Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Cosmetics which went public in 1963 with her second husband. They began the company with a mere $5,000. But she didn’t open the store with him as he passed away before it opened so it was her son Richard Rogers who stood by her instead. There was fast growth in the store especially after 1979 following an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes. Ash was definitely a pioneer in women’s success in the workplace, implementing the Golden Rule (“an ethical code that states one has a right to just treatment, and a responsibility to ensure justice for others”) in her company. This gained her tremendous respect along with other principles such as her “God first, family second, career third” slogan, encouraging her female workforce to ensure balance in their lives. Ash died in 2001.
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