Hey boss babes!!

The 2nd year birthday of the Maskcara Beauty artist program is coming up FAST! (and btw there’s an epic birthday party going down on Instagram that you should totally check out! @maskcaraparty) And it gives me all the feels since I've been here since day one! And what an incredible freaking journey it's been!! I wanted to write a fresh blog post sharing a bit of my story and also some pros and cons of this business! If you're my kind of girl, you LOVE pros and cons lists and you love knowing all the details! So I'm going to be honest and transparent with you (as I always am!) I'll start with my story (you can jump ahead a couple paragraphs to the pros and cons if you'd like!) OR if you prefer video instead, click here for my YouTube video on this!

So Maskcara had already been significantly helping me lift my confidence with their beautiful products for 2 years but of course makeup is only skin deep, it can't solve problems you have within yourself. At the time, I was about 7 months pregnant with a 2 year old, money was tight, and I was lost as a person. I was stressed and overwhelmed and felt like I didn't know who I was anymore outside of being a wife and mom. I loved my family and I loved being a SAHM but somewhere in the middle of it, I stopped taking care of myself. I stopped pushing myself and doing things that brought ME happiness!

So there I was minding my own business at the start of a new year when my FAVORITE brand decides to open up their doors to millions of women to have an opportunity of a lifetime to start a business of helping women feel beautiful and empowered! Of course my first reaction was confusion. I had always been a little "anti" direct sales because I had only ever seen the things that I didn't like about it! I was worried about Maskcara becoming those things until I remembered who the babe is behind it all, Cara. She's a breath of fresh air in the beauty blogger world! She's kind, real, funny, and figures out her own way to do things if she's not satisfied with her current options. Click here to learn about her story!

I knew Cara wouldn't let her baby become all those icky parts of direct sales and really... I knew MYSELF enough to know that if I was going to do this.. I was going to do it MY WAY! I wouldn't compromise who I was or let it become more important than my family. I LOVED Maskcara Beauty and I knew this was my chance to do something bold and challenging in my life! I knew this was going to be MY thing, my calling even! I just had a feeling that this would open up so many doors for me and give me chances to grow and become a happier version of myself! And 2 years later, it is still one of the BEST decisions I've ever made because it’s done all that AND has helped our family financially.

Alright I know that was brief but I have previous blog posts and videos about my "story" so you can check them out if you want! But let's get to the main part of this.. here's the PROS & CONS TO JOINING MASKCARA BEAUTY!

>PRO: Make REAL friends and have solid support. The Maskcara sisterhood is truly unique and so fun!

>CON: Unless you already use Maskcara makeup and/or you're pretty familiar with makeup, there is a learning curve. You will need to take some time to learn techniques and all about our products. Although it’s not hard AND we offer plenty of free training and resources so don’t let that stop you!

>PRO: Amazing branding and corporate support. If you don’t know already, Maskcara has the most beautifully branded products and packaging! It makes it really easy to advertise and promote, the products almost sell themselves! They also provide artists lots of free marketing graphics and offer regular giveaways and holiday promos to all customers so you don’t have to worry about putting up your own money for things like that!

>CON: If you aren’t already a blogger or someone with a big social circle/influence, it will take you longer to build your business. I believe this goes for any network marketing company you join and it’s a pretty normal thing. I’m NOT saying you can’t have success if you aren’t “famous”, I am saying that in order to really make it “BIG” you have to have a wide reach of people. I have been building mine for the last 2 years and it is definitely paying off but if you are looking for a “get rich quick” business and aren’t willing to work at it long term and be patient, then it might not be for you.

>PRO: We don’t keep stock or inventory! This is a big one! No hassling to get orders out, no worries for shipping incidents, no out of pocket expenses for shipping supplies. Maskcara handles all product handling and customer service! Oh and side note.. shipping is always FREE! For artists and clients, awesome right?!

>CON: The earnings on small individual sales is low. Your base commission is 20% which means if a client were to order just a refill of their foundation or even 2 singles at $14 ea, you will only make $5.60. However, MOST clients order between $40-$100 and sales add up quick! So don’t take it as you can’t make money doing this because you most definitely can! Also after you reach different sale thresholds, you get bonuses!

>PRO: Speaking of earnings, I love that in Maskcara, you get paid EVERY week, on Fridays! And your bonuses/downline earnings are paid out every month on the 10th. You have several options on how you’d like to get paid that best fits your needs!

>CON: I’ll say this about any direct sales/network marketing business.. it is NOT for the lazy or shy. However I DO believe it is an avenue that can truly change a person for the better and push you out of your comfort zone. But the thing with this business model is you HAVE to connect and talk with people! Even if you take the online route, you have to show up, you have to show YOU, you have to build those relationships if you want loyal clients and awesome team mates! I personally see this as a pro but I labeled it a con because if that all sounds exhausting and just terrible to you then I don’t think Maskcara would be a good fit!

>PRO: Low start up cost, low up-keep. I personally think the cost to sign up is very affordable. Our basic kit is $199 and comes with enough product to get you going on a couple parties and lots of makeovers! (use party rewards to get more product for free!) And the only other cost to artists is a 11.95 back office fee (it’s worth it) Most other companies either force you to keep stock which costs a lot or require monthly personal purchases (Maskcara does not)

>CON: Unfamiliarity/new concept. Since Maskcara is still a fairly new company and the concept of cream foundation is still creeping into the mainstream, it can be a hard sell to new clients. It isn’t a brand they are familiar with and it takes a little more time and effort to learn how to wear Maskcara. To some it’s a deal breaker but to others it is new and exciting and fresh! This hasn’t ultimately affected the growth of my business at all but it’s something to consider.

>PRO: If you are completely new to direct sales/network marketing and/or makeup, don’t worry!! We offer SO MUCH TRAINING! And lots of resources! You will have access to a whole library of artist training, from business to makeup to social media! Many of us started at ground zero (myself included) and we are thriving! Don’t be scared of the unknown, we’ve got your back!

>CON: Again, I think this goes for any company like this but it’s easy to take things personally. Where this is a networking type of job and you’re putting yourself and your passions all out there, it’s easy to get burnt when it’s not received as you hoped. When a live video gets zero interaction, when a friend says they aren’t interested, when an artist on your team quits, when an awesome selfie doesn’t get many likes. ALL these things have personally happened to me and its HARD. It’s hard to separate YOU from the product and from other’s opinions. It’s hard to not let yourself feel like a failure and like nobody likes you when really that’s not true AT ALL. You learn to get tougher and see “no’s” as learning opportunities, you learn to be more confident in yourself and not care what people think and of course you have a TRIBE of girls right there with you to help lift you up again!

>PRO: This business is totally personizable to YOU and your lifestyle! You can go all in and work it full time or you can treat it like a hobby and do it when you’re able! We have such a large diversity of artists and methods of business so don’t feel like you have to fit into a box and do what everyone else is doing! As a leader, I never force my team to do anything they don’t want. I’m supportive and train as much as I can but I don’t bother you every day, I don’t pressure you to get more sales, or make you feel like you aren’t doing enough. My team members do it their way and they have fun with it and that’s what matters to me! Speaking of “team” since I know this is something that really scares people.. with Maskcara Beauty, you don’t have to build a team! You can make solid money by just keeping clients and making sales! Of course it may be hard to keep people away from joining though! And yes you will earn more and hit ranks with growing a team but if it’s not for you, that’s totally fine!

So what are you thinking? How many pros stood out to you? How many cons can you not move past? I’m here to chat and answer any questions, pressure free! Just email me! Simplemeetsbold@gmail.com If you are ready to take the plunge on January 17th (or anytime after) then click HERE! I’d be thrilled to have you and so will Maskcara!