Investors.com:
For Mary Kay Ash, it was all about fulfilling the American dream.
No one could stop her quest.
When Ash opened the doors to Mary Kay Cosmetics on a shoestring budget in 1963, the skeptics crawled out of the woodwork.
“The soothsayers prophesied I was doomed to failure,” she wrote. “However, I was determined to prove them wrong.”
That, Ash (1918-2001) did in spades. Using a philosophy based on treating employees as well as she wanted to be treated and showering them with praise and rewards, she spawned a successful business — and created an empire.
Today, Mary Kay Inc. is one of the world’s largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics.
The company posted $2.5 billion in wholesale sales in 2009. Mary Kay products are sold in over 35 markets worldwide by an independent sales force of 2 million.
Logo from Mary Kay