Meet Sydney Nanberg a relentless 25-year-old entrepreneur, podcaster, blogger and CEO of a 6 figure marketing agency. At the age of 20, Nanberg dropped out of college at the University of Arizona. Getting her degree was just not her path or destiny.
After years of bullying, emotional abuse, severe anxiety, an eating disorder,
Sydney Nanberg started a marketing agency, The Marketing Firm, LLC.
Was everyone supportive of your idea and dropping school?
Not at all. My family was supportive, but my friends were extremely critical. They questioned my ability to become successful without a degree and tried to talk me out of leaving. If I had listened to them, I wouldn’t be where I am today! I had a friend tell me that she would never use my services because I didn’t finish college. Here I am today with clients that pay thousands/month to work with me.
Starting a business is one thing, but how did you make it grow with no experience at all?
I am 100% self taught. Everyday, I dedicate at least 2-3 hours to educate myself. I believe that education comes in many forms. Trial and error, watching what other people are doing and reading. I took the time to learn everything that I could about marketing to create a strategic method that generates business. Understanding that education was a priority, that my industry is constantly evolving and to have patience through analyzing results was key to my success.
What challenges did you face early on?
Rejection. In business, we need to understand that not everyone is our client or customer. Not everyone was interested in marketing and I had to learn not to take it personally. Allowing myself to take rejection personally just limited my growth and I had big goals in mind! I had to be persistent and persevere through the “no’s” in order to get to the “yes’s.” My persistence without the fear of rejection ended up leading to greater connections, more clients and a stronger business.
Did you have any particular fears about starting a business and if so how did you get over them?
No! This is something that I think a lot of business owners or soon to be business owners struggle with. When you start a business, you are opening yourself up to uncomfortable situations or mistakes. Often, people fear failure and see these uncomfortable situations or mistakes as failure. I have never lived my life with fear of failure because failure is when you learn the most! When I fail, I prefer to celebrate my failures because I just learned something that can help me to improve my business. While it can be scary going into business, it’s scarier to NOT pursue your passions. Having that mindset has helped me to push my limits.
Do you ever procrastinate and how do you deal with it?
Procrastination happens when we become overwhelmed or worn out. As a business owner, my job is to ALSO put out fires and I’m on the go 24/7. That can be exhausting. There were times when I would procrastinate until I learned how to batch my schedule and put routines in place. Self care is a huge part of my life and I believe that when we take care of ourselves, we can best take care of others. I talk about my morning routine and nighttime routine in my podcast, SHE DID IT and website, sydneynanberg.com because my routines allow me to take a step back and think clearly. When I think clearly, I gain that stability to be able to adjust my schedule, prioritize my to do list and become more efficient. My best tip for procrastination is to stop fighting it, allow yourself a break and focus on 1-3 tasks that are a priority for the day.
You started an anti-bullying campaign, please tell us where this is coming from and how do you think your campaign can prevent bullying? How does it work?
I started an anti-bullying campaign about a year ago to help prevent suicides. Growing up, I was traumatized by bullying. I was called fat, ugly, disgusting, weird and constantly put down. I suffered from severe anxiety, depression and an eating disorder. There was a point where I didn’t feel like I deserved to live. However, I knew that I was meant to do something impactful.
My anti-bullying campaign is not your typical campaign. It is a resource! I am coming at it from a different angle. I have developed the resource that I wish I had when I was struggling. It has turned into an entire community for self care, motivation and mindset tips/ tools that is helping people of all ages.
Bullying comes in many forms. We may be bullied as children, adults can be bullied at work and sometimes we bully ourselves. My goal is to get to the root of the issue. The issue as to why people are unhappy. Because when you are unhappy, you are more likely to put someone else down. By sharing the lessons that I’ve learned through my blog, the SHE DID IT podcast and community, I can inspire people to take better care of their mental health to live a fulfilling life. My blog and podcast not only provides tools and lessons that I share, but insight from other successful entrepreneurs and celebrities. This is your place to get inspired and learn to love yourself!
What do you have to keep in mind BEFORE before getting into entrepreneurship?
Before getting into entrepreneurship, you need to know that it’s a journey. It’s not always perfect like what you may see on social media. But, it’s extremely rewarding! It requires hard work, consistency, perseverance and dedication to your brand. Instant gratification doesn’t exist, so keeping the long term goal in mind and learning to be grateful for every aspect of the way including bumps in the road, will get you closer to achieving success.
What is your top piece of advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs?
Go for it! If you have an idea, create a plan of action. You don’t need to quit your day job immediately, but put together a strategy to turn your dream into a reality. The only one that can limit you is yourself, and if you put your mind to it, it’s possible! When I had the idea to start a business, I had a lot of outside voices doubting my abilities. I chose NOT to listen and push myself to do what makes me happy. Educate yourself and know that you are CAPABLE!
What steps do you take when you want to get through a less of a good business day?
We all have bad days in business, right? The best thing that you can do is understand that it’s a bad day. Don’t fight it. Acknowledge it and keep moving forward. The more you fight it, the longer it will last. When I have a bad business day, I journal and exercise. That gets out any bad feelings. I also allow myself to sit with those feelings. Sometimes things don’t go our way or as planned. That’s part of entrepreneurship! I truly believe that if they aren’t going your way, it’s for a reason and I like to keep that in mind.
What popular entrepreneurial advice do you agree/ disagree with? Why?
One of the biggest issues that I see today is on social media. When you get on to Instagram or Facebook, there is ad after ad promoting “How to make six figures in 30 days.” That is a huge misconception. While I do not believe in limiting yourself and know that anything is possible, these brands are advertising false hope. The truth is that entrepreneurship looks pretty on the outside, but requires a lot of hard work. It’s more
than just posting aesthetically pleasing pictures on Instagram and being consistent. You have to be willing to put in the time. You have to be willing to understand your audience and pay attention to what resonates. Nothing happens overnight. While entrepreneurship is extremely rewarding, we cannot have the mindset that with these courses we will make six figures in 30 days.
![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)
This made a tear come out ! Love it ! Keep up the good work and this made my day I am just beginning with the entrepreneur journey and sometimes I want to give up and go back to healthcare but I look at how far iv gotten and the progress im making and I think to myself am I going to go back to work to build someone elses dream or am I going to work for myself and my dreams but this article right here made me want to keep going 🙂