Lissarette Nisnevich was born and raised in the Dominican Republic with fully bilingual education, she started her career as an assistant teacher at the age of 15. Over the years, she was blessed with opportunities to travel the world teaching ESL, designing curriculums, and doing volunteer work in local communities. These opportunities not only enriched her understanding of the world, but also widened her horizons as an educator.
With over a decade of experience in 30+ different countries, and a Masters in Early Childhood, Lissarette Nisnevich chose to open a Daycare center and a Preschool of her own right after settling down in New York to start a family. As a Director, she has tested her ability to plan, design and implement curriculums in different regions of the world. Lissarette Nisnevich passionately loves her work and wishes to utilize her skills to educate her son, and help others in her community.
‘’If children are our future, I wish to offer them the opportunities that I was denied when I was growing up. My vision is to educate our youth by offering high-quality education to everyone in my community, regardless of their race, religion, ethnic background, or their family’s financial status. I wish to share my international experience with my students, by showcasing all the best aspects from each culture I acquired during my travels.”’’
Why did you choose education?
I often thought about this question, and to be completely honest I’m not exactly sure what made me make this choice. As the old saying goes, I didn’t choose this life, it chose me. When I was 15 and just finished my english program in the Dominican Republic, my teacher at that time was promoted to a Director role. He recommended me for a position that recently opened up and that marked the beginning of my journey. In the beginning, it started as another job where I could make a living, but as more time went on, it started to evolve into a passion. I truly love working with children and had the privilege to travel the world and teach in different countries.
How does your social media help parents improve the life of their children?
As a content creator, my goal is to reach as many different groups as possible, including other families and educators. As a parent myself, I understand some of the challenges that families face with having to raise their children. My hope is that the information that I share can help alleviate some of those challenges. The information that I typically share links families to resources that otherwise may not be easy to come by. I also offer my recommendations when families are faced between choosing a nanny or a daycare setting for their little ones. I explain general concepts about child development in hopes that better informed parents can help their children thrive. I share such information through my YouTube channel, social media posts and also try to collaborate with other experts in the field.
What are the 2 tips you give to every parent on improving their child’s education?
Invest in the early years. That’s always my first tip. Many people start college funds when a child is born without understanding that 95% of a child’s brain development happens within their first 5 years. It is imperative that children are exposed to as many educational experiences as possible during those early years so they are able to develop a more comprehensive educational platform that will continue to serve them for the rest of their lives.
My second tip is to be in the moment with your children. Your child is constantly learning from you! Be consciously present when spending time with your child. You are their role model. They feed from your energy so be aware of what you are putting out there when you are with them. Their emotional health as adults truly depends on it.
What is most challenging about what you do?
When it comes to running a Center, I believe that finding the balance between happy children, happy staff and happy families is essential. It’s like baking a cake. I am constantly trying to find healthy ways to keep everyone in a place where they feel appreciated, validated and part of something bigger. My goal is to show everyone under my care that we are not simply a business, I want them all to feel that we’re a family instead.
What is most rewarding?
Sometimes I walk into a classroom to check in with a teacher and a student runs towards me for a hug. Other times I get students coming to my office door (open door policy here) and asking me how my day is going. There is no greater feeling in the world than smiles from my students and affection. Children are the most sincere people you will ever come across. When they spontaneously share their love, they mean it, and every time it happens makes me feel like I’m doing my job right.
What is a common misconception people have about what you do?
There are so many! But I believe early childhood educators don’t get the recognition they deserve. I was called a “babysitter” in the past and some people questioned my rates for “what I do”. We are literally setting the foundation of a human being for the rest of their lives. Research backs this fact. This is a labor of love as many of us are underpaid and overworked. When you are an ECE you are in it because you truly love what you do and the children. I feel it’s time to shed light on the fact that we are one of the most important people that will ever be part of a child’s educational journey.
What are your goals/dreams for the future?
I miss my days of traveling the world. I dream of the day I can help children all over the world. I would love to expand my centers to other countries so I am able to provide experienced and trained professionals to more families. For those that are unable to receive my services, I would like to reach them through my books and give lectures for free so parents have another platform to receive the support they need.
What else would you like people to know about your job/career?
I just published a bilingual children’s book titled “Eldie makes new friends! / Eldie hace nuevos amigos!” It’s a story about diversity and acceptance based on my biracial family and our lovely son. Highly encourage anyone with little ones wanting to have meaningful conversations about acceptance to get this book for their home or classroom!
Where do you get your inspiration from daily?
I’m a big believer that you have to be your own cheerleader. I push myself and pat myself on the back every single day. Other times I look at my son and how happy he is. His smile and the smile of all of our students helps me stay on track. After all, the future we dream about is going to be built by them.
Any advice for entrepreneurs on moving beyond a failure?
Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself. Do not be afraid to try new things. Failing means you are trying. I learned a great deal from my failures, which shaped my life into its current state today. It’s important for yourself to know your limits, which you can only test by taking risks and trying out new things. Worst thing that you can do is live with regret.
Share us some tips for women who are in doubt of leaving their secure job and starting their own business.
I was miserable working for the place I was working for before I started my own business. Nevertheless, to leave my secure position right after giving birth to a baby and take this risk was probably one of the scariest things I have done. I took a risk and I won. While you are sitting on that desk thinking of how much more you could be doing, keep those notes. Don’t just storm out of your job, but try to have a plan. Taking a risk doesn’t mean always having to improvise, you need to have a detailed plan of where you want to go and how you want to get there. You deserve to live your best life and to be happy. You came to this world to be happy, don’t lose that opportunity.
Learn more about Lissarette: https://www.lissarette.com
![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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