Meet Patricia Gloria Contreras who has not finished adding lines to her resume. Patricia is a professional model, actress, blogger, creative brand strategist and digital entrepreneur. Graduated in marketing and international affairs, she also took photography and painting classes at the Ecole du Louvre in Paris to get to the other side of the camera. The young woman made herself known on Italian television where she made numerous appearances in series and films (Skertzi left, Commissario Rex, Non e stato mio figlio, The Lady). She also participated in the Italian virtual reality TV show Isola dei famosi. With her angelic face, Patricia Gloria Contreras has also posed for leading magazines such as GQ Italy and Buzzland.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from, what do you do for a living, and how did you get started in the branding business?
Before all, I want to thank Women On Topp for giving me the opportunity to share my story. I was born and raised in Mexico, I started to travel when I was very young, due to that I was able to develop an open mindset and become the woman I am right now. I currently work as a digital entrepreneur, designer and actress and also started in the branding business focusing on photography, fashion magazines and art exhibitions.
It started when I realized that the importance of having a good brand and image has its way to inspire people. I was invited to every and each fashion week in Milan, Paris, London and New York and when you go to these events you have to have a strong image and personality if you want to be noticed especially in the beginning when you want to build up a career, my priority was to be remarkable more than following the codes.
What obstacles do influencers, businesses and just anyone working with social media marketing face today? What would be your advice to help overcome it?
There are obstacles in every sector nowadays, I think it’s very important for everyone to study the things they want to bring to the table that doesn’t exist yet. For example, what is their plus and for how long they can maintain that plus.
My advice is to always study your competitors, the markets they approach, the product or service they offer, the way they sell it. They have to be innovative, it takes time to develop a digital marketing strategy that will make them be competitive. You cannot prevent everything but you can reduce your error margin in order to save time, capital and market presence.
Many entrepreneurs often see branding as an afterthought they can tack to the end of a venture, a final shot at securing a sale. Talk about how founders and brand managers can develop brand stories that express their vision and ambition.
Classic marketing and digital marketing have been changing over the years with the internet, social media, smartphones and now applications like Instagram, TikTok, vestiares collectives among others are the big game-changers.
As I said before, a strong identity is everything when you are new in the market. A strong identity is a way your customers and potential customers will find you. It is very important to define them before you expose yourself.
Brand managers and founders need to specify their community, their preferences, where these people go, what they do, how they think, what they talk about, their lifestyle, how they dress, In my opinion, it is crucial to send messages with emotions, I think that love, sex, power and sense of belonging is what moves the world and through these emotions, you create stories to sell products to cover needs.
A business cannot go anywhere without branding. What are your top 3 tips for developing a robust brand strategy?
My top 3 to develop a robust brand strategy is
Develop Brand Identity
- logo,
- colors and fonts,
- website design,
- content,
- advertising,
- print or packaging,
- and more.
Target your client
- income
- social class
- lifestyle – mindset
Target your marketing strategy
- digital media
- classic, TV, magazines press
- celebrities,
What are the top 3 biggest pitfalls when brands develop a brand strategy?
In my opinion, the 3 big pitfalls that brands often go through are:
1. They don’t study their product and their market well enough.
2. They don’t set a clear plan with dates and goals.
3. They don’t have realistic expectations of the results. They are sometimes too optimistic, they can be optimistic, but they should be open-minded to any obstacle that can take place. If you are too optimistic you will not be prepared for situations that go out of your control.
Particularly given the rise of innovation as an overall concern in the life of brands, what sort of creative aptitude/attitude/skills should any and every position in branding be expected to bring and/or cultivate?
The sort of creative aptitude, attitude, skills that any brand should sort out is having a deep knowledge of their customers, the product or service, their competitors. The main key is to differentiate from your competitors in order to succeed, constant improvement and adaptability to change. Invent new needs and be aware of cultural modifications. These tips can help you to keep your branding strategy on top.
![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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