Coaching has changed my life. If it hadn’t changed my life, I wouldn’t have given everything up to do the same for you.
Sometimes we need someone to push us, to challenge us and to empower us. And coaching does just that. Coaching is a commitment. It’s a commitment to yourself and your personal development.
In 2018 Kimberly Nina Hill resigned from her job in Financial Markets. After 10 years of living abroad in Australia, Singapore, and various other countries, she realised it was time to make a radical change and live a life of service.
Today Kimberly Nina Hill is in a position to fully explore her passion for coaching and to help other individuals succeed. Hill works across a variety of areas in life that require confidence and a positive mindset and we got the opportunity to interview her where she shares some of her advice with us.
In your own words, what do you do?
I help ambitious women overcome their self-doubt and insecurities so they can go on to live confident personal and professional lives.
You see, we are all plagued by our own inner voice that tells us we are not good enough, or to simply give up. I help women to identify what those self-limiting beliefs are and then teach them to reframe them. All the while, we are boosting confidence.
How did the idea of Self-Confidence Coaching come into your mind?
Through one of my own coaching sessions. When I was enrolled in schooling for coaching, I raised my hand to do a class demonstration where our instructor did a coaching session on me. I remember crying in front of the whole class when I came to the realisation that I wanted this to be my career focus. She really got to my core and made me understand some of my deepest values. It was incredible the clarity and determination I got after one session. This is why I continue to be coached and challenged. It’s the best investment I’ve ever made on myself.
Given your experience, what would you say makes a great self-confidence coach? And how would they differ from an average one? If you had to pin it down to just one skill, what skill is most essential to being a successful coach?
I come from my own experience of insecurity and self-doubt around multiple areas of my life. It worked against me for years in my relationship with food, with my friendships and with my intimate relations.
I decided to focus on confidence coaching because I too, can understand how it feels to battle with yourself in many areas of life. I am committed to helping other women overcome this because I know how good it feels to come out the other side stronger.
What sets me apart from others is my unique combination of compassion yet firmness to see results. I will listen non-judgmentally, show you compassion, yet challenge you so that you can firmly move past what’s holding you back.
What’s your guiding philosophy as an entrepreneur?
Your life is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. The inner work you do on yourself will be reflected in your personal and professional life. The more you work on yourself and the more you invest in yourself, the better, stronger, more confident you’ll become.
What are your current areas of focus?
From a coaching perspective, I focus on helping women overcome self-limiting beliefs. Those are the assumptions or perceptions that women have about themselves and about the way the world works.
An example could be “I’ll never be as successful as X,” or “I’ll never have the perfect body,” or “I’ll never have a successful relationship.”
None of those statements do you any good. I focus on helping women reframe these thoughts. Then, we work together to put a plan in place to sustain that long-term.
Share us some tips on how to become more a happier and healthier person.
Do something you love every day. Whether that be writing in a journal, cooking yourself a nice meal, meditating or taking a bath, each day should have something in it that you love.
I also believe that helping others is instrumental in leading a happy life. It’s proven that helping others triggers the reward center of the brain. Plus, it reminds us of how fortunate we are to have what we have.
Share us some tips from your past work experience that has helped you where you are right now.
I spent close to 8 years working in Financial Markets overseas. It is a male-dominated industry and I had my fair share of “unique” experiences. Having no other female mentors in the industry, I had to dig deep and find my own resolve to succeed where others had not. This made me stronger, more resilient and more confident to stand up for myself and my own beliefs. In many ways, I am grateful for my experiences. They have shaped me into the woman I am today.
If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career what would it be?
I would tell myself that the path I am on is meant to be. That no change comes without hard work, inspired action and a whole bunch of patience. It’s the same reminder I tell myself now and one that helps me find balance and gratitude.
How do you think modern women can be more fulfilled in their lives?
By questioning their self-limiting beliefs and treating themselves with more loving-kindness! We are often our own worst enemies.
What is a skill you think all women should learn and why?
It is my belief that all women should learn how to celebrate themselves. Often times, we achieve amazing feats in life and let them go unnoticed or slide them under the carpet because we think it’s the norm. Or we don’t want to be seen as egotistical or pushy. I believe women need to appreciate themselves and celebrate their wins! Go ahead, pat yourself on the back!
![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)
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