Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna-Marie Thompson.
Anna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a top independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics. I grew up in a “pink” world because my mom is a top Independent Sales Director with Mary Kay. When I was two, she stepped away from her nursing career of 15 years, just eight months after starting her Mary Kay business. What was supposed to be a “side hustle” quickly became a full time income that allowed her to be at home with myself and my two siblings. I watched her and my dad travel all over the world because of earned top sales director trips through her business. I watched her set goals, reach them and miss them, but always persevere and never give up. I saw her help countless women raise their confidence, their income, and their circle of friends through this opportunity. I fell in love with Mary Kay Ash, the woman, the more I studied her life and principles, so it only made sense for me to want to carry on her legacy and my mom’s. Because of these women, I launched my business on my 18th birthday! I developed a strong customer base during my senior year of high school and then left to attend Georgia College and State University to pursue a degree in Spanish, with intentions of taking my business international post grad. I just serviced my customers and friends through the majority of my collegiate years, and It wasn’t until my senior year that I decided to work my business more consistently. I set out with the goal to promote myself to Independent Sales Director before I graduated. I graduated from GCSU in May of 2018 and debuted as a Sales Director on July 1st and began my career!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Has it been smooth? Of course not! Nothing worthwhile is a walk in the park. I believe any entrepreneurial endeavor comes with its own set of unique challenges. I am blessed, however, to have the support of an amazing company, great friends, and a multitude of brilliant mentors, like my mom and aunt. These support systems have been crucial to my journey. When I decided to promote myself or when I decided to earn my first car, of course, there were obstacles. It was my final year of college, I was finishing up my term as president of my sorority and taking a full course load to graduate, and that’s when I started pursuing my goal of directorship. I knew I had to master my time management skills in order to make it happen. I would go see customers or do makeovers on Wednesday nights, driving 45 minutes to an hour out of my small college town, and then on Saturdays, I would work four to six hours and that is all I had time for. Was it convenient? No. Did I miss a lot of special senior year traditions and nights out? Yes. Was it worth it? 100% YES!
I wrapped up the qualifications for my first Mary Kay career car, the 2020 Silver Chevy Malibu, in June of this past year. It was not always easy but the plan was simple and I knew the work that needed to be done! Through all the cancellations, missed opportunities, or life struggles, I learned to persevere and not let my situation dictate my life or my attitude. My team and I were able to qualify for our free car on June 30th, on my 24th birthday! I am so thankful for all the ups and downs. I continuously choose to manage my emotions rather than let them manage me and I believe this has made all the difference in my career and in all areas of my life. Obstacles are opportunities to learn form if you allow them to be.
Please tell us about your work.
Mary Kay Inc. is a skincare and cosmetics brand that has been around for 56 years, with the mission “to enrich the lives of women and their families around the world.” Mary Kay Inc. offers a rewarding opportunity, irresistible products, and makes sure to have a positive community impact in nearly 40 different countries. I decided to take advantage of the rewarding opportunity that Mary Kay Ash created for women in 1963.
She created a company that valued putting faith first, family second, and career third, and to always strive to treat others like you would want to be treated. She believed that prioritizing correctly and focusing on others were key foundations of a successful business. I can operate and run my own business through Mary Kay Cosmetics. As an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay I am able to earn up to 50% on the sale of the product, (the 50% gross profit calculation is based on suggested retail prices), and earn commissions and bonuses through team-building, which always come from company profits and never from my team members pockets! I live outside the metro Atlanta area, but have customers from Chattanooga to Charleston! My goal is to empower women to learn how to take care of their skin and apply makeup, if that is something they choose to wear. I believe in doing so, I can play a role in giving them the confidence to walk with their heads held high, knowing that they are beautiful and an asset to this world.
What sets Mary Kay apart from other companies is the customer service and company culture. I choose to provide my customers with 24-48 hour delivery or free shipping for those far from me! I make sure to appreciate them with deals from time to time and gifts with purchase as well. All of my customers know they can call me to swing by if they want to try a new product, whether it be a foundation or a new skincare routine. With Mary Kay’s satisfaction guarantee, I give confidence to my customers or potential customers when offering them items. Our products truly are incomparable to anything else I have tried and the culture around Mary Kay is like non-other. I support Mary Kay because of their support of women and the mission to empower. Mary Kay Ash said it best herself when she said that “Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, ‘Make me feel important.’” There is value in valuing and loving others, from my customers to team members. The skills I have learned growing up “pink” has served me well over the years and will continue to serve me well as I grow to be the best I can within my business and for my current and future family.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory would have to be my first trip to Dallas to celebrate my aunt Rhonda’s debut as a National Sales Director in Mary Kay. Dallas is where our annual seminar conference is held, and Rhonda had achieved the prestigious status of Independent National Sales Director. The company invited the extended family, and I will never forget that trip and what it did for the quiet little shy girl inside of me as I stepped on stage to accompany her. I saw an amazing example of women uplifting women and women of all different backgrounds, cultures, shapes, and sizes being celebrated as royalty. My first seminar as a little girl inspired me to dream and empowered me to believe in myself. Every year when I attend the seminar in Dallas, it continues to give me the same butterflies and inspiration as that first experience I had all those years ago.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marykay.com/thompsonanna22
- Phone: 770-500-2654
- Email: thompsonanna22@gmail.com
- Instagram: @anna_thom22
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thompsonanna22
Image Credit:
Sarah Carroll
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