Local Mary Kay consultant recognized at national level

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Mary Kay consultant Jacque Schumacher talks about Mary Kay products and her years working with her customers at her in-home studio in Mitchell. (Chris Huber/Republic)

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Jacque Schumacher likes to help women feel beautiful inside and out.

As a Mary Kay consultant for 27 years, Schumacher takes pride her in her work supplying women with skin-care products and, most often, a friend.

She’s the best in the business, according to her clients, and she has plenty of awards to back up the claim. She’s received quarterly sales recognition for 103 quarters and has been recognized 22 times as a top sales performer by the company, including 18 times in the top 20 and once at the No. 1 spot. She’s earned nine career cars.

The drive Schumacher has for Mary Kay is simple.

“It’s just fun,” she said. “Did you know technically I haven’t worked in 27 years?”

Mary Kay was founded in 1963 by Mary Kay Ash. Today, the company is one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics in the world. In 2009, Mary Kay reeled in a worldwide total of $2.5 billion in wholesale business. More than 2 million people sell Mary Kay products worldwide.

Schumacher began selling Mary Kay as a hobby after she got some products from a friend.

At first, she didn’t have much time to devote to it. She was working full-time in real estate.

“I started it as a hobby. It never occurred to me at that time that 27 years later, it would be a career that would totally replace my total income.”

Products like Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple or Uppercase Living are commonly sold by women today, Schumacher said.

“For a lot of women, it’s the extra income,” she said. “A home-based business allows us to work around other commitments.”

Schumacher held a few different professional positions before she began selling Mary Kay full-time. Besides the real-estate business, she worked in the funeral business, was a teacher and even a pilot. But when she started Mary Kay as a hobby, she said she was unhappy with her job in real estate.

“I focused on building my (Mary Kay) business. I didn’t work harder, I just worked smarter with the time I had,” she said. “I learned to work with my business around my current lifestyle rather than changing my whole life.”

The strategy worked for Schumacher.

“What you put into the business determines what you get out of it,” she said. “And it’s fun.”

Her motivation comes from helping others and from the relationships she creates.

“I do feel like I’m affecting their lives,” she said of the people she works with. “When a woman looks good, she feels better about herself.”

Working her way up the Mary Kay ladder took dedication, but not a lot of her energy, she said.

“I started taking really good care of my customers,” she said. “Now, 27 years later, they are some of my most loyal customers.”

Kay Kjonegaard, who resides in Chamberlain, has been with Schumacher from the beginning.

“We’ve become friends. She’s always caring and very efficient,” Kjonegaard said.

It’s the little things Schumacher does, like sending out birthday cards or getting to know a customer’s family, that help to keep customers coming back.

Even Kjonegaard’s daughter, Lisa, who lives in Alaska, still purchases her Mary Kay from Schumacher.

“You know, my daughter said to me that it would be more convenient and easier to find another Mary Kay lady, but she’d never quit Jacque. She’s just so caring,” Kjonegaard said.

Mary Wilson, of Mitchell, has been a loyal customer of Schumacher’s for 25 years.

Her cheerful attitude and knowledge of her products make her the best at what she does, Wilson said.

“She’s an exemplary businesswoman. She covers all her bases,” Wilson said. “She is dedicated.”

Wilson also gives credit to Schumacher’s husband, Tom.

“He’s a man who supports his wife in the business that she does. He gets to know the customers as much as Jacque does.”

And he couldn’t be prouder of his wife. He has even been called to do make-up runs for women while Jacque is out of town.

“I couldn’t be more proud of her,” he said. “She’s grown so much over the years.”

He admits he does get a little bit of teasing attending national Mary Kay conferences every year. But he does so with a positive attitude.

Her husband’s support, along with her customers’ loyalty, is gratifying for Schumacher.

“It’s just a great feeling,” she said. “There are a lot of people that do great things in their jobs, and sometimes they will get a thank you or not even that.”

Tags: our towns, jacque schumacher, mary kay, mary kay consultant, mary kay ash, kay kjonegaard, mary wilson, tom schumacher, life, business, family, chamberlain