A juggled wife, mother, stepmom, blended family dynamics from time to time a stay at home mom to a working woman. April Hoffman grew up in a small town Oak Grove Mo where she experienced the “empty nest” about 3 years ago that catapulted her self-growth and the powerhouse of Wild Souls.
“Healing wildlife and the human spirit“ is driven from Hoffman being a Native American and Implementing her heritage Cherokee Indian. Along with smiles she experience when a child shows up at the door knowing she will help the animal that they were convicted to help.
I was inspired to start a non-profit organization when I personally found two baby squirrels.
It disturbed Hoffman that by the lack of resources that are in place for this scenario. The options are either help and possibly face a 10k fine for illegally handling wildlife without a permit, let it die or drive hours to find a wildlife rehab facility.
And that day “This has to change and I’m going to do it” went through my mind.
Wild Souls
What’s unique about Wild Souls is it’s 1 of 4 wildlife nonprofit rehabilitation centers in the entire state of Missouri. Wild Souls is also the only nonprofit that does constant rescues in the area while educating the public on wildlife conflict. Wild Souls receive NO government funding they are an ALL female board with diverse backgrounds. From VP of a bank, vet tech, accountant, horse trainer, Foster mother, customer service.
Wild Souls rescues all native species and rehabilitate the injured with the goal to release them back in their natural habitat. the organization is in the process of aligning with a local college for programs for students wanting careers in animal welfare, veterinary, wildlife rehab.
Legal issues
Legal issues when creating the organization.. Yes, there are so many. We have to abide by state & federal laws that govern wildlife. Qualify and maintain permits through the dept of conservation. On top of carrying a million dollar insurance policy for our volunteers, quarterly reports to the IRS and abiding by their regulations.
Wild Souls does more than rescue. They rehabilitate and release while making a positive experience or impact on the public. They also, help charities to give back.
Sacrifices
Sacrifices- In the beginning I underestimated the amount of sacrifice it takes to become a successful business women.
Being everywhere at once has been a constant battle Hoffman tells. She will admit it’s taking a toll on relationships, finances. But overall the sacrifices have been for something greater. Hoffman’s sacrifices have turned into priorities. That friend’s event, declining that invitation, not buying that purse, or skipping a vacation reflecting on those lonely moments of sacrificing personal social events .
I felt left out was really me prioritizing wild souls so it can be where it is today. As CEO and the founder everything falls on my shoulders. So the sacrifices ..the victories make up for them. In my experience any time I was was getting to feel beat from those sacrifices there has been a breakthrough of victory. So you must keep going!
Entrepreneurial advice
Popular entrepreneur advice Hoffman sees is the “hustle” mindset. She hustled hard the first 8 months with sleepless nights.
Destiny or control your own faith
I believe everything happens for a reason.
It’s either a blessing or a lesson. It’s to be aware and recognize it. As well as distractions. If it’s in your heart that it’s what you should do, then do it 100% I can control myself and my fate My destiny is the journey and the person I/we become along the way. The people that
are suppose to be on your journey to support you rise up and cheer youon while the wrong ones don’t. I’ve learned you can’t control people in supporting you so I leave that to fate.
Proudest achievement
Hoffman’s had as many struggles as proud moments. But the one that always brings a tear to her eyes is when The Department of Conservation agent came to do the Wild Souls inspection. Hoffman had done everything in her control for a year flying out of state to symposiums, volunteering while doing an apprenticeship, building state approved enclosures, rehabbing animals at her home under someone else’s permit while working her full-time job at the time. The agent showed up inspected the facility and approved Wild Souls as its own entity.
I dropped to my knees and cried. All the sacrifices finally came to an end and a new chapter began for Wild Souls. We have rescued, rehabilitated 146 native animals in the last 3 months. And hundreds of smiles along the way. Anywhere from an owl to a bobcat.
Failures
Entrepreneurs are all their own worst critic. They fail miserably at times. They can be so passionate talking and won’t listen enough. Entrepreneurs try to come from a place of understanding that their pace is not everyone else’s pace.
I fail at self care, taking that day off to just shut my mind down and be present. I’m working on that. It’s so very important. Being a CEO it’s a constant up and down. The balancing is key to it all.
![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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