Lynne -- you really present a fair, clear picture of the Mary Kay opportunity. I, like you, am a Mary Kay consultant who has never really worked the opportunity. I love the products and think the company is wonderful. However, I am content to service a few clients with a goal of breaking even at the end of the year (after deducting the cost of the products I and my two teenaged daughters use or give away as gifts.) You can get wealthy selling Mary Kay, but not without putting in full time (and overtime) hours. And although you can set your own schedule, you must adapt to customers' schedules, which means that much evening and weekend work is a must.

Hey now… easy… down girl… Before you start calling me names like lazy, I wish you would actually read the article instead of just the title. I never said that Mary Kay was not a good business, just that it was not good for me. I praised the hardworking women who make it their full time job and rake in mucho cashola.

I believe I also stated that my own priorities were elsewhere… and before you start calling me lazy again, let me list them for you. I am first and foremost a mom. I find time to read to my children whenever they ask me to, which is often. I eat dinner with my family every night with the exception of board meeting nights. I knit, quilt, throw pottery, bake with the children (despite my wheat allergy), read often, write a tourism blog for a hotel website as well as blogs like these for my own enjoyment. I have my own tour business that I operate from home with another mom/professional tourism guru. I have been an officer on 3 different volunteer community boards in my area over the last two years, worked over 500 volunteer hours for my older son’s school last year, AND I am now the (paid, yet still mostly volunteer) Administrative Assistant for my younger son’s preschool. I’m sure I could keep going if I tried. THAT is what I call having my priorities elsewhere.

I did not fail at Mary Kay due to laziness. I simply did not understand the time/energy in vs. cash out ratio. And the fact that the time needed would have to be during family time, which I am not willing to give up.