The First Avon Lady was Actually a Gentleman Named David

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A bald man in glasses and a checkered suit stands in front of a floral background with text reading, "Dude Looks Like The Avon Lady.

Looking for your next keynote speaker or workshop presentation?

Do you know the story of a boy from upstate New York named David McConnell?

In 1874, at the age of 16, David started to sell books door-to-door. When his fare was not well received,
McConnell resorted to offering a “little extra.” David would promise a free gift in exchange for being allowed to make a sales pitch.

The “little something extra” was a complimentary vial of perfume. It was a signature extra as David concocted his original scent with the aid of a local pharmacist.

McConnell quickly learned his customers adored his perfume yet remained indifferent to his books. Soon he would concentrate solely on cosmetics, starting a company called the California Perfume Company. In 1886, it would become Avon Cosmetics.

Who knew the first Avon Lady was actually a boy? Despite competition from hundreds of American and foreign brand-name cosmetics today, Avon remains a leader with Avon Ladies ringing doorbells coast to coast.

The Story of the First Avon Lady

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