The cosmetology world started for me in 2008 and my choices over time led me to a very great place. I will never forget how I got here and the people and companies that helped shape and guide me. Networking is key and creating a great inner and outer team (creative and business teams). And don’t we always become stronger when we can say we worked for some unprofessional, dishonest employers? But the reward is what we have gained from the experiences. You learn how you do not want to be therefore making more space to envision how you DO want to be!
Always realize that every job, gig, the experience will always get you to the next level as long as you know when to make the change or accept a new challenge!
If and when you start to feel 100% comfortable, that’s your queue to make a change and challenge yourself. This leads me into my “I’m ready” moment. It was after walking out of a toxic salon, a salon that ironically gave me confidence in my professional self. How do you ask? I realized that I was valuable as a hairstylist because surrounding me were toxic, unhappy employers who I could not continue making successful! What about me? I can be successful, especially if I’m authentic. I had the idea in my pocket for years but it’s until you officially accept failure and that maybe you are entirely responsible for your own happiness and success, you will start making decisions for your true self!
Creativity is what keeps this place full of energy
2017 is when my very own salon was born! I opened in a small town in Jersey. My hometown and very progressive community and downtown! What is my favorite part of my job? I love that I was able to create an environment that speaks a language to anyone who walks into it. It is welcoming, eclectic and full of talent and passion! Walking into this daily has made me a better person, no doubt. I also love that creativity is what keeps this place full of energy and genuine business.
Tips on maintaining healthy hair
I am a firm believer in hair care products. We carry a line called Davines in the salon. I embrace this company and am proud to offer such an eco-friendly, quality haircare and styling product line, made in Parma, Italy. I think if people are investing hundreds of dollars in their hair it should be maintained with quality products that are also affordable. I think choosing a brand to carry in your business is so important. I guarantee our product results or our clients can return it! That’s how important it is to me!
Leadership style
My leadership style is custom, to say the least. I never understood why business owners had to be so arrogant, loud, rude and uncomfortable to be around. I think leadership is someone who is inspiring, relatable and understanding. I think of it as who do I wish was my boss? I have that in my mind at all times and I try to play the role I was looking for during my journey. I work on this role everyday, it’s not easy most of the time but I believe in inspiring and leading others to do their best.
Motivation
How do I stay motivated? First and foremost, I have been able to keep motivated because I was able to create a team of people who motivate me and therefore the vision of the company. Having a son who watches me daily keeps me motivated. But, self-motivation was the start of this entire dream becoming a reality. I learned from reading about it and being around self-motivated people. I wasn’t born with most of it. When you accept that without motivation you may not keep whatever you have gained, very long. Continued motivation will move mountains!
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
Facebook, Instagram, and online booking have been our three top tools In making the salon a success. Engaging in your local facebook groups is huge. Staying consistent with the brand logo/image is major too. Promotions and ads via these platforms are the top communication tools we use daily. Most of the time this is all just free marketing. Most of the apps to make ads for your business are so easy to use! Ex: Imovie, Picsart a Ripl to name a few! Marketing is a must in order to get your business name out there, if you are not doing this, look into hiring someone to help you!
One piece of advice
If I had one piece of advice to someone who is just starting out, it’d be, do not give up on your passion or dream. It’s easy to take It for granted or ignore it! We all have some sort of gift, talent, strong skill. Take that and make it yours, be true to yourself and learn to accept failures, successes, good and bad. As long as you are learning in the process, you will only grow and head toward success.
Do I believe in destiny or fate? I wholeheartedly believe in destiny. Our choices and ideas subconscious and conscious shape our entire life. I believe anyone can change their destiny at any given moment just by their thoughts. I believe no matter where you come from you have the absolute power to go and create the life you want.
All success comes with some sacrifice! Being a full-time business owner requires a bit more sleep and a bit more early nights in! Investing in your business can sometimes delay you from investing in a home and leaving you to rent! But like anything else, it becomes part of your journey and you learn to balance and say, at least I’ll have my dream house because I followed my dreams!
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
Join the discussion!