Meet Samantha Grover who owns two businesses, a Hair Salon since she was 27, and an education business, where Samantha teaches like-minded artists like herself all about color placement, blend, and theory.
”All my life I never liked to use two words “lucky” or “blessed” when it comes to my achievements. Absolutely nothing was handed to me in my personal or professional life and I state that with immense pride. I’m now 30 and get told often how I’m an inspiration/positive role model for many other women, those comments give me so much drive to keep grinding and helping others.”
A business is much more than numbers, the care and connection that Samantha’s business gives are genuine and those around her business feel that.
”I always encourage my “students” to stay in contact with me after they attend a class, it’s gratifying to see how my lessons have made such an impact on their work! I could go on forever because my passion is undeniable!”
Tell us in your own words what you do.
I am a Hair Salon Owner/Stylist/Colorist/Extension tech (with two partners) But I also have my own business for Hair Education. In the salon I’m behind the chair working alongside my Tribe, I am their hype girl, their mentor, and their support in and out of the salon. I can’t stress enough how blessed I am to have built a team (or what we call each other, our Tribe) as we have. When it comes to my education business, that is solely my own. I offer classes to the public teaching my specific techniques of balayage hair. I share my placements, blending techniques, color formulations, consultation tips, how to build clientele, and a bunch of other small details throughout the class day.
What is a personal strength that has been useful in your career? How can new graduates develop their own strengths to further their careers?
Like many, I do not like to fail. That however does not prevent me from taking a leap into something new. Sure you can learn from others’ mistakes… but I believe the most improvement comes from making your own mistakes. it’s more than just facts, it’s a feeling. The first time I failed in my education business I was so down on myself, but I knew the lower I felt the more I had to learn from it, and the better I was going to be next time. And guess what, that’s exactly what happened. The next class I hosted was one of my best and it wouldn’t have been that good UNLESS I had failed before. These improvements carry on with me forever now.
What are you most proud of as an entrepreneur? What motivated you to start your company?
This is an easy question to answer. For me, it’s fulfillment. Seeing my Tribe and Students blossom into their creative selves with my guidance is such an incredibly rewarding experience. To know that I will forever hold a positive impact on the careers of fellow artists means the world to me.
What is your next big goal? How do you think you can achieve this one?
For the salon (Off 7th Salon ), my next big goal is to move/expand. I often imagine the day of our 2,000sqf salon doubling in size with amenities more catered to our new and current needs. To achieve this I plan on keeping the dream alive and staying focused on team building and financial goals.
For my education business (HandCrafted Hair LLC) I would love to travel. Starting small, teaching classes in other salons local to me. Then eventually I’d like to build a team who can support me in traveling around the USA to teach my techniques! Right now I’m a bit unsure as to what my next step is to get there. But that’s okay. One very important thing I’ve learned as an Owner is that you don’t have to know everything at any given moment. it’s okay to ask for help and learn slowly.
What is a skill you think all women should learn and why?
Bless us for being emotional creatures. We truly are even more powerful when our heart is in something. Ever seen that video of a mother lifting a CAR off her child who was stuck underneath? yeah…. we’re pretty astonishing. However, I believe these emotions can also get us into complicated places. We need to learn when to turn it off, think with less emotion, and look at the facts for what they are. It is hard and unnatural to talk/act as if we don’t “care” about some things our people bring to us, finding the balance between what’s best for the individual and what’s best for the business can get sticky if there are too many personal emotions involved. Even writing this out doesn’t sit well with me, but I do believe it’s best.
What sacrifices have you had to make during life? How do you balance work-life?
My goal has always been to be where I am now, therefore the sacrifices came long before. As a young adult, my friends wanted to go out partying, so I always offered to drive everyone home because I needed my head straight for work in the morning. Now as a wife and mother there are times when my attention is split when I really don’t want it to be. I don’t believe there will ever be such a thing as true Work-Life balance. Instead, I see it more as harmony. Some weeks/days will be more focused on business and others on the family. I suggest feeling out the importance of each arising situation when both lives need your attention and prioritizing accordingly. It is rarely ever an easy choice to make, especially when business is chosen over family outside of “normal” working hours. I always go back to the airplane example….. As a mother/wives, we need our oxygen masks first in order to help our loved ones right?
To what do you attribute your success?
Staying true and honest with myself. Learning to think as clearly as possible, being patient, recognizing my flaws, recognizing my strengths, not being afraid to fail or ask for help, and always ALWAYS putting passion into everything I do.
Share some tips on how to become a happier and healthier person.
Find out what you need in order to truly relax, and how many hours a day you need to sleep. Me, I know I require at least 1 hour of alone time and at least 7 hours of sleep every single day. This is such an individualized question and sometimes not easy for most to figure out. In all, though I would say chase that good feeling. Something that naturally sparks endorphins and increases dopamine!
If you could sum up your career in three words, what would it be?
Passionate, Rewarding, Creative
![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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