by Darian

Created on: June 13, 2008   Last Updated: June 27, 2008

Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics. Born May, 12th, 1918 in Hot Wells Texas. Mary Kay worked for direct sales companies training sales persons. Mary Kay attended the University of Houston and achieved success as a salesperson trainer, however equality for women in the work force did not exist at this time.

Mary Kay Ash, was passed over for a promotion in favor a a man whom, she had trained. Being disappointed and frustrated, she retired in 1963. She began to write a book to help women succeed in business.

The idea for her business began as she wrote her book. In 1963, along with her son, Mary Kay began Mary Kay Cosmetics in a store front building in Dallas with an investment of five thousand dollars.

Mary Kay Cosmetics company grew rapidly. Her marketing plan was to allow women to advance by helping others succeed. She believed in rewarding people for their success, thus came the Pink Cadillac awarded to top sales people. God first, family second, career third became the slogan for Mary Kay Cosmetics.

Mary Kay wrote three books, all became best sellers. Her book on business philosophy has been included in business courses at Harvard.

Mary Kay died November,2001. Mary Kay Cosmetics has over 800,000 representatives in 37 countries with annual sales of over
$2 billion.

Warren Edward Buffet, Investor, Businessman, entrepreneur.
Mr Buffet was born August 30th, 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska. At the age of 15, he and a friend bought a pinball machine and placed it in a barber shop, within three months, they had bought 3 more.

At 2o years of age, Buffet attended Columbia school of business, he also took a pubic speaking course. using what he learned, he taught a night class on investment principles. Most of the people who took the class were twice his age.

In 1954 Warren worked for Benjamin Graham, his salary was $12,000 a year. When Graham retired, Buffet returned to Omaha and created Buffet Partnership Ltd. By 1957 he had three partnerships operating, by 1958, he had five. Buffet, now married purchased his first home at the price of $31,500.

In February, 2008 Forbes ranked Warren Buffet as the richest man in the world with a net worth of over $62 billion. Mr. Buffet still resides in the same home in Omaha that he purchased in 1958 for $31,500, today valued at over $700,000.

Ingvar Kamprad, founder of the home furnishing retail chain IKEA
As a young boy, Kamprad sold matches. He would buy them in bulk and sell them individually. For the next few years he began to sell fish, Christmas tree decorations, seeds and ball point pens.

When Ingvar was 17, his father gave him a reward for succeeding at his studies. Kamprad used this money to begin IKEA.
At 82 years old Ingvar Kamprad is the 7th richest person in the world with net worth around $31billion.
Wikipedia.

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