MBA Member of the Month – November
Sue Farley, Mary Kay Cosmetics

A “Mary Kay Day” with Sue Farley

If you’re looking for a “typical day” in the life of Sue Farley, you’ll soon find that there isn’t one. Any given day might find Sue serving homemade chicken soup to her loyal Mary Kay customers at her annual Holiday Open House. Or attending a Greater Hartford Area Director Meeting to discuss on-going training and support for Mary Kay consultants. Or giving makeovers to a group of “models” from the Hebron Senior Center Fashion Show. What you will discover is that whatever she’s doing, Sue Farley loves her life and loves her career.

It all started 26 years ago. Sue had worked for thirteen years at the Marlborough Cooperative Nursery School. With children about to head off to college, Sue found herself searching for a new purpose. “I wanted to do something for me and something that would have meaning.”

A Meeting with Destiny
One day, Sue was visiting her dental hygienist who also sold Mary Kay cosmetics. At every six-month cleaning, Sue’s hygienist offered her a makeover, and every six months Sue declined. After all, she did not wear make-up, she really didn’t use skin care products, and she was distrustful of aggressive salespeople. However, Sue watched as her hygienist transformed from a quiet, “plain Jane” to a beautiful, confident woman with a sparkling personality. Then something happened to change everything. Watching TV one night, Sue happened to catch Mary Kay’s original interview with Mike Wallace on ‘60 Minutes’. Sue was immediately impressed by her, and struck by the fact that Mary Kay’s values and priorities matched her own. The next day she called her dental hygienist… and the rest is history.

Rewards for a Job Well Done
In 2005, Mary Kay was once again recognized as the best-selling brand of skin care and color cosmetics in the U.S., (for the 13th consecutive year). Over the years Sue has become a seasoned professional and a high level Sales Director. She divides her time between servicing her many loyal customers and providing on-going support, training and recognition for her “unit” – a group of approximately fifty Mary Kay consultants who work under Sue’s leadership. It is exactly that recognition which has inspired Sue to excel in her business. “It’s wonderful being in a company that recognizes and rewards you for a job well done.” Sue has worked consistently to earn such rewards. Recently she earned her fifteenth career car from Mary Kay, the MK Signature platinum Pontiac Grand Prix, as a result of her outstanding achievement in her business. This particular car is especially meaningful to Sue, and she has dedicated it to her ‘Sensations,’ because she knows it’s a team effort with her unit to meet the requirements. Over the years, Sue has also earned four pink Cadillacs as well as beautiful jewelry, and many prizes to commemorate her unit’s achievements ranging in sales from $250,000 to $500,000.

Meeting Mary Kay
“The highlight of my career to date has been an all expense paid trip to Hong Kong with Mary Kay and approximately fifty of the top Directors and their spouses. To Sue it was like a fairy tale. They were honored by the Hong Kong Police Department, treated to gourmet dinners, invited to parties in their honor, swam in the Red Sea, and given special treatment, including staying at The Mandarin, a five-star hotel, with each couple having a private suite. Every evening they would find a gift on their bed from Mary Kay. “We felt like royalty.” Sue has been to Mary Kay’s home numerous times, enjoying her homemade cookies and lemonade, and sitting at her feet enjoying her famous ‘pearls of wisdom.’ “She was the most positive person I have ever met, who truly opened my mind to the fact that anyone can achieve their dreams if they’re willing to work.”

A Philosophy of Never Giving Up
Mary Kay’s example still guides Sue in her life today. A firm believer in dreaming big and working hard, Sue constantly looks for opportunities to enhance women’s lives, both on the outside with the best selling brand products, but also on the inside by building self esteem and self confidence through small daily successes. “It really can be a dream career, because we are in control of our success, all while keeping our priorities in order.” When asked what advice she might give to other women in business, she responded: “Set a goal and no matter what, keep on going and stay focused. In order to be successful, we sometimes need to fail first. The only way to lose in life is to quit. Stay true to your dream and have a good work ethic.”

So, no matter what her “typical day” might bring, Sue feels blessed to truly believe in what she’s doing, to be able to reach out to other people, and to touch lives. And some very elegant and delighted seniors from Hebron would be sure to agree.

To learn more about Mary Kay, please visit Sue’s website at www.marykay.com/sfarley.