This part of “Leadership Unplugged” series features Ryan Rogers. Ryan’s first role at Mary Kay was Financial Analyst and he held several positions after that. In 2013, he became Chief Investment Officer, and in 2023, Chief Executive Officer.
Could you tell us about your education?
Most people don’t talk about their high school, but I am a proud alum of St. Mark’s School of Texas. I mention that because my experience there was an incredible preparation to excel in college. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Finance Major. I went on to complete my Chartered Financial Analyst designation from the CFA Institute.
What was your childhood dream?
My childhood dream was to work on Wall Street in the financial services industry. Most people are surprised to learn that when I first graduated college, I did not want to work at Mary Kay, the company founded by my grandmother, Mary Kay Ash. In fact, my first job out of school was with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
After getting that experience, I joined Mary Kay as a Financial Analyst and spent more than two decades learning every part of the business – strategy, operations, international growth, and eventually served as Chief Investment Officer. I never planned to become CEO; but sometimes circumstances don’t just shape a path, they call you to rise to it. When our former CEO retired, the question became simple: who can lead the company through this specific moment and what is best for our employees and our Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants? It became a natural choice, and I now see it as the greatest honor of my life.
What were your past experiences before your current role?
Prior to joining Mary Kay, I was an associate in the Transaction Services Group of PwC in Dallas. I joined the Mary Kay team in 2000 as a Financial Analyst and held several positions including Project Manager, Director of Strategic Initiatives, and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. In 2013, I assumed the role of Chief Investment Officer, and, in 2023, I had the honor to start a new chapter as Chief Executive Officer.
Since 2001, I serve as Vice President of the Mary Kay Ash Foundation Board of Directors, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. I am proud to share that over the years the Mary Kay Ash Foundation has donated more than $100 million in support of its two-fold mission: eliminating women-related cancers and ending domestic violence.
What do you consider the main factor behind your career success?
My career began as a financial analyst, and that foundation has shaped many aspects of my leadership. Taking a broader view of a company’s financial data provides a compelling narrative about who the company is, what it stands for, and where it’s going.
As I moved through broader roles, that analytical mindset helped me make decisions with clarity and conviction. I also realized the value of listening, collaboration, and empowering great teams through a strong culture. These years of learning how the organization works from the inside-out have laid a solid foundation for my role today as CEO. I am leveraging this systems-level understanding of how decisions ripple across the organization. I emphasize operational discipline to build lasting value and seize the growth opportunities ahead.
What has been your most inspiring moment?
After my grandmother’s stroke in 1996, she was much less involved in the business. She lost her ability to speak but could understand everything that was happening around her. She communicated by squeezing your hand when she was happy or excited about something.
In 2001, my dad and I brought a video recording of our annual convention over to her house. She watched the segment when hundreds of our international sales force visitors paraded across the stage. She squeezed my hand so hard! I don’t think she realized how quickly and successfully her dream for women had spread around the world. She witnessed the lives of so many women enriched, some in countries Mary Kay Ash had never even been to. Today, Mary Kay is present in over 40 markets, a milestone I have no doubt would bring my grandmother immense pride.
I also learned a lot from my dad, Richard Rogers, co-founder of Mary Kay, who recently passed. He was a shining example of business leadership. And much of the way he led was passed down to him by my grandmother. That philosophy, “The Mary Kay Way,” still guides Mary Kay today.
Your hobbies?
Golf is my biggest hobby. My wife and I also really enjoy watching our daughter play Lacrosse. Her high school team won last year’s state championship, and she also plays on a very competitive traveling club team.
How would you describe being a direct selling executive to an outsider?
Through direct selling, we are proud to foster a low-risk pathway to independent entrepreneurship that evolves with the needs of women and consumers at every stage of their lives.
Mary Kay is unique in that it is both a purpose-driven beauty brand and a direct sales company. The Mary Kay opportunity empowers women around the world to build their businesses on their own terms, selling high-quality Mary Kay® products and sharing beauty and confidence within their communities.
The community-minded component of direct selling is what sets our industry apart. When you buy from a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, you are supporting a local women-led business, and the families and communities that thrive because of it.
What is your biggest achievement in your current position?
For me, surrounding myself with the right talent and leadership teams is the condition for sustained success. No single leader, regardless of experience or vision, can navigate the complexity, pace, and constant change of today’s business environment alone. My teams bring diverse perspectives, challenge assumptions, and translate strategy into execution with clarity and accountability. We have our mission of enriching women’s lives, a clear vision and growth strategy, a real point of difference for our Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants to stand out in a crowded marketplace. And we are only getting started!
Mary Kay has recently made transformational investments in technology, research, and sales force experience. A first in the direct selling industry, Mary Kay Foundation Finder uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to scan a customer’s face on their mobile phone and provide personalized shade recommendations in just seconds.
We research and produce innovative products such as the freshly launched Mary Kay Clinical Solutions Barrier Restore 1:1:3 inspired by widely used professional dermatologic treatments, directly from “R3”, our global R&D and Manufacturing facility in North Texas.
In 2025, Mary Kay was named the #1 Direct Selling Brand of Skin Care and Color Cosmetics in the World by Euromonitor International for the third consecutive year. We also just ranked #2 on the Forbes Best Customer Service Companies 2026 List out of 3,500 companies. This speaks volumes about the inspired customer service performed by our Independent Beauty Consultants worldwide.
And your biggest challenge in a direct selling company executive role?
The biggest challenge and also the biggest opportunity has been leading a sixty-plus-year-old, iconic company through a journey of transformation, evolution, and modernization while staying true to its mission and identity. It means rethinking direct sales in a digital age and successfully blending in-person and online interactions, remaining relevant to the next generation while celebrating all generations of loyal consumers, and staying innovative and agile while continuing to educate and empower.
Today, I consider the company to be experiencing a new beginning with unlimited opportunities. We have a purpose-driven, multigenerational brand. We have best-in-class products rooted in science. We have stellar beauty consultants. It is time for us to accelerate and power up. We want to reach new customers across every generation and create more opportunities for women around the world to choose Mary Kay. Stay tuned. We are working on something great.
What would be your best advice to those who are thinking of joining a direct sales company in a corporate position?
Spend as much time as possible with the sales force and in the field, no matter what role you play in the organization. One of the most meaningful memories of my career was when I challenged our sales force to hold 10 selling situations in one week, and they did it with me. I will never forget the lessons learned from that experience. First and foremost, being a salesperson is hard. You encounter things in the field that you would never experience sitting in your office, and that sharpens the decisions you make going forward.
Leave a Reply