A recent, affluent community in Texas has gained notable status in recent years, thanks to several factors. Cypress ranks in the top 100 most affluent towns in America, with a high median income, good schools, and a thriving economy. Founded in the 1990s, Cypress is young compared to many other cities in the greater Houston area. Prior to its founding, however, people lived in the community and worked hard to succeed. One of these people was Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay cosmetics.
Mary Kay Ash’s story is an example of how determination and tenacity will be met with success in uncommon hours. Ash was born in 1918 and struggled throughout her life to gain the recognition and notoriety that she deserved, largely due to her gender. Following a divorce from her first husband and the death of her second, Ash was on the verge of quitting the workforce and giving up on her business ideas. Having been passed over for a promotion at Stanley Home Products, in favor of a man she had trained, Ash wanted to break out on her own but had very little seed money to start her business. She turned to her sons for loans and backing, and eventually wrote a book that served as a business model plan for her future company.
Mary Kay Cosmetics was a makeup company marketed to department stores and independent sellers—mid-level marketing and standard retail was crucial to Ash’s success. She went on to write other books about business, particularly how women could compete and participate in the economy when employers were less than inclined to pay them the same wage or promote them to management positions. Mary Kay was made a public company for several years until the 1980s when it was made private again. To this day, Mary Kay remains a lucrative business, with 3 million consultants world-wide.
Ash has gone down in United States history as a leading female entrepreneur. Her legacy has inspired fellow business startups, such as LulaRoe and Aloette products, as well as others.
Like Ash, tutors in Cypress recognize the need for enthusiasm and passion as key ingredients for success. Students who seek tutoring services may be discouraged, but with the same level of determination, they too can turn their academic performance around to find satisfaction in success. Ash mentored her sons as partners in her business, and tutors similarly mentor their clients to leave their appointments with better habits than when they started.