Mary Kay Independent Elite Executive National Sales Director Gloria Mayfield Banks seems anything but a domestic violence victim.

For starters, she’s a Mary Kay multimillionaire with more than $4 million in earnings. She’s first in her division and seventh in worldwide sales. Gloria is an international motivational speaker and sales trainer. She holds two degrees, including an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Gloria grew up in a strong, middle-class family, where she was the third of four girls. Her parents will soon celebrate 59 years of marriage.

Even though she did see signs of abuse when she married in 1979, she meant for her marriage to last forever.

“I thought I could fix whatever was wrong,” Gloria says.  “He was a successful man from a strong middle class family.  Our families shared similar values.  We had similar education, and we were young and having fun with life.”

The fun didn’t last long. Shortly after the wedding, Gloria realized that she couldn’t fix her husband’s anger.

“I started Harvard Business School in 1980 with a black eye,” Gloria says. “We got into a fight on my first day, and I had to wear makeup to cover it up. I didn’t wear makeup then.”

Those who didn’t know them well might have thought they lived the perfect life. They had Harvard degrees, great jobs and a beautiful house. By 1986, they had a precious little son and daughter.

“No one knew about the abuse, but my sister,” Gloria says. “I used to go to her house when the fighting got bad.”

During the 10 years that Gloria lived with her now ex-husband, the abuse escalated. And like many abuse victims, she left home and came back numerous times.

In 1988, she started her Mary Kay business to supplement her income in preparation to be a single parent. She wanted to maintain the lifestyle that her children had come to enjoy.

After 15 months, Gloria felt confident enough to separate from her husband. Their divorce was final four years later.

“I had enjoyed my Mary Kay business eight years before anybody knew I had been a victim of domestic violence,” Gloria says.

She didn’t decide to share her story until the early 1990s when she spoke at the Boston Career Conference.

“I had heard so many women talk about domestic abuse that I finally decided to share,” Gloria says. “And by that time, I enjoyed a successful and solid Mary Kay business.”

Now Gloria is a powerful speaker against domestic violence. She recently spoke at two Congressional briefings on Capitol Hill sponsored by Mary Kay Inc. and the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

“I tell them to look at me. I’m a very smart, professional, family-oriented person who has gone through this,” Gloria says. “I know firsthand that women have a difficult time dealing with this, and people need to know it exists.”

	Mary Kay Independent Elite Executive National Sales Director Gloria Mayfield Banks testifies before the staff of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee at the 2nd Annual “Investing In Women’s Lives” event, presented in partnership by Mary Kay Inc. and the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

Gloria believes these briefings make a huge difference.

“The Congressional representatives who pass through these bills are often young women, and a lot of organizations are up for the money,” Gloria says. “When I speak, I’m not only speaking for me but for the thousands of women in my area – many of whom face domestic violence too.”

Gloria speaks loudly against domestic violence, but at the same time, she encourages her children to have a relationship with their father.

“He was awful to me, but he has done a good job with the kids,” Gloria says.  “My children love their father, and he’s a successful man. He just wasn’t a good husband.”

In 1996, Gloria married Ken Banks, President of Banks Contracting, whom she describes as a very “affectionate and powerful” man. They share four children: Kenan, 27; R’Kenia, 25; Juliana, 22; and Chauncey, 21.

Recently, Gloria appeared on MSNBC’s The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. Gloria has also been a guest on ABC’s Good Morning America and featured in national magazines including Working Woman, New Woman, Glamour, Black Enterprise and Fortune.