Springboro grad inspires women to build successful businesses

Women inspiring other women is not a new concept. But in the business world, it’s more common for women to compete against each other to advance their careers.

So when proud dad, David White, encouraged me to contact his daughter Tina Frantz, a Springboro High School graduate now living in Middletown who has mentored and inspired more than 250 women to become successful business owners, I was intrigued.

Frantz, who was an athlete in high school and was offered a scholarship to run track for Otterbein University, was unsure of what her career path.

“I was at Otterbein for one year and then decided to transfer to Wright State University to study music and business,” Frantz said. “That’s where I met my husband.”

Frantz did what many women today are afraid to do because of the disruption in their career paths – she left college to get married and have children.

“Once I met Bryan, I knew I wanted to be married and raise a family,” Frantz said. “We had our son Alex in 2004 and though it was unplanned, it ended up being a great blessing.”

Frantz became a full- time stay at home mom, though the pull of additional education and career remained strong. But she wanted the flexibility to raise her children (daughter Dakota was born in 2007) and spend time with her family.

“When I was introduced to Mary Kay, I really thought it was a joke,” Frantz said. “I wasn’t a salesperson and never thought about doing anything like that.”

But Frantz decided to help out her friend, who had already built a successful business selling Mary Kay beauty products. The company has been around since 1963 when it was founded by Mary Kay Ash, who wanted to do something more important than just selling cosmetics. She set out to change women’s lives.

Ash passed away in 2001 at the age of 83, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire thousands of women today, including Frantz.

“I didn’t expect to do anything big, but the company surprised me,” Frantz said. “Within a few years, I was in leadership and mentoring other women.”

Already a leader at her church – Cornerstone Community in Franklin – Frantz knew she could speak to others and lead by example.

“I started my Mary Kay career in 2005 and just celebrated my 17th anniversary with the company,” Frantz said.

As Frantz began to build her career, she met other women who desperately wanted flexibility that the fulltime professional workforce wasn’t offering. Most saw their children growing up before their eyes and they knew they were missing precious time with them.

“I started coaching other women to reach for dreams and set goals,” Frantz said.

Frantz began to thrive as a mentor and a leader and before long, she had earned her first Mary Kay signature pink car – a Pontiac G6. She earned her first pink Cadillac – a pinnacle of sorts in Mary Kay – in 2010. In order to get a two year lease on the Cadillac, Frantz had to have recruited at least twelve consultants and her team needed to reach a required sales level.

“Bryan was joking about the free pink car,” Frantz said. “But I have always loved challenges and competition so I knew I would get one.”

Frantz realizes that not all women are blessed with a large network of others that can help them build their businesses. So she helps them find good contacts and also shares tips on how to juggle their lives and their business to reach their goals.

“The most rewarding thing is seeing other women build successful businesses,” Frantz said. “Then watching them become sales leaders and earn cars.”

Frantz’s team has earned a total of 78 Mary Kay cars over the past several years. And those cars are more than just status symbols. They also mean no car payments - a huge boost household budgets.

Besides her business, Frantz coaches track at Carlisle High School. She helped support her family when Bryan was facing come serious health issues and had to step down from his full-time job for a time.

But a serious car accident three years ago left her with a brain injury that required intensive neuro therapy. But throughout all of it, she never gave up, fighting her way back to normalcy.

“I’m so grateful to be alive,” Frantz said. “The accident was a turning point for me. I think the training and mental strength I gained in Mary Kay really helped me in all areas of my life.”

Frantz is working toward a goal of becoming a national sales director with Mary Kay and she is more than halfway there.

“I believe this year will be my best yet,” Frantz said. “I give my best every day because I know I’m not guaranteed another tomorrow. I have an incredible, supportive group of women on my team and I’m grateful for them each and every day.”

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