Rhonda Shasteen

Brand "You"

Rhonda Shasteen — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:24:00 GMT

I've heard it said many times over the years that "people don't join companies, they join people" and likewise, "people don't leave companies, they leave people." I think this is true to a great extent.

An example of this is when Mary Kay Ash founded our company on Friday, September 13th, 1963. There was no "company" that she could share. The story hadn't been written yet. There was no brand, no product success, no past sales history that would provide the confidence or the impetus to join her. There was only her, her 20 year old son, Richard, and a shelf full of pink jars in a small rented space in an office complex. Yet, join they did. Women signed up based on "brand Mary Kay Ash", the person.

I don't believe much has changed since then in this aspect. Certainly our company's rich history and success over the past 46 years, our quality products that continue to be among women's favorites and our world famous founder provide a context for women today who are looking for great beauty products or a business opportunity. However, women today still buy our products and decide to begin a business because they like the Independent Beauty Consultant who has connected with them, helped them with their product needs and become a trusted advisor.

It's interesting that in today's times, so many things have become much less personal, but at the same time, the importance of the personal relationship in many businesses is becoming increasingly important.

No matter what business you're in, "brand You" may be the most important brand of all. Have you taken the time to define your brand, and how you show it to the people that you want to do business with. Are they buying what you're selling? If not, perhaps it's not the company you represent or the product you sell, perhaps it's YOU that they aren't buying.

Plan your work, and work your plan

Rhonda Shasteen — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:05:00 GMT

It's planning and budgeting time around the Mary Kay office right now. That means we're all thinking about our most important initiatives for 2010, our revenue forecasts for all of our markets around the world, and what we think we'll be spending to accomplish our goals. It's a process that goes on for a few months each year. We each begin at the individual department level, but eventually all have to come together to make sure that our goals are in sync overall and that our company-wide budget is reasonable. No one particularly enjoys the process, but everyone understands how important it is to plan.

As I was thinking about this, I was reminded about two things: (1) Mary Kay Ash always said that one should "plan your work, and work your plan", and (2) that many young women these days don't have a plan for their life, but wish they did (as we learned from our 2009 What Women Want research study). It occurred to me that as individuals, we don't often take the time to plan for our year with the careful thought and discipline that we put into the planning process for our jobs. I wonder what would happen if we did? What if we all practiced "plan your life, and live your plan"?

I've decided that I'm going to give it a try and see what happens. Instead of making the usual New Year's resolutions, which quickly fall by the wayside, I'm actually going to sit down with my husband this year and craft a plan for 2010 for our personal life. I'd like the plan to include what we want to accomplish next year, collectively and individually. What do we expect our income to be? How much will our living expenses be, and how much discretionary spending should we plan based on what we want to do? I'd like to set a goal for a certain number of hours of volunteer time, and a financial plan for our charitable giving. This would really be a big step for us, as we typically take life one day or one week, or one month at a time, as most people do. We are blessed at this point in our lives, in not having to live from paycheck to paycheck, but the idea of actually planning a budget and sticking to it is kind of exciting for me. Just like we do at the office, we can sit down and review our progress each quarter, see where we've stayed on track and where we can improve. And it will be fun to look back at the end of the year and see how many of our goals we actually met. I can imagine that having this plan would make all the daily decisions we face that much easier, because we would have a "filter" of sorts to weigh the decision against. If we do "X", is it consistent with the goals we set? If not, are we willing to change our goals?

Of course I know that things will come up along the way that will get us sidetracked, they always do -- those little, or sometimes BIG, things that are out of our control and come up at the most inopportune times. But it would seem that, other than those times, the peace of mind in knowing where we were going and how we wanted to get there would bring a tremendous sense of freedom and independence, leaving far fewer things to clutter our minds each and every day.

If you've been disciplined about planning your personal life this way, I'd love to hear about it. How did it work for you? What did it feel like?

Let me introduce you...

Rhonda Shasteen — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:15:00 GMT

to Anne Crews. Anne is our first guest blogger here on Reflections, and I'm so delighted she agreed to share with our readers this month. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and Anne is a Mary Kay warrior when it comes to her commitment to personally do all she can to put a stop to this dreadful thing that plagues so many of our families. All of us at Mary Kay are very proud of the work we doin this area. It takes a lot of money to make a difference all across our country and all around our world, and none of it would be possible without our wonderful independent sales force and their loyal customers. Through their purchases of our skin care and color cosmetics, as well as their generous donations to the Mary Kay Foundation, all this is possible. We owe them a great deal of gratitude, and hope that they are as proud as we are of the work that has been done to help enrich the lives of women in need.

I invite you to click on the link below to hear directly from Mary Kay's resident warrior on the domestic violence front, Anne Crews.

http://reflections.marykay.com/crews/archive/2009/10/02/pink-changing-lives-part-one.aspx

When things don't go your way

Rhonda Shasteen — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:09:00 GMT

I saw a great quote on Twitter yesterday. Unfortunately, an author wasn't cited, so I don't know who to attribute it to, but it really got me to thinking about what happens to us when things don't go our way.

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted"

If that is true, which I believe it is, then I know without a doubt that Mary Kay Ash would have said that she had lots of "experience"! For example, when she was a salesperson herself (before founding our company), she had set her sights on winning a beautiful handbag that she had seen a previous sales leader earn. She set that as her goal, and worked hard all year long to earn one for herself. She achieved the level of sales required, but she didn't get what she wanted. Instead, she was rewarded with a flounder light (evidently it's something you use to attract fish when you're trying to catch them). From that experience, she decided that if she ever got the chance to award prizes to other sales women, they would be the kind of Cinderella prizes that women really wanted, like that original handbag that she wanted. And that is exactly what she did, and we still do today.

I often Heard Mary Kay say that "If we ever decide to compare knees, you're going to find that I have more scars than anyone in the room. That's because I have fallen down and gotten up so many times in my life." Yes, Mary Kay Ash was very familiar with experience. One of her most famous and oft-repeated and re-Tweeted anecdotes is "We fail forward to success," most assuredly derived from all those instances when things did not go her way. Even with all the "failure" she experienced, Mary Kay went on to accomplish what no other woman in business has been able to match. Some of this success can surely be attributed to her hard work and willingness to make the sacrifices she needed to, but it also came from "knowing how to lose".

I can think of so many times when things didn't go the way that I wished for them to, or the way that I imagined them to, and I'm certain there were times when I was a really sore loser. But looking back on those times now, I know I'm stronger, wiser and more helpful to others who need advice and coaching than I would be had it not been for the experience, and I'm thankful to have had a role model in Mary Kay. I guess the real lesson I've learned is that my way may not be the best way after all, and I've learned to appreciate those times when things don't go my way, because I know that I'm going to grow as a result of the "experience."

Can you help?

Rhonda Shasteen — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:12:00 GMT

I received this comment on the blog over the weekend from a woman who needs some help. If you are in her area and can help, that would be wonderful. Hoping that you can!

I didn't know where else to put this/or even send this to someone but I need help. I'm working with a local school as their colorguard coach and we're in need of a make-up consultant. I've used MK when i was in high school and in college and i really love it. However, the school that i'm working with can't afford to purchase make up for the girls or even new uniforms. Therefore i'm wondering if you know of anyone that is willing to help us out by sponsoring us. I live in San Diego, California and I work in the Chula Vista area. If anyone sees/reads this please contact me at ashley_turnage2001@yahoo.com and thank you for taking the time to read this!! ~! Ashley !~

Written by Ashley (ashley_turnage2001@yahoo.com a visitor) on Sep 13, 2009

Another Lesson in "Thinking Like A Woman"

Rhonda Shasteen — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:43:00 GMT

After 20 years of running the company she founded, Mary Kay Ash set down to compile the traits that she thought had made her company so successful. That "list" was published in 1984, as Mary Kay on People Management. An updated version was released in 2008, under the title The Mary Kay Way. One of the many traits that she relied on for her success in business was her woman's intuition, and a caring, nurturing spirit, and she was pleased that she had proved wrong the many who had criticized her for "thinking like a woman."

In the introduction to that book, Mary Kay says, "Throughout this book I discuss the specific ways in which women do think differently from men. Such differences are in no way inferior to or incompatible with 'the way a man thinks.' And so one of my objectives in founding Mary Kay was to create a business atmosphere in which 'thinking like a woman' would not be a liability. In my Company those special sensitivities and talents often labeled 'women's intuition' would be nurtured -- not stifled."

One of the first things I learned of when I came to the company more than 25 years ago, was that each week, a "care bulletin" was created and sent to Mary Kay. This "care bulletin" was a list of women in our independent sales force who were very ill or in the hospital, had family members who were hospitalized or recently diagnosed with disease, had just given birth or were newly married, or had a family member pass away. In other words, those "life events" that cause us to reach out to those people that we care about to offer condolences, get well wishes or congratulations. Each week, when she received the list, Mary Kay Ash made it a priority that each woman on the list received a personal note from her, reminding her of how important she was to us and that we were thinking of her and her family. Back then, I think we had about 120,000 Independent Beauty Consultants in the United States.

Today, there are 600,000 women in our U.S. sales force, and each week the care bulletin is created, just like it was back then. Since Mary Kay Ash is no longer with us, our executive team sees to it that each woman on the list receives a personal note from one of us. I'll have to admit that in this day and time I don't send many hand-written notes or letters, except for these. I know they are quite rare in this e-mail, text message, Facebook, Twitter world we live in, and I think that, perhaps, that makes them even more special. I never really thought that much about the form of the note being that important, I was always focused more on the message. Until today.

Today, I received a letter from a beauty consultant in Georgia that I had sent a note to in August when I learned through the care bulletin that both she and her husband were injured in an automobile accident. I have copied the contents of her letter below:

Dear Rhonda:

I received your letter and it certainly made my day and lifted my spirit. I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to write me a personal hand written letter! Wow, you sure know how to make a consultant feel special!

Truly, you all are my family; I honestly feel the warmth and concern. Thank you so much! My heart is forever touched!

We are recovering well and we will make a complete come back!

In spite of my pain, I am determined to make it! We are so happy to be a part of the Mary Kay family. I know I have challenges ahead of me, but, somehow, the pain just does not seem to be so bad when you have a family that truly cares.

May the blessings of the Lord be upon each of you always.

With sincere thanks,

Cheryl Roberson

You see, Mary Kay Ash knew the impact of a personal, handwritten note. She made them an important part of her company, and I'm so thankful that today they are still just as important. Another day at the office for me, and another warm, fuzzy reminder of why this company is so special.

(Note to self: write more hand-written notes. Will you join me?)

Things to look forward to

Rhonda Shasteen — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:35:00 GMT

I am totally jazzed about the great things I just saw and heard about that will be a part of Mary Kay's future. I just returned from a presentation of the products we'll see from 2010 to 2013; new skin care, color, fragrance and body care. WOW! I can't wait. I am one of those people that is pretty faithful to what I use, once I know that it works for me (which has been Mary Kay for more than 25 years now), but I also am eager to try the latest things that our teams develop, because I know that their goal is always to make it even better than it was before.

One of the things that they previewed that I can't wait for everyone to see is a whole new concept for us that I think you are all going to love. Let's just say that when it was "unveiled", the reaction in the room full of women was a unanimous and audible "AWW". Around here, we refer to that lovingly as "the squeal factor", and history shows that those products that have it always turn out to be customer favorites.

So many of the things that the teams are doing are based on feedback we've received from Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants and their customers. We're so lucky to have a direct connection to these women who so willingly share their thoughts, ideas anad opinions with us. It really does make the job of providing what women want so much easier (okay, maybe it's still not so easy).

Fun things around the corner. . .

Changing the world one woman at a time

Rhonda Shasteen — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:44:00 GMT

On this day, August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America was ratified that guaranteed women the right to vote.

It was a major step for one half of our nation's population and a step that undoubtedly has changed the course of our nation forever. But it was only the beginning of creating a society that valued the contributions of women, recognized their potential and gave them endless opportunities to change the world. I'm certain that are a great number of women in the U.S. who feel we still have a long way to go to truly gain the level of equality that is inherent in the very fact that we are one half of the nation's population. And in many ways, they are probably right. However, one only needs to look outside our borders to gain a broader perspective.

This article from The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/magazine/23Women-t.html?_r=3&ref=magazine#, was shared with me today by a colleague here at Mary Kay. As I read the article, it brought tears to my eyes for the women who still today, in the 21st century, are enduring things so evil that it's hard to imagine. Mixed with the tears is a great deal of thankfulness, for the people who are working to make a difference in the lives of these women, whether it's offering them opportunities to receive an education or loaning them small amounts of money to help them start businesses that eventually lead to their self-sufficiency. I also feel an enormous sense of pride that our business opportunity for women has spread into many of these countries, bringing hope and solutions to women in need.

The small dream that Mary Kay Ash had in 1963 to provide women in America the opportunity to develop their potential and make money is now making an even more profound difference in the lives of women in India and China and 35 more markets. Mary Kay knew then that women could change the world, if they were just given the chance. Too bad the critics all told her "There you go again, Mary Kay, thinking like a woman", (and they weren't paying her a compliment, I assure you!). But then again, she didn't listen.

I look forward to the day, when, in every corner of the world, "thinking like a woman" becomes recognized as the highly-valuable gift that it is. I wholeheartedly agree with Mary Kay Ash, and the premise in this story from The Times: we truly can change the world, one woman at a time.

The viral nature of a woman on a mission

Rhonda Shasteen — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:42:00 GMT

Yesterday, as we were gathering to begin a regularly-scheduled staff meeting, four of us were just catching up with each other on what was going on in our personal lives. One woman shared that she had just been to the doctor for her annual physical, and not only was she excited about the significant weight she had already lost, but had set a new goal to lose 17 additional pounds. Another talked about completing her first workout with a personal trainer, and how she was looking forward to the next one. And the third woman, well, talk about being on a mission. She shared that she has set a goal to compete in a triathlon, and had begun daily training for the fall event. As each of them was sharing their personal vision, I could sense the excitement in their voices, I could see by their body language that they had a sense of pride about what they were doing, and I began to feel those same things somehow magically being transferred to me. My adrenaline began to rise (or at least it felt like it did), I began to get excited for them, and then went on to think to myself, "What BIG thing should I be doing?". Then I thought about all the other times I had been inspired by someone else who had a dream, was sharing it with others, and was working hard at making it come true.

So, it seems that dreams are viral, spreading quickly from one person to the next. Sometimes what you catch from a woman on a mission is an exact replica of her dream, and you get inspired to help her achieve it. Other times, what spreads to you takes on a different form, and you find yourself dreaming your own dreams, setting big goals, and working to make them come true for yourself. Either way, a dreaming-believing-achieving attitude is contagious.

Our founder, Mary Kay Ash, certainly knew this to be true. Few women have dreams as big as she did, and it was the viral nature of her dream that took it from her and the nine friends she convinced to help her begin her business, to now more than 2 million women in more than 35 markets around the world. Although much has changed in the 46 years since her dream was cast, the contagious nature of women focused on making a difference and achieving great things has not. It is still alive and well, allowing women from all walks of life to draw upon the belief and inspiration from another to propel them to greatness.

If you are a woman on a mission, help others catch a dream from you. If you're not and are looking for inspiration, hang out with women who are passionate about their dreams, and let it spread.

Lessons from the garden

Rhonda Shasteen — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:00:00 GMT

As I've continued on my life's journey, one of the many things that I have learned about myself is that I am a creator/producer. I like to "make things". In my early years, it was crafts and sewing. I'd often just get a piece of fabric and sit down with the scissors and begin cutting and sewing, without a pattern, because I saw in my head what I wanted to create. (Perhaps I was really meant to be a fashion designer.) My next phase of production was children and the things that I could create through my work at Mary Kay, like products and marketing tools. As I continued to move up in the organization and focus more on strategy and leading others, I became less involved in the actual day-to-day creation of things. It took me a few years to figure out that I was actually missing the creating/producing process and the sense of accomplishment that comes at the end when you actually have the "thing" that you envisioned in the beginning. Since that was no longer a part of my work, I needed to find another way to recapture that feeling and once again satisfy the creator/producer in me. One of the things that I found was a vegetable garden. Little did I know when I began this project last fall that it was going to provide me with many valuable lessons that I could apply to other areas of my life. Maybe they weren't new lessons, but visible reminders of things that have often been forgotten.

Lesson #1 - What a difference a day makes!

One of the things I look forward to every evening is my post-dinner visit to the two raised beds in the backyard to see what is ripe for the picking today. With very few exceptions, there is usually something ready to harvest that wasn't ready yesterday. It reminds me to give other things (ideas, projects, people) the time that they need to "ripen", and that may not necessarily be on MY schedule. Of course, the growing and ripening doesn't actually happen in the course of 24 hours, but has been happening all along, little by little, since it was planted. It also reminds me to "sleep on things", because very often a situation can look dramatically different (or at least your perspective on it) the next day.

Lesson #2 - Timing is important, and even though you do everything right it doesn't always work out

Before I did my planting this spring, I researched the last average frost dates for north Texas, which is around the middle of March. So, that's when I did my planting. Well, average means just that, sometimes it's earlier and sometimes it's later, and this year was definitely later. We had two more freezing nights after that, so I lost several of my plants. I did my research, consulted the experts and followed their advice, and it still didn't work out. That's the way it is with life sometimes; many things are a gamble, with pros and cons on each side of the decision. You have to land on one side or the other, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes the win or loss maybe due to nothing other than the timing wasn't right.

Lesson #3 - Consistency pays big dividends

Providing consistent amounts of water on a regular schedule makes all the difference in the quality of the vegetables I harvest. Too much too fast, and the tomatoes crack. Too little not often enough and they wither and stop producing. Also, if you don't pick what has been produced, the plant thinks it doesn't need to reproduce anymore, so it stops producing. Ditto for work, life, exercise, nutrition, relationships, etc.

Lesson #4 - A bountiful harvest comes in many small baskets

Even though all the seeds were planted at the same time, each plant is on it's own schedule, and I find that I harvest a little bit at a time, over a long period of time. The entire bounty does not all arrive at once. I think oftentimes we are looking for the big bounty of life to appear, and lose sight of the fact that we've harvested so much already along the way.

Lesson #5 - You can't plant fall without digging up spring

Now's the time to begin the planting of the fall produce. Challenge is that some of the spring and summer crops are still producing. There will be no room in the garden for the new fall crops until I get rid of the ones that are left from last season. Reminds me of how I can't move forward into the future if I'm allowing something from the past to keep me deeply entrenched there. Sometimes the things we need to "dig up" are deeply rooted, and we may even think that they are still serving some purpose for us; but we can only reap the richness of the future by making room in our lives for new growth and new seeds to be planted.

This a only a handful of what the garden has taught or reminded me of. There's more, but perhaps the most important reminder of all is this: There are lessons to be learned each and every day, right in front of our eyes, from simple and ordinary things, if we are willing to see them. Look for the lessons.

It was the best one ever, eh?

Rhonda Shasteen — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:21:00 GMT

Another year of Mary Kay Seminar has come and gone. And, as always, it was the best one ever. We are so blessed as a company to have such inspirational women in our sales force. I love hearing their stories and seeing how much they've grown over the years. Amazing stories of tragedy and triumph and of setbacks and successes. Women who brought talents and skills from other professions and turned them into abundant success for themselves, and women who, in some cases, were least likely to succeed, and they did it anyway. (That reminds me of the bumblebee, and why Mary Kay Ash chose it as the symbol of success for our company. You see, the bumblebee should not be able to fly, because of the large size of its body relative to the size of its wings. But that doesn't matter to the bumblebee, who goes right along flying anyway. Mary Kay always loved this story of the bumblee. Her late husband, Mel Ash, who always gifted Mary Kay on Thursdays because that was the day they were married, presented her one Thursday with a beautiful diamond and gold bumblebee pin. When the Independent Beauty Consultants and Sales Directors saw the pin, they loved it and wanted to know how they could get one, too. Mary Kay, who was always about helping to make women's dreams come true, designed a sales contest for them to earn one. From that day forward to now, the top three in each of our sales courts are awarded the coveted diamond bumblebee pin.)

After 25 years of attending Seminar, there aren't too many "firsts" for me anymore. You've heard the saying, "Been there, done that". But this year, I truly had a first. For the first time in my Mary Kay career, I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the Mary Kay Seminar in Canada. I had a wonderful time. I'll have to admit that it was crazy to fit it in the middle of our own five Seminars here in the US, having to get up at 3:30 am to be at the airport by 5:40, and then returning to be back for the very next day at the Dallas Seminar. I was incredibly inspired by their #1 Sales Director, Shannon Shaffer, and the shining example she sets for the women that she leads. And I loved seeing the staff from Mary Kay Canada, working their hearts out to put on a great show for their sales force. It was nice to see them in their element, because I usually see them when they visit our Dallas world headquarters. But best of all, what I liked about it, was it felt like home. You see, even though I was more than 1,000 miles away from Dallas, in another country, and half of the meeting was conducted in French, it was all very comfortable and very familiar. And that reminds me of one of the things I like best about Mary Kay: no matter where I travel in the world, even if I don't know a soul where I am, I know that I can find a Mary Kay person and I will have found a friend. Here's to all my friends in Mary Kay Canada, the ones I've met and the ones I've yet to meet -- thanks for inviting me to your party!

No posts until the week of August 3rd

Rhonda Shasteen — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:20:00 GMT

Mary Kay's annual Seminar has arrived, and we're all taking care of business and supporting our Independent Beauty Consultants at the Dallas Convention Center. I'll be back blogging the week of August 3rd. See you then!

That Special Time of Year

Rhonda Shasteen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:54:00 GMT

I always know when it's getting close to one of my favorite times of the year when the mercury tops 100 degrees in Dallas, Texas. No, it's not that I like the heat so much, but it means that it's time for the annual Mary Kay Seminar. It recharges my batteries like nothing else I've ever experienced. It always reminds me of why I love this company so much and gets me motivated for another year of challenging work. It's the time that I reconnect with women that I haven't seen for a year, get updates on their families, see the new hairdos, and find out who is breaking records and setting audacious goals for new ones.

So what exactly IS this thing called Seminar? Well, what it IS NOT is another stuffy, boring workshop that someone sends you to where you're supposed to learn something, but you usually don't. What it IS can best be described as the Academy Awards, Broadway, and the Miss Universe pageant all rolled up into one, with a dose of business education and mentoring on the side, and a pep rally and family reunion thrown in for good measure. There's recognition, motivation, inspiration, education, and entertainment. There's food, and fun, talking and sharing, lots and lots of sharing. There's lights, cameras, and action, lots of action. There's sparkle and shine and fashion. Did I say there's lots of sparkle? There are limousines and flowers, diamonds and crystal, exotic vacations and big bonus checks. Yes, all these are some of the things you will SEE when you attend a Mary Kay Seminar. It's the celebration of success for our Independent Beauty Consultants and Sales Directors who have worked hard all year to build their businesses. It's their time to shine!

While all these THINGS are wonderful, they are just things. And, while Seminar just wouldn't be Seminar without them, it's the things you DON'T SEE at the Mary Kay Seminar that are the most meaningful to me. Like the dedicated Mary Kay staff, that give up their July 4th holiday each year to move into the Dallas Convention Center and begin the weeks-long process of setting everything up. Like the well-trained catering staff that make feeding 10,000 women at a time look like a cakewalk. Like all of the contractors who come back to work with us at Seminar year after year after year, and are just as committed and dedicated to the event as any Mary Kay employee. Like the local Dallas hotels and restaurants that roll out the red carpet when the Mary Kay women are in town. It's the sharing that happens when there's supposed to be sleep back in the hotel room. It's the "I had an AHA moment, and I can't wait to get back home and get to work" feeling. It's the hugs, and the tears, and the laughter. It's the photos, and the autographs and the dreams being formed. It's the tradition of getting a hot dog every Awards Night around 9 p.m. (even though you've had dinner, because you need something to sustain you until midnight). It's watching the makeup artists work their magic backstage before the reveal of the makeover winners. It's seeing the smiling faces of the convention center security staff, who are back again this year, and still remember your face. It's about everyone pitching in to do whatever it takes to pull off a spectacular event for the women who are our reason for being.

I LOVE SEMINAR! And I have since my very first one in 1984. My first Seminar was the first year we went from holding 3 to holding 4 back to back, in order to accommodate all the women who wanted to attend. Then by 1997, we had grown so much that we had to add another, and Seminar became a three-week long event. I sat down to do the math on exactly how many Seminars I had attended in my career, and before we even get started this year, I've attended 112 Seminars (4 for 13 years, and 5 for 12 years). And I still look forward to it beginning again, next Wednesday, July 15th. That should tell you something about just how great it is!

Declare your independence!

Rhonda Shasteen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:59:00 GMT

I've been thinking a lot this week about July 4th, the day that all patriotic Americans celebrate our country's independence and reflect on all the freedoms that we enjoy. As I hear the news, both from the United States and abroad, I am reminded of just how fragile independence and freedom can be, for nations and for individuals. It takes courage, persistence, daily nurturing and a strong belief in guiding principles to maintain the delicate balance of freedom and independence. While I could go on about patriotism, individual rights, world peace, et al, I will spare you from my political ramblings.

However, what I do want to opine on is the freedom of women. Not about the freedom to choose, or the freedom to be equal, or any of the other freedoms that in one way or another are controlled by some law, or some government, or some cultural tradition. I want to talk about women freeing themselves. Yes, as I sit here and think about Independence Day, what I think about is all the things that women do to hold themselves back from GREATNESS.

I say, "It's Independence Day. Let Freedom Ring. Declare Your Independence!"

Declare your independence. . . from whatever it is that you are allowing to hold you back.

Declare your independence. . . from small thinking.

Declare your independence. . . from making excuses.

Declare your independence. . . from trying to keep up with the Joneses.

Declare your independence. . . from trying to fit into a mold that's not YOU.

Declare your independence. . . from unhealthy habits.

Declare your independence. . . from debt.

Declare your independence. . . from relationships with people who drag you down.

Declare your independence. . . from trying to be all things to all people.

Whatever it is, declare your independence, and know the peace that comes with being truly FREE. Free to be the best YOU that YOU can be.

What personal freedom will you celebrate on Independence Day?

Beauty Shopping

Rhonda Shasteen — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:35:00 GMT

When Mary Kay chatted recently with women around the world about what they wanted in the area of beauty, one of the things they talked about was how they shopped for their skinc are and cosmetic products. For most of the women, it was "anything goes", meaning that they purchase their beauty products from all over -- supercenters, department stores, direct sellers, specialty stores and online. It's usually about what's convenient for her. So you could say that one thing women want when shopping for beauty products is EASY ACCESS.

What she also wants is CONTROL over her shopping experience. She wants it to be fun, social and casual, and sees the opportunity to browse as a part of the experience. She wants to TRY IT BEFORE SHE BUYS IT. She wants the opportunity to touch and experience it before she lays down that hard-earned money. And she is much more likely to try a new product that has been recomended by a friend or family member.

She wants PERSONALIZED BEAUTY ADVICE, WITHOUT PRESSURE. She wants an advisor who is knowledgeable and is a good listener; someone who understands and knows her and her skin, and doesn't try to just sell her the latest thing that might not be right for her. Ideally, the advisor could help holistically, with everything from makeup application to the latest fashion trends.

Women also want someone who will reach out to them on THEIR schedule.

None of this is surprising or unique to the beauty industry, given that consumers have been in control of the buying process for quite some time now. Consumers, specifically women consumers, want to call the shots, with as many options as possible. When she has choices, she feels more in control. The only rule is that there are no rules. She gets to choose how, when, where, and how often she buys.

In beauty, just as in everything else these days, those who are best at giving the women what they want will be the most loved brands.