Over 325,000 people joined the Mary Kay sales force in the US last year, and according to a statement from the company 51% of those new representatives are Latina, Asian, or African American.
35% of the new consultants are Latina women, notes Mary Kay, as are 22% of its overall independent sales force.
Young and digital
The company’s approach to diversity extends to age. 47% of the new Mary Kay team members are between the ages of 18 and 34.
“These young women are tech-savvy and digitally connected. They're looking for flexibility and not a 9 to 5, one-size-fits-all position,” explains Sara Friedman, vice president of US marketing for Mary Kay, in the statement.
For a generation inclined toward entrepreneurship and readily trusting of personal product recommendations this makes sense.
“A Mary Kay business can be customized to each person's individual goals and our company's established social media presence and leading edge digital technology have also proven to be attractive business-building tools," Friedman says.
Meeting of the minds
Late last week Mary Kay held its annual leadership conference in Los Angeles, California. An estimated 9,000 of the company’s top representatives attended the event.
The company was proud to bring what it calls “the changing face of Mary Kay” to LA, a city that hosted the meeting once before, in 2013.
"Our unparalleled business opportunity appeals to a wide range of ages and backgrounds, and Millennials bring a unique set of talents and expectations," believes Friedman. So it’s likely that next year’s leadership event will boast an even more diverse group of beauty pros.