John Tufts | San Angelo Standard-Times

John Tufts, San Angelo Standard-Times

John Tufts / San Angelo Standard-Times

SAN ANGELO — Stacy Emerson's face lit up as she and her husband Rick pulled the satin sheet away to reveal a shiny new Cadillac inside a crowded showroom at Randall Motors, 801 W. Ave. N.

A 2020 model XT5, the Cadillac was as pink as the celebratory cupcakes set on a nearby table to mark Emerson's latest achievement as an independent sales director for Mary Kay Cosmetics.

"Oh my goodness," the San Angelo mother of four exclaimed. Seconds later, one of her younger children ran up to the pink Cadillac and shouted, "We have a new chair!"

On Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, friends and family gathered to applaud Emerson — the recipient of a pink Cadillac from Mary Kay's career car program.

Getting it wasn't easy.

"You can't earn (a pink Cadillac) on your own," Emerson said. "You have to order $102,000 in wholesale production within six months."

Emerson credited part of her success to the 120 beauty consultants who sell Mary Kay directly under her across several states. Together, their sales contribute to Emerson's bottom line, which has allowed her to lease several Cadillacs at practically no cost.

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"I've been with the company eight years, and this car is a reflection of how many women you're helping grow their business," she said. "This is my sixth free car, but my first pink Cadillac."

While Emerson said she'll enjoy driving the new vehicle, eventually the keys will be handed back to the dealership.

"It's a company-leased vehicle," Emerson said. "In two years, we'll qualify for a new one."

Emerson also noted that she has to maintain quarterly figures over the next two years in order to avoid making co-payments on the lease to Mary Kay as part of their career car program.

George Randall, owner of Randall Motors, stood off to one side as Emerson's family snapped photos of her standing in front of the pink Cadillac.

"What an achievement," Randall said. "We're very proud to have been a part of this —Stacy is a phenomenal seller. This is really only something that happens at the upper echelons of (Mary Kay)."

Angela Casavant, an independent beauty consultant for Mary Kay Cosmetics, is part of Emerson's 120-member sales force. After eight months with the company, Casavant has so far recruited four women who sell under her, but who contribute to Emerson's bottom line.

Casavant said after she recruits a total of eight people to actively sell cosmetics, she'll be able to spin out of Emerson's unit and build her own.

"You have to constantly work your product," Casavant said. "Most of us are moms with full-time jobs."

In 1967, Mary Kay Ash ordered a pink Cadillac Coupe DeVille from a Dallas dealership and asked to have it painted to match the pale pink Mary Kay lip and eye palette she carried in her purse, according to the release.

In 1969, she rewarded the top five independent sales force members with the use of their own pink 1970 Cadillac Coupe DeVille and, in turn, launched the Mary Kay Career Car Program.

“For 50 years, Mary Kay pink Cadillacs have remained a coveted symbol of success," said Nathan Moore, President of Mary Kay Inc.’s North America Region in a January press release about the program.

"The Mary Kay Career Car Program is an integral part of not only our company’s story but also the stories of thousands of successful Mary Kay entrepreneurs,” he said.

There are about 4,000 Mary Kay career cars on the road nationwide, according to a July press release from Mary Kay.