Mary Kay’s Vision Continues Without Her Stroke Sidelines Cosmetic Matriarch But She Remains Company’s Motivating Force

Mary Kay Corp. saleswomen, who have made pilgrimages by the thousands to hear the cosmetic firm’s legendary founder speak, are learning to live without her personal tributes to God, family and career.

For the past 30 years, Mary Kay Ash has mesmerized and inspired an army of women who peddle the company’s lipsticks, eye shadows and creams. But this February the 78-year-old makeup matriarch suffered a stroke and has not been available to talk publicly.

Her physical condition and rehabilitation is not discussed in detail by the company.

“I just know she is working on recovery and is progressing quite well. She’s anxious to recover as quickly as possible,” company spokeswoman Karen Dodge said.

Ms. Ash, known simply as Mary Kay, remains chairman emeritus of the company, which had $950 million in wholesale sales in 1995. But her poor health has meant she could not take up her traditional role as speaker at the company’s “Seminar.”

Seminar is an annual meeting in Dallas, likened to a pep rally or Broadway production and is attended by over 40,000 Mary Kay saleswomen, known as independent beauty consultants.

Each year, Mary Kay greeted the group and raised a frenzy similar to that once provoked by Elvis. She sometimes had to use secret doors and hallways to elude fans.

Her arrival onstage was orchestrated with extravagant entrances including a horse-drawn carriage and a Rolls-Royce. Then once she was onstage, she’d sock the sales force with a spiritual speech.

Until this year, she had missed only one Seminar ever and that was years ago for reasons now forgotten, the company said.

In February, the company carried on without her. Taped excerpts from her previous speeches were shown. Instead of Mary Kay, a bevy of national sales directors stood on the stage.

“More and more it made us aware that all of us are Mary Kay and we must continue her dream even when she can’t be there,” said Cindy Williams of Kerrville, an executive senior sales director who has received sales awards of diamond pendants and the company’s trademark pink Cadillac.

In 1989, employees got a taste of what it would be like without Mary Kay. That year at Seminar her son announced she was stepping down from her job running the daily business and into the chairman emeritus position. The announcement left the consultants stunned and many crying.

But although she wasn’t running things day-to-day, she continued to provide the motivational rudder for the 475,000-strong sales force telling her following that she wanted them “to become the highest-paid women in America.”

Many have. Her company boasts that more women have earned more than $1 million by selling Mary Kay than at any other company in the world.

How the company fares once Mary Kay is no longer able to lead will depend on those women, insiders say.

“That’s where the national sales directors will play a key role in continuing to teach and provide the inspiration to the sales force,” said Ms. Dodge.

Ms. Williams said that Mary Kay has taught her followers well.

“I believe that Mary Kay’s legacy will be greater than the lady herself. I personally truly believe that what she’s given us, we’ll never lose it,” Ms. Williams said.