just aren't for me, but I don't think that's true because I absolutely love Night by Elie Wiesel. I know many people are motivated by MK and her brilliant ideas, but these ideas are probably best watched in a documentary than in a memoir. I'll be donating this to a used bookstore in hopes of this impacting a woman who needs it.

Cover Thoughts: This book is very pink. Incredibly pink. As Mary Kay liked to say, "Think pink," and boy did she love pink.

[Alyssa Koskinen]

I had to read this book for a class on leadership! I’m so glad I chose it because it was so interesting to learn how Mary Kay really founded this whole brand on female empowerment during a time in which women were still expected to be the sole household provider

[Bryn Sanders]

No rating because I don’t know how to rate non fiction.

[Beverly Reidy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this is a dated book (1980s) but I was appalled my the misogynistic viewpoints even as Mary Kay had a mission to support women.

[Debbie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I signed up to be a Mary Kay consultant and this book was in my starter kit. It was an inspiring read! I learned some great principles and was reminded of many others. I’m actually motivated to sell some product rather than just buying for myself!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic Plot: The autobiography of Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay cosmetics.

I don't read a lot of biographies. A person has to be REALLY interesting for me to even think about picking up a bio. When I first became a Mary Kay consultant, my director insisted I read this book to pick up the philosophy of the company and find out something about its "founding mother." Never one to turn down something to read, I picked it up and began to read. Rarely have I been so moved by a person's life story. This woman was a business pioneer unlike any other; she took huge risks and reaped sizable rewards, with heartache and joy fueling the whole of her experience. A fantastic read, and very inspirational to any woman who wants to be a success on her own terms.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a new hero! I absolutely loved this book. I am not a big fan of Mary Kay Cosmetics products, but I am now a big fan of Mary Kay Ash. What an inspirational woman. I found myself energized and motivated after reading this book. I’ve adopted her motto of God first, Family second, Career third. I feel like she truly lived by that creed and ended up successful in every aspect of her life and kept things in proper balance. I loved her no nonsense approach to competition and hard work. I loved how she embraced her femininity and encouraged others to do so. She wasn’t afraid to spend time and resources to look and feel good because she knew it’d help her perform better. She was unapologetically a woman.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I started my Mary Kay business a few years ago. Mary Kay Ash was an amazing woman. I no longer sell Mary Kay but I value everything I've learned from my time as a consultant and the life lessons Mary Kay's story taught me.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazing lady. a complete inspiration of hard work and faith.

[Jorgina · Rating 5 out of 5]

MAG-NI-FI-CO!!!!! Recomendable 100%

[Muddy Floors · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book while in college, and yes, for a total of 3 months, I did sell Mary Kay cosmetics, till I realized I did not like makeup, and I definitely didn’t want to sell something that I did not love. As my philosophy with everything, “everything happens for a reason.” I had the chance to read this book when I first started Mary Kay, and I can say, this book was the one good thing that came from the company.
It is more of an auto-biography, more than anything. In the book, you can see what motivated Mary Kay, how she was challenged, how she decided to take hold of her life. Her work ethic, belief system, and drive, led her to be successful in almost anything she could get her hands on: sales of vacuums, sales of makeup, etc. Mary Kay illustrates how it Is possible for women to be both a mother and an entrepreneur. All one needs is belief, enthusiasm, and a strong work ethic. The book does have some older ideologies regarding women wearing skirts vs pants and older stats, which is why I didn’t give the book a 5, but for the time, that is what Mary Kay knew. Do not read for literary prowess, but for an insightful look into one of the first female entrepreneurs life and start to her business.

For more books that I have reviewed, please visit my site:
muddyfloors.com

Thank you and happy reading!

[Ayanna Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although some of the principles or thoughts of Mary Kay cannot necessarily be considered timeless, the majority are as presented in various personal stories she shares, only if one delves in with a positive and understanding perspective. There are many great quotes and bits of inspiration throughout the text, and if one looks past the somewhat feminist thought, the idea of working toward success while being kind, considerate, and trusting God, clearly shines through. I would not have considered the text on my own, so I enjoyed this read as it was recommended by a powerful female mentor I adore, who teaches young men and women to take risks and operate in love daily.

[Maureen Sepulveda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a little dated as Mary Kay Ash wrote it initially in 80’s and then updated it in 90’s. But, as a Mary Kay consultant myself, it’s interesting and inspiring to read her story. She was certainly a woman ahead of her time. She worked in a direct selling company as a single mom to 3 kids. Then, she had enough of men being promoted ahead of her, so she took a chance and started her own cosmetics company with goal of empowering women to start their own businesses and boy has she been successful as her company is turning 60 this year! She definitely had some good nuggets of wisdom to share.

[Laura Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great example of not judging a book by its cover in more ways than one! Despite the era in which this book covered, the perspective, lessons, and wisdom promoted by Mary Kay Ash are still remarkably brilliant in 2020. Her book is the most surprising read for me this year! Perhaps that’s why Harvard business classes still regard her business practices as inspiration for their students today. Positive, faith filled, and simple at heart, Mary Kay’s legacy lives on penetrating our modern times with practicality and heartfelt generosity. An absolute must read!

[Rachel Varnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really surprised me! I was curious about her story to see how she grew her business and her business principles that helped shape her famous company. I was surprised to learn many things about the challenges life presented her as well her christian beliefs that greatly influenced her continually. One would assume her to be a shallow person but this was quite the contrary. She had an excellent philanthropic spirit and she really never forgot her humble beginnings. It's easy to see how she rose to the top and why this book is inspirational!

[Kathy Rife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Kay's story is definitely inspirational. She put God and family above career and was remarkably successful. She made it her mission to empower women to be successful in business, and to do so by helping and leading other women along the way. I had to skim over some of the parts where it talked about the importance of looking good, but that's her business and what they sold, so I don't fault her.

She seemed like a disciplined, hard-working, loving and compassionate woman. Who wouldn't want to leave that kind of legacy?

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Say what you will about Mary Kay, but this lady made things happen! I enjoyed the book because it was great to learn about her beginnings and some of the whys behind the way she created her company. I've been using Mary Kay products for about 20 years and had no idea that starting Mary Kay was essentially her retirement project! It goes to show that it's never too late and Mary Kay echoes this sentiment many times throughout the book.

[Fenixbird SandS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiration flows whenever Mary Kay spoke & this applies to her ✍writing also..IF you had the privilege of ever meeting her--like I did ❤ at Mary Kay Cosmetics "Seminar" back in the day--i am sure you would agree that she had a presence, an aura..uplifting, unmistakably engaging. Hers was not a story of failure, though she had them, but of overcoming. Having lived through the fire...her "metal" shone, she radiated compassion, perseverance, success

[Casey Kidwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew virtually nothing about Mary Kay before reading this book and I walked away with such an appreciation for the trailblazer she was. Each chapter read like a lesson, complete with examples from her own life and experience as a businesswoman and founder. Mary Kay was clearly a salt of the earth kind of woman who was very passionate about uplifting and celebrating other women. Whether you’re a businesswoman or simply a human being navigating life, this book has worthwhile takeaways for you.

[Tena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time reading this book. I've been a consultant for over 20 years but this book isn't about the Company but about the Lady herself and her journey. If you need an easy read and some inspiration this is the book you should read. If you are in sales you will definitely get great guidance and customer service techniques.

[DeBora Rachelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was hoping to learn something from such an inspirational woman like Mary Kay, but instead was disappointed by what seemed to be a little chest pounding for herself. Not all that inspirational from someone who has inspired so many women and had such a dramatic effect and sincere following. She should have left behind something more motivational which is where she obviously excels.

[Elaiza Ayap · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Christian woman who has her own dream business underway, I can say her life principles are admirable. However, I really am not a fan of self-help/inspirational type of books. I received this as a freebie and only decided to read it because I thought it would be such a waste to leave it around unread, lol.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read at how women were treated in the workplace and by different companies. I enjoyed finding out more about how the business was started. However the book is very preachy and when you’re reading it’s worth remembering that it was written decades ago - not all of it translates well to modern life!