At 25, Caitlin Kiene’s entrepreneurial journey took off with a global design competition win, opening the door to a dynamic business career. By 27, she had earned equity in her first company and further expanded her expertise by traveling to China to source products from the renowned Canton Fair. At 28, she made the courageous decision to step away from that opportunity to start a family. Four years after her separation, Caitlin co-founded a thriving women-led marketing agency that grew rapidly within its first 12 months. She is now launching her newest venture, Monvo Studio, while writing her book, “Choose Your Hard: From Single Mum to Agency Owner.” In this book, Caitlin shares her lessons on resilience, entrepreneurship, and balancing motherhood with business success.
Background
Growing up in a small town of just 2,000 people, I was instilled with values of freedom, honesty, and determination. Those early lessons laid the foundation for my ambition and drive. I always knew that authenticity and hard work would guide me through life’s challenges. As I navigated my career, these values shaped not only my professional journey but also my personal growth.
The Turning Point:
The real turning point in my journey came after my marriage ended. With just $2,000 to my name and a one-year-old to care for, I was forced into a situation where I had to rebuild my life from the ground up. It was an incredibly difficult and humbling experience, but it also ignited a drive in me that would become the foundation for my future success. That moment of challenge and uncertainty pushed me to redefine what was possible, both for myself and my family.
The Journey:
At 32, after my separation, I faced the daunting task of starting over, with limited resources and a young child. My first move was returning to work at a medi-aesthetic clinic, where I quickly applied retention strategies that transformed the business from two locations to five within six months. It was during this time that I fully understood the value of long-term client relationships and the power of sustainable growth—a philosophy that would guide me throughout my career.
In the years that followed, I navigated several transitions, including exiting two businesses and selling one that I had built from the ground up. Each of these experiences honed my business acumen, strengthened my resilience, and taught me the importance of adaptability. I also learned the value of creating systems that work even when you’re not present—a skill that has been instrumental in balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship.
These experiences prepared me for my next chapter—co-founding a rapidly growing marketing agency with a strong client base, where I was able to apply everything I had learned about strategy, systems, and client retention. As I now transition from that agency to my latest venture, Monvo Studio, I can look back and see how each challenge shaped me into a more adaptable and determined leader. Every setback became a stepping stone for personal and professional growth, reinforcing my belief in the power of perseverance and strategic thinking. Most importantly, these lessons have shown me that success is not just about growth—it’s about building something that aligns with your values and supports the life you want to live.
Achievements:
One of the most significant milestones in my journey was scaling multiple businesses to six-figure revenues. At the medi-aesthetic clinic, the retention strategies I implemented led to rapid growth, expanding the business from two to five locations in just six months and generating six figures in recurring monthly revenue. I also helped an eCommerce brand grow its revenue from $14k to $120k in just two months using similar long-term growth strategies.
In addition to these accomplishments, I co-founded a marketing agency that achieved intense growth in its first 12 months. Building this business while balancing the demands of being a single mum was no small feat. Juggling client calls, late-night work sessions, and parenting a young child required resilience, strategic planning, and an unwavering commitment to both my business and family.
Additionally, I co-founded Emoti World, an air freshener brand now stocked in petrol stations across Australia. This brand, which raises awareness for mental health, was brought to life through determination and collaboration with my business partner at the time, Steve Braude. Together, we proved that combining business with purpose can have a profound impact.
These experiences allowed me to redefine success—not just in financial terms but in alignment with my values. I’ve learned that real success comes from building a business that reflects who you are, delivers value, and makes a positive difference.
Lessons Learned:
Throughout my journey, resilience and adaptability have been my greatest assets. I’ve come to understand that setbacks and tough decisions are inevitable, but it’s how we respond to those moments that defines our future. Success is not just about hitting revenue targets or scaling quickly—it’s about creating something sustainable that aligns with your core values and delivers genuine impact.
A key lesson I’ve learned is the importance of customer retention. Building long-term relationships and systems that prioritize client experience is what has driven growth in every business I’ve been a part of. Growth comes from consistently delivering value and staying committed to quality over quick wins.
Advice for Others:
My advice to anyone facing similar challenges is simple: stay focused on what matters most. Whether in business or personal life, your core values will guide you through tough times. Don’t be afraid to pivot when necessary, and always prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term success.
In my upcoming book, Choose Your Hard, I explore these lessons in depth, sharing the challenges and triumphs of balancing entrepreneurship with the realities of life. It’s not about avoiding challenges but about choosing the ones worth taking on—and staying resilient through them. I hope this book will inspire others to embrace their own challenges and build businesses that are both successful and meaningful.
Purpose-Driven Business: Giving Back
At Monvo Studio, I believe in using business as a force for good. That’s why we donate 1% of profits to World Vision, a cause that’s close to my heart. For me, success isn’t just about financial growth; it’s about making a lasting impact and contributing to a better world.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, my journey has shown me that success is about much more than financial milestones. It’s about building a business that aligns with your values, creates a lasting impact, and allows you to grow both personally and professionally. Resilience, adaptability, and a focus on long-term relationships are the keys to sustainable growth, and those are the lessons I hope to impart through my experiences.
As I look back on the challenges I’ve faced and the milestones I’ve reached, I realize that every setback has led to a new opportunity, and every tough decision has shaped me into the entrepreneur I am today. The road to success isn’t easy, but it’s worth it when you stay committed to your vision and purpose.
If there’s one message I want others to take from my story, it’s this: you have the power to choose your hard. The challenges will always be there, but it’s how you approach them that determines your path forward. Stay true to yourself, keep pushing forward, and know that every step brings you closer to building the life and business you envision.
![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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