Mary Kay Ash Quotes

120 Mary Kay Ash Quotes

1 2 3



Sandwich every bit of criticism between two heavy layers of praise.
Mary Kay Ash

Real leaders aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.
Mary Kay Ash

The most important justification for being in business is service to others.
Mary Kay Ash

A company is only as good as it’s people.
Mary Kay Ash

Each person whose hand I shake is the most important person in the world at that moment.
Mary Kay Ash

There are two things people want more than sex and money… recognition and praise.
Mary Kay Ash

The faintest ink is better than the most retentive memory.
Mary Kay Ash

Aerodynamically the bumble bee should not be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it, so it goes on flying anyway.
Mary Kay Ash

Every failure, obstacle or hardship is an opportunity in disguise.
Mary Kay Ash

Success in many cases is failure turned inside out.
Mary Kay Ash



The greatest pollution problem we face today is negativity.
Mary Kay Ash

People fail forward to success.
Mary Kay Ash

When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.
Mary Kay Ash

Nothing wilts faster than a laurel rested upon.
Mary Kay Ash

Many people today consider the Golden Rule a tiresome cliché, but it still is the best key to people management.
Mary Kay Ash

[On The Golden Rule] When you use this rule – every decision becomes a right decision.
Mary Kay Ash

The speed of the leader is the speed of the gang.
Mary Kay Ash

Every person is special!
Mary Kay Ash

Each of us wants to feel good about himself or herself, but to me it is just as important to make others feel the same way.
Mary Kay Ash

Whenever I meet someone, I try to imagine him wearing an invisible sign that says: Make Me Feel Important! I respond to this sing immediately, and it works wonders.
Mary Kay Ash



At our beauty shows we do not like a beauty consultant to think, ‘How much can I sell these women?’ Instead we stress, ‘What can I do to make these women leave here today feeling better about themselves? How can I help them have a better self-image?’
Mary Kay Ash

In business everything is subject to change – people, products, buildings, machinery, everything – except principles.
Mary Kay Ash

So many women just don’t know how really great they are. They come to us all vogue on the outside and vague on the inside.
Mary Kay Ash

Those who are blessed with the most talent don’t necessarily outperform everyone else. It’s the people with follow-through who excel.
Mary Kay Ash

If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right.
Mary Kay Ash

Leaders teach. They motivate. They care. Leaders make sure that the way to success is always broad enough and straight enough for others to follow.
Mary Kay Ash

Be the kind of person who can always be counted on to do what you say you’ll do.
Mary Kay Ash

Give yourself something to work toward – constantly.
Mary Kay Ash

A good goal is like a strenuous exercise – it makes you stretch.
Mary Kay Ash

A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.
Mary Kay Ash



For every failure, there’s an alternative course of action. You just have to find it.
Mary Kay Ash

When we began our adoptee program, it was generally felt that it wouldn’t work. But I knew that it would. I knew it would work because it was based on the Golden Rule. At Mary Kay Cosmetics we sometimes call it the ‘go-give’ principle. It’s a philosophy based on giving, and it is applied in every aspect of our business. At our beauty shows we do not like a beauty consultant to think, ‘How much can I sell these women?’ Instead we stress, ‘What can I do to make these women leave here today feeling better about themselves? How can I help them have a better self-image?’
Mary Kay Ash

The Golden Rule teaches us to ‘Do unto others as we would have others do unto us.’… Of course, it was meant for everyone, but what a perfect rule of conduct for people managers! Unfortunately many people today consider the Golden Rule a tiresome cliché, but it still is the best key to people management. At Mary Kay Cosmetics we take it very seriously. Every people-management decision made is based on the Golden Rule. I truly believe that the Golden Rule was intended to be used seven days a week – not just on Sunday. And that is should be employed in every relationship – business or personal. When you use this rule – every decision becomes a right decision.
Mary Kay Ash

Help other people get what they want – and you’ll get what you want.
Mary Kay Ash

Every person is special! I sincerely believe this. Each of us wants to feel good about himself or herself, but to me it is just as important to make others feel the same way. Whenever I meet someone, I try to imagine him wearing an invisible sign that says: Make Me Feel Important! I respond to this sing immediately, and it works wonders.
Mary Kay Ash

The most important justification for being in business is service to others. Every new business must be built upon the premise, since wanting to make money or desiring to ‘dabble’ in a favorite pastime are not enough to sustain such a venture. The business must fulfill a need.
Mary Kay Ash

I believe that you should praise people whenever you can; it causes them to respond as a thirsty plant responds to water.
Mary Kay Ash

In business everything is subject to change – people, products, buildings, machinery, everything – except principles. To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, in matters of principle, stand like a rock; in other matters, swim with the current. So, while I strongly advocate flexibility, when it comes to principles we must stand firm.
Mary Kay Ash

I always look each person squarely in the eyes and whenever possible, try to say something personal. It might be only a comment such as ‘I love your hair’, or ‘What a beautiful dress you’re wearing,’ but I give each person my undivided attention, and I don’t allow anything to distract me. Each person whose hand I shake is the most important person in the world at that moment.
Mary Kay Ash

Every failure, obstacle or hardship is an opportunity in disguise. Success in many cases is failure turned inside out. The greatest pollution problem we face today is negativity. Eliminate the negative attitude and believe you can do anything. Replace if I can, I hope, and maybe with can, I will, and I must.
Mary Kay Ash



1 2 3


Return from Mary Kay Ash Quotes to Quoteswise.com