The post Company Anniversaries in 2024 first appeared on Direct Selling News.

In the 1960s and beyond, seeing a Coupe de Ville the color of lipstick—which General Motors later named Mary Kay Pink Pearl—was like spotting a symbol of financial freedom and entrepreneurship in the wild. These eye-catching cars have become an American icon, much like the founder of Mary Kay Inc. herself.

Mary Kay Ash, along with her children Ben, Marilyn and Richard, founded her namesake company in 1963 with the goal of designing an opportunity that could change the future for women. Since then, the company has undergone a number of pivots and innovations, but has steadfastly held to the original vision Mary Kay laid out when she built the family company with her own life savings.

The Early Years

Beauty by Mary Kay, as it was originally named, was a scrappy, no-frills operation that required long hours and a family effort to get the business off the ground. And while every startup has challenges, growing a startup in the 1960s had its own set of peculiar barriers—particularly if you were a woman.

“As a woman, it was difficult for her to raise capital,” said Ryan Rogers, Mary Kay Chief Executive Officer and the grandson of Mary Kay Ash. “Even after she found success, when she was ready to buy her first luxury car, she was told to bring her husband back to close the deal.”

That car dealership experience was a defining moment for Mary Kay. She left and decided on Cadillac, in part because they agreed to paint her car to match her makeup compact, but also because the new car dealership treated her with respect. It was an experience that would shape the company’s approach to customer service—and a guidepost to follow when the company went public five years after launch.

“Mary Kay did not like making business decisions based on quarterly earnings reports and the whims of investors,” Rogers said. “She always said that P & L should stand for ‘people and love and not profit and loss.’”

A leveraged buyout in 1985 allowed her to buy the shares back and return the company to private, family ownership—a decision that remains in effect today.

Recognizing Success

Mary Kay was operating in an era of business dominated by men, but she pushed against the limitations that society wanted to place on her. She leaned into becoming a good listener and motivator for her team and developed new ways to empower sales leaders. At her annual recognition events, which she called Seminars, she presented women with luxury rewards that honored their efforts in tangible ways. Incentive trips and glamorous prizes are now commonplace among direct selling companies, but half a century ago, recognition of that type wasn’t the norm. She was a trailblazer, forging a path that other women business leaders could follow and revolutionizing the recognition structure of the industry.

“When Mary Kay herself first became a direct seller for an encyclopedia company, her first sales prize was a fishing pole and that solidified the importance of recognition in business,” Rogers said. “It’s not uncommon to see successful women in sales, business or entrepreneurship today. However when Mary Kay Ash was starting her business, it was extraordinarily unique.”

The pink car was a symbol: Mary Kay Ash was breaking through the glass ceiling on her own terms. And she wanted to empower women entrepreneurs to drive their path to success.

Taking Mary Kay Global

That first pink palette, with five eye and lip colors, blush, mascara and an eyebrow and eyeliner pencil, evolved to include a wide array of cosmetics and skin care. Along the way, the company expanded internationally into markets in Latin America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, embracing global growth to present its products and business opportunities to new customers around the world. Each audience required a personalized model, and Mary Kay Inc. focused on manufacturing its own products to ensure the quality was consistent for each market.

“We have thrived by using a customized approach to creating and selling what women want in various parts of the world,” Rogers said. “Our hyperfocus on technology and the development of apps and sales tools that make it easier for our sales force to manage their businesses has also been critical. Every day, we build on the solid foundation Mary Kay provided and focus diligently on our sales force and customer experience to ensure it is always classy and excellent—a true representation of our founder.”

The Next 60

Like Mary Kay Ash, the Mary Kay brand is a pioneer in its own right. The company implemented an eight-story completely automated storage and retrieval facility, earned a Guinness World Record title for “Largest Makeup Painting” and was one of the first companies on the New York Stock Exchange to be chaired by a woman. At the turn of the millennium, the brand leaned into online business building tools and education and has continued to pursue cutting-edge technology to advance the communities and opportunities within Mary Kay.

“I want Mary Kay to be a company that remains loyal to my grandmother’s values while maintaining excellence in our product offering, speed to market, technology and availability in more markets around the world,” Rogers said. “As glorious as the last 60 years have been, I believe our brightest days are ahead.”

The Mary Kay way is to put people first—or, as Mary Kay Ash was known to say—“Pretend every person you meet has a sign around their neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’” It’s a quote that runs through Rogers’ mind often as he leads his grandmother’s legacy into the future. He, like the countless number of independent sales consultants, customers and employees that Mary Kay Ash impacted in her lifetime, has experienced firsthand the lasting effect of her kind and warmhearted style of leadership.

“One of my fondest memories is of the inscription she wrote to me in one of her books,” Rogers said. “She said that someday I would run her company. And here I am. I plan to make her proud.”

An Enduring Legacy

We asked several female leaders of direct selling companies to share how Mary Kay Ash inspired and empowered them to build their companies.

“I have so much gratitude and respect for her vision, passion and belief system. She is the ultimate testament that when your intentions are built on an authentic desire to transform lives, the impact you’re capable of having is beyond measure.” —Ashlee Headlee / Awakend Founder & Chief Program Officer

“Mary Kay Ash has been one of my greatest inspirations, especially as a former top-earning field leader who has transitioned into an ownership role. Her powerful legacy is still impacting the direct selling industry and lives on through those of us proud and honored to follow in her footsteps.” —Danelle Meoli / Awakend Founder & Chief Sales Officer

“Mary Kay Ash was an industry trailblazer, audaciously breaking barriers in a world dominated by male CEOs. Her relentless commitment to female empowerment and her forward-thinking profoundly impacted our landscape, paving the path for companies like BELLAME and female CEOs like me.” —Melissa Thompson / BELLAME Founder & CEO

“Mary Kay Ash was not only a trailblazer for female financial empowerment, but for building women’s confidence through beauty and how we treat each other. At LimeLife we borrowed her concept of the ‘invisible sign’ around everyone’s neck that says ‘make me feel important.’” —Madison Mallardi / CEO LimeLife by Alcone

“Mary Kay Ash blazed a trail for women to be entrepreneurs long before this was a well-accepted idea. She certainly put direct sales on the map as a viable option for women around the world, and she did it with her own unique style and flair that will not be forgotten!” —Amber Olson Rourke / Neora Co-Founder & Chief Sales & Marketing Officer

“Olbali strives to be as iconic, elegant and legendary as Mary Kay. Mary Kay has shown me that I do not have to compromise my brand in order to be successful. Thanks to Mary Kay, I have the courage to make Olbali bold and beautiful.” —Courtney Adeleye / Olbali Founder & CEO

“Mary Kay Ash founded her company because she was passed over for a promotion in favor of a man. From that moment, she knew that she wanted to empower other women and did it in a unique way. Qyral’s consultants are doing something new and different, like Mary Kay consultants did decades ago.” —Hanieh Sigari / Qyral Founder & CEO

From the September 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post 60 Years of Mary Kay first appeared on Direct Selling News.

“There’s so much excitement surrounding Mary Kay’s 60th anniversary,” said Nathan Moore, Mary Kay President of Global Sales and Marketing. “It’s a remarkable business achievement and speaks to the strength of our brand. But at its core, this truly is a celebration of our independent beauty consultants. Without their passion, entrepreneurship, and giving spirit, we wouldn’t have made it six months—much less 60 years! Through the 60 Years of Stories campaign, we honor their journeys in the lead up to our big day.” 

The post Mary Kay Celebrates 60^th Anniversary with 60 Years of Stories  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

“When we started this business, we sought to make an impact and change lives through giving all people access to the visible results that come with our dermatology-created products,” said Katie Rodan, Rodan + Fields Co-Founder. “Beyond delivering skincare, to be able to empower hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs has been so much more meaningful than we could have ever imagined.”  

The company, known for its dermatology-created skincare, recently entered the haircare category with a scalp-first approach and clinically-tested results. 

“This is a special milestone to reflect on where we started and how far we have come, but even more so to think to the future about all of the positive impact we, together with our consultants and home office team, can continue to have,” said Kathy Fields, Rodan + Fields Co-Founder. “We are energized and believe our opportunity and products can help many more.”

The post Rodan + Fields Celebrates 15^th Anniversary  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

The post Company Anniversaries in 2023 first appeared on Direct Selling News.

The XS Manufacturing Plant now produces 500 cans of XS Energy Drinks per minute, manufactures 34 flavors of energy drinks, and distributes them to the U.S., Canada, and Latin America, giving the company more control over the many layers of logistics within its global supply chain. 

“The XS Manufacturing Plant is part of Amway’s $300 million global manufacturing investment over the last 10 years,” said Amway Chief Supply Chain Officer Brian Kraus. “Producing XS Energy Drinks in our own facility allows us to respond quickly to market dynamics, while ensuring the high quality our customers expect of us.” 

The post Amway Celebrates 20 Years of XS Energy  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

This motivational movement includes inspiring videos from USANA-sponsored athletes and influencers, as well as a special-edition Start Something! HealthPak that lets USANA customers display their goals on social media using #StartSomething. 

“The past couple of years have been extremely hard for the whole world, and it feels like everyone has been stuck in park,” said Kevin Guest, USANA Chairman and CEO. “USANA is a company dedicated to health and wellness. And to begin or reignite our health journeys, we need to be present in today, put our lives in drive, and start. We want everyone to embrace the power they have to own their life and shape their future story. We truly can’t wait to see what people accomplish when they #StartSomething.” 

As part of its own call to action, USANA reached its humanitarian goal of funding 30,000 Garden Towers, a self-sustaining method for planting multiple food crops that utilize large mesh bags filled with soil. These Garden Towers make farming accessible to families living in impoverished regions and require little to no access to land. Each Garden Tower needs less than 13 gallons of water per week, but can hold up to 120 plants. 

“I am so proud of USANA for embracing our goal to fund 30,000 Garden Towers by our 30^th Anniversary Global Convention last week,” Guest said. “USANA is making a difference through its Garden Towers project. A donation of $20 covers the cost of the fabric, soil, seeds, and training on how to care for them. I am so grateful to everyone who helped give 30,000 Garden Towers to those in need.” 

The post USANA Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Sizeable Donation and New Brand Strategy  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Each of the companies on this list has seen a tremendous amount of changes to the channel and came out on top by adapting their businesses and putting their distributors and customers first. We look forward to recognizing many more milestones and achievements from these ground-breaking companies in the future. 

Here’s a list of this year’s biggest anniversaries. 

The post A Big Year for Direct Selling first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Photo: ARIIX’s smart car-riding CEO Fred Cooper.

This Q&A is part of the August 2018 Company Spotlight featuring ARIIX.

You celebrated your 7th anniversary this summer. What are your thoughts on where you are as a company?

Fred: I’m a perfectionist, so I would say we’re never as big as we hoped to be, but since our third year in business we’ve made the Direct Selling News Global 100 list, and we have moved up the ranks steadily each year. From #91 in 2016 to #82 in 2017, and #78 this year. There can’t be a lot on that list who have accomplished the kind of consistent, year-over-year growth.

What is your leadership style?

Fred: There are many families who are depending on our leadership team to make the right decisions, day in and day out. That’s a lot of responsibility, and I take it very seriously. So that means everyone at our corporate office is doing their job well every day, myself included. I’m not the kind that will be at your desk micromanaging you. I expect our staff to do their job and do it well because if we don’t, we will let many families down as a result. I sleep pretty well at night knowing that our team is up to the task of leading our company in the right direction.

How does being a house of brands help you in being a nimble company?

Fred: Having a house of brands allows us not to get stuck with any one product line. Every product has a lifecycle, and the consumer demand for any one product will eventually wane over time. It’s our diversity of products and services that has been one of the keys to our consistent growth. We also are not married to just products. We’re not married just to services. We have both, and we feel that will serve us well in the future.

It also creates for our Representatives a chance to share a product or service they are passionate about. They don’t have to share other product lines if they so choose. Over time they may want to offer additional products or services we provide. The key is we give them a choice of products and services to share with their friends and family.

What are your criteria for expanding internationally? Any advice you want to give on lessons learned?

Fred: Certainly, the size of the country, the size of the direct selling market, the laws, how friendly they are toward direct selling all have a bearing on our decision. I think we made a mistake at the beginning. We opened too many countries too soon. The infrastructure and the requirements to service those countries get to be exorbitant. My advice would be not to go too fast or too quickly. Make sure that you have the infrastructure in place, and that you can support all the countries all at once because the problems and the requirements and the expenses increase exponentially as you move from country to country internationally.

Pick up your print copy of the August 2018 issue in which this article appeared.

How does ARIIX give back? Share with us some of your philanthropic initiatives.

Fred: We try to make the donations pretty much in the countries where we generate the sales. As we generate those sales, we try to target back to charities or organizations located in that local country. For example, we have a partnership with the Women’s Foundation in China. It’s a significant cause for families in China and specifically helping single mothers.

What are your goals going forward? What skills or mindset do you need to tweak as a company to continue to grow and get where you want to be?

Fred: I want us to move from good to great. I want to start making changes that say, Yes, this is good. It is acceptable, but let’s see if we can make it easier for our Representatives to do business. Because when it comes down to it, a company only needs to do three things very, very well, which is take an order, pay commissions, and ship a great product. That’s it. If you can do those three things better than anyone, our Representatives should have no excuse to be frustrated in doing business with us.

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The event will be held during the 25th Anniversary Celebration at AdvoCare’s annual National Success School with Froning leading a special workout.

Proceeds from #GenerationFit will help the AdvoCare Foundation continue to support organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, LA’s Best (Los Angeles), Vetri Community Partnership (Philadelphia), REAL School Gardens (Dallas), C.H.O.I.C.E.S. Atlanta and YMCA (Dallas).

“Since its inception, the AdvoCare Foundation has been able to donate over $280,000 to non‐profits across the country,” said Allison Levy, president of the AdvoCare Foundation Board of Directors and executive vice president at AdvoCare. “With a goal to give $1 million by 2020, together we will continue to contribute to helping children live safe, happy and healthy lives.”

The AdvoCare Foundation, which was established in 2016, focuses on ending childhood obesity and encouraging kids to live healthy lives. For more information about the event, visit www.advocarefoundation.org/generationfit.

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