Though not originally from Marion, has not been far. Coming from Bucyrus and a graduate of Colonel Crawford, Schifer attended The Ohio State University at Marion. She graduated as an Economics major with a minor in Finance. Schifer started selling Mary Kay in 2015 part-time.
“If I sold one mascara a week, it would pay for one pitcher of beer on a Friday night,” said Schifer.
This plan worked well until Schifer wanted more.
“I was working at a bank and hated it. I decided to quit and focus on Mary Kay for six months. I’ve been doing it ever since,” Schifer says of her career.
Through Mary Kay, Schifer has earned four company cars and has been top 20 in sales two years in a row. Schifer owns Studio Sparkle, a training center for new beauty consultants. This allows for her and those on her team to hold makeup classes, skincare classes, and typical Mary Kay parties. Schifer is known for being a makeup artist for many life events including weddings and proms. With 89 people on her team, Schifer enjoys training leaders who train leaders.
As a Mary Kay consultant turned sales director, her success has allowed her to pursue her true passion.
“What committed me to Mary Kay was all the charity work they do as a company,” says Schifer.
Mary Kay has given Schifer the flexibility to volunteer her time and donate financially to the causes she believes in. Schifer has volunteered at and sat on the board for the Marion Area Humane Society, as well as paid adoption fees for many dogs to find their forever homes. Every year Schifer writes a recommendation letter to the Mary Kay Foundation for Turning Point. To date, the Foundation has donated $80,000.
Schifer says, “My heart is in philanthropy and non-profit work.”
Schifer organizes an Adopt-a-Grandparent Program every winter, partnering with three nursing homes. People will sponsor gifts and then she delivers them. Schifer says the number of gifts donated is in the thousands.
Schifer is also a mentor through Marion Mentors, giving her time for the past five years. She is a Harding Youth Football volunteer cheer coach and is entering her third year serving on the Women’s Business Council Board. Additionally, Schifer has been an Athena Award nominee.
Schifer prides herself in enriching other women’s lives with skincare and cosmetics. She enjoys helping others feel confident. She fondly recalls having a consultant on her team who is a single mom of three kids, calling her a supermom who works full-time. At the beginning of the summer, she told Schifer she needed a new heating and air conditioning unit. The cost was about $1500 and she didn’t have the money for it. Schiffer helped make a plan for her to sell enough products for the unit.
“I helped her set a goal. I got to be her accountability partner all summer long. I made a plan and showed her exactly how I break down my Mary Kay work to hit a specific money goal. When she told me she had made enough money to purchase her the unit, I cried because I was so proud of her,” says Schifer.
Though busy in her volunteer work and with her Mary Kay business, Schifer hasn’t stopped there. During the stay-at-home order, Schifer found herself with time on her hands after weddings were rescheduled and took it as an opportunity to start a second business. She is now a designer and owner of W A R M clothing co. Of course, with a passion for nonprofits, she raised money through specific designs to donate to the Marion County Dog Pound. One design featured the customer’s own dog’s ears above the pocket.
“I think it’s important to leave a place better than when you got there. I think everyone should give back to the community,” says Schifer.
