Mary Kay Ash
She built a billion-dollar cosmetics empire by empowering women to run their own businesses, creating a pink Cadillac-driving sales force.
1918–2001 (age 83)·American businesswoman·Birthday: May 12·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Mary Kay Ash was a business visionary who channeled her frustration with corporate glass ceilings into a revolutionary company. After retiring from a successful sales career where she watched less-qualified men get promoted ahead of her, she wrote a book that became the business plan for Mary Kay Cosmetics, founded in 1963 with $5,000. Her philosophy was simple but radical for its time: prioritize God first, family second, and career third, and reward people—overwhelmingly women—with recognition and tangible luxury prizes like diamonds and the famous pink cars. She turned direct sales into a vehicle for financial independence for hundreds of thousands of consultants, fostering a culture of encouragement and celebration. By the time of her death, her Dallas-based company had become a global phenomenon, fundamentally altering the landscape of women's entrepreneurship.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Mary was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Mary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Died at 83
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
Key Achievements
- Founded Mary Kay Cosmetics in 1963, growing it into a multi-billion dollar global enterprise.
- Created a direct sales model that provided independent business opportunities for over 800,000 women worldwide.
- Pioneered a corporate culture centered on recognizing achievement with lavish rewards like pink Cadillacs.
- Authored several best-selling books on management and personal motivation.
- Was named one of Fortune magazine's 'Most Powerful Women in American Business' in the late 20th century.
Did You Know?
The company's signature color, 'Mary Kay Pink,' is a registered trademark.
She initially planned to title her company 'Beauty by Mary Kay,' but her lawyer suggested using her full name.
Before starting her company, she worked for Stanley Home Products, where she was a top salesperson.
Her son, Richard Rogers, helped her start the company and later became its chairman.
“Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, 'Make me feel important.'”
