How many companies do you think of when you see a pink Cadillac? That’s right. Just one. The late entrepreneur Mary Kay Ash built her profitable business from the ground up and found success by following a principle of rewarding employees and listening to customers. Pink Cadillacs have since become an unmistakable symbol of the Mary Kay work-ethic.
Ash’s approach to her startup was in direct contrast to her personal experience in the traditional workplace where she frequently saw less-deserving people promoted above her. The injustice of the typical corporate world of her time drove her to start her own cosmetic company at age 45.
Mary Kay Inc. has been on the lists of 100 best companies to work for as well as one of the best ten companies for women to work. Here are a few of the things that Mary Kay said that we think will inspire your startup success:
“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.”
“Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, ‘Make me feel important.’ Never forget this message when working with people.”
“Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway.”
“A company is only as good as the people it keeps.”
“We must have a theme, a goal, a purpose in our lives. If you don’t know where you’re aiming, you don’t have a goal.”
“Those who are blessed with the most talent don’t necessarily outperform everyone else. It’s the people with follow-through who excel.”
“If you honor and serve the people who work for you, they will honor and serve you.”
—Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Inc.
