PRAISE FOR PASS IT ON
What great memories! Mary Kay was influential in Dads career, allowing him to pre-sell his first book, See You at the Top , when he spoke at her events in order to help fund its publication before it was even printed. He had great respect and gratitude toward this amazingly genuine friend, and Pass it On is a tremendous tribute to a very special woman.
TOM ZIGLAR , CEO of Ziglar, Inc. and proud son of Zig Ziglar
This book is an inspiration to everyone who is blessed to read it! Its filled with wisdom, timeless principles, and true stories of how Mary Kay Ash deeply impacted the lives of countless thousands by living out her faith testimony in life and in business! The legacy she passed on to me also has been passed on to my daughters and granddaughters. She was a generation changer!
KATHY HELOU , Inner Circle National Sales Director and Emerald National Sales Director
Mary Kay Ash was my dear friend. Kudos to Jennifer Cook for penning a book that is filled with wonderful stories and reveals the warmth and wisdom of one of Americas great entrepreneurs.
ROBERT L. SHOOK , New York Times , Best-selling Author
God has purpose for us, says the apostle Paul in Romans 5:34. In Jennifer Cooks Pass it on , she recounts Mary Kay Ashs story. Jennifer describes Mary Kays start from meager means, her effect on the lives of thousands of people through her global billion-dollar business, and the dramatic effect she had on Jennifers life. God used her trials and blessings to mold Mary Kays transformative faith for purposes of sharing the gift of eternity with others through her business, just as God had purpose in Jennifer sharing her story.
DIANE PADDISON , Founder and President of 4word, and Author of Work, Love, Pray and Be Refreshed... A year of devotions for women in the workplace
I met Jennifer Cook after Mary Kay was no longer on this earth, and she has faithfully shared Mary Kays example of love and caring, making Mary Kay real. I know this book will help many other women to find success in all areas of their lives, and they, in turn, will be inspired to Pass It On.
BIRGIT JOHNSON , National Sales Director, Germany
Many people have asked how it was that Mary Kay Ash was able to lead women in a manner that was uncommon to how the world operated. Leadership in our company was grounded in love and in the power of Belief. She believed in us, so we were able to believe in ourselves. Women thrive and flourish in that kind of atmosphere and Mary Kay understood that truth. Jennifer Cook has brilliantly and beautifully shown us who Mary Kay the Christian was, and how that changed lives.
STACY JAMES , Inner Circle National Sales Director
2021 Jennifer Bickel Cook
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Pass it On
What I Learned from Mary Kay Ash
Brown Books Publishing Group
Dallas, TX / New York, NY
www.BrownBooks.com
(972) 381-0009
A New Era in Publishing
Publishers Cataloging-In-Publication Data
Names: Cook, Jennifer Bickel, author.
Title: Pass it on : what I learned from Mary Kay Ash / Jennifer Bickel Cook.
Description: Dallas, TX ; New York, NY : Brown Books Publishing Group, [2021]
Identifiers: ISBN 9781612545233 (paperback)
Subjects: LCSH: Ash, Mary Kay--Influence. | Cook, Jennifer Bickel. | Businesswomen--United States--Biography. | LCGFT: Biographies. | Autobiographies.
Classification: LCC HD9970.5.C672 C66 2021 | DDC 381/.456685/0922 B--dc23
eISBN 978-1-61254-573-8
LCCN 2021908346
Printed in the United States
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For more information or to contact the author, please go to
www.BookPassItOn.com.
To my mentor, Mary Kay Ash,
and my parents, George and Mary Bickel,
the great influencers in my life.
PREFACE
As a new Christian, I loved the words to Kurt Kaisers hymn, Pass It On, so I remember well the day Mary Kay Ash came into the Mary Kay Inc. corporate headquarters, excited after hearing it for the first time. She said to me, It expresses so beautifully what I have been saying for years.
It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around, can warm up in its glowing.
Thats how it is with Gods love once youve experienced it;
you spread His love to everyone;
You want to pass it on.
Mary Kay shared her love of God with those around her. She also encouraged others to share the things for which they were grateful. Many times, when women would ask Mary Kay what they could do to thank her for her influence in their lives, I would hear her say, Pass it on.
Thats why Im writing this booknot only to pass on the stories and lessons I learned from Mary Kay, but to share how they impacted my Christian walk both at work and with my family. Just as Mary Kay conveyed the love of God to me and to others, my hope is to share her faith, wisdom, and wit with you.
Having worked directly with Mary Kay Ash for twenty-five years and observing firsthand how she reacted in various situations, I heard her thoughts and memories on many subjects. After she passed away, I began speaking to the Mary Kay independent sales force and other groups about Mary Kay. So many of these women loved the anecdotes I related about Mary Kay that they encouraged me to write a book about her.
After retiring from Mary Kay Inc. in 2017, I thought a lot about Mary Kay Ash and her legacy. First and foremost, she would want to be remembered as a servant of Christ. She thought it important to be known as a follower of Jesus, and she lived her life as a testimony to Him.
I finally decided her testimony and example as a Christian businesswoman had to be told. This book contains my personal memories of Mary Kay and recollections from others who knew her well. These stories depict Mary Kay as an entrepreneur, role model, boss, andmost importantlya woman of faith. No matter which role she played, she was always a Christian first. I have heard many testimonies from sales force members and others whom she inspired to renew their faith or to consider Christianity for the first time.
Mary Kay inspired loyalty. Many of the stories in this book come from a core group who worked closely with Mary Kay for decades: Erma Thomson, Mary Kays personal assistant; Becky Brown, who served on Mary Kays secretarial team; and Nancy Thomason, Supervisor of Special Services and Executive Protection Specialist for Mary Kay. After Mary Kays death, Becky, Nancy, and I worked together on the Mary Kay Museum and The Mary Kay Foundation staff. We believed in Mary Kays vision and legacy and worked tirelessly to keep her principles alive once she no longer led the company. This book is a memoir, not an autobiography or a biography of Mary Kay Ash. It is largely based on the time I spent with Mary Kay Ash from 1971 until 1995. I heard her speak at many events over this period where she told her personal story, andafter transcribing many of her speechesmuch of what she said I know by heart or can at least paraphrase. Fortunately, as there were other witnesses to many of these events, this book or parts of this book have been shared with other staff and independent sales force members who knew her well to ensure as accurate an account as possible.