Mary kay ash timeline photos

1918-2001

Who Was Mary Kay Ash?

Mary Kay Ash started her own cosmetics company, Mary Kay Inc., in 1963, using incentive programs and other strategies to give her employees the chance to benefit from their achievements.

When was mary kay ash born

Mary Kay's marketing skills and people savvy soon led her company to enormous success.

Early Life and Career

Business leader and entrepreneur Mary Kathlyn Wagner was born on May 12, 1918, in Hot Wells, Texas. Ash was a pioneer for women in business, building a substantial cosmetics empire.

In 1939, Ash became as a salesperson for Stanley Home Products, hosting parties to encourage people to buy household items. She was so good at making the sale that she was hired away by another company, World Gifts, in 1952.

Ash spent a little more than a decade at the company, but she quit in protest after watching yet another man that she had trained get promoted above her and earn a much higher salary than hers.

Entrepreneurial Venture

After her bad experi