It’s a quiet day at work when you get a phone call from your boss, asking you to come up to her office for a quick chat.
Could it really be? You ask yourself… Are you really getting a promotion?
You’ve been waiting for this worked hard for this, smiled through thousands of days, and taken on extra work in an effort to prove your yourself. So when your managers utters those glorious words – “I’m promoting you to manager” – you think you might actually die of happiness!
Yup, this is one of those stories. When Jozi Curtis, first walked through the doors of Honey Bunny Wax, she had no experience, or even the shorthand skills to work as a receptionist. Curtis had no intention on staying with Honey Bunny Wax as she was looking to further her career in the Hair industry. As time went on Curtis developed a very close relationship with the owner of the company, and she sold Curtis on her vision for her beautiful, hard working salon she had started by herself. This led Curtis to pour her heart and soul into this company to a point where she moved from receptionist a salon manager.
We make our own fortune, despite our occasional reliance on timing and “luck.” But how can someone quickly move from a receptionist to a manager? Right now Curtis dedicates her time to developing leaders out of employees and showing the importance of building relationships with employees and making them feel valued and an asset to the company.
T ell us what inspired you to start working in the Waxing industry?
So
Alessandra convinced me to wax and told me “If you don’t like it you can always go back to doing hair”. As she trained me and let me in on the trade secrets she had learned from her home country of Brazil
back to the hair industry. It’s funny, I spent thousands of dollars learning how to enhance the hair people do have and now I specialize in removing it all!
How did you work yourself from being a receptionist to a Wax Specialist Manager?
I have always had a “do more” mentality. Going the extra mile and doing more than what is required of you is a vital key to success. We must always be willing to do make a special effort and bring forth our own unique talents and gifts to any and all work we do. That is is the fruit we will bring forward in all areas of our life. I
I was eager to be
People have problems of all types and when you can find a way to solve those problems, that is when success is created. I found a way to solve problems within my company and contributed to creating new strategies that would allow our department’s operations to run smoother and allow our salons to operate to the best of their ability and bring the most satisfaction to our clients. When you bring solutions to the table you are showing your managers your dedication and passion to your company’s success. Problems will always be there and problem solving people are powerful and are a commodity in the marketplace.
Knowing your company and having a 360 view of the business is essential in problem solving–I mean how will you even know what problems there are to be solved if you don’t understand the business? Research your company and know the fine details of what make the company run and have a clear view of the company’s vision and goals. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses(eh hem.. this is why personal development is so important) will allow you to gauge the areas where you are strong within the company, as well as the areas you should focus more on. So for instance, if you are weaker in the area of marketing, connect with the marketing department and be willing to ask questions and shadow them, always strive to know more, your eagerness to learn positions other than the one you are in will lead to management recognizing you.
I have always said “closed mouths don’t get fed and opportunities won’t just fall in your lap.” You have to show that you are ready to take on management tasks and be ready to step into a leadership role that will prove your commitment to getting things done. Ask your upper management if there are any projects that you can take on, and while they may start as small tasks, your willingness to grow and take on projects will result in bigger projects becoming available.
I gave my Receptionist position all of my effort and took a lot of pride in my work. From educating clients on the art of hair removal to scrubbing toilets, I did both with a great attitude and to the best of my ability. I have always strived to be the employee I would want to hire for my own company and keeping an honest work mentality and working for every dollar every hour i’m being paid is a belief I have and will always practice. It’s not how many hours you are working that matters, it’s the quality of work you are putting into those hours.
When I applied for a receptionist position you could not have convinced me I would become a Salon Manager, and eventually, an Investor in this company.
Hard work creates opportunities where your resume cannot. Success is created when you are committed to personal development, consistent in your craft, and
consistent in executing in those areas
Would you say Alessandra helped you to get inspired to grow?
Yes, working beside Alessandra has shaped me in a profound way. She is a very strong, intelligent, business woman and I have learned a lot of valuable lessons from her. Alessandra has been tough on me and she allowed me to make mistakes that made me uncomfortable at the time– but in hindsight I realized that in order for growth to happen, i had to go through those trials. She sold me on the vision for this company years ago and I have poured my heart and soul into contributing to its success. As a mentor and friend that I look up to, she has been here for me and has offered her wise counsel in all areas of my life, especially in the marketplace. The opportunity that she has given me to grow within this company has inspired me to work all around the clock to sharpen my skills as a leader and as a business owner. Having a mentor in your circle that you can go to for help and wise counsel is crucial to your success because they will give you knowledge that you cannot get from books and reassure you when you need it(and you will need it!) Seeking mentorship from someone who has accomplished what you are looking to accomplish is going to be very beneficial to you and your growth whether it be in the marketplace or in your personal life. There is truth to the saying “if you are the most successful person in the room you’re in the wrong room.”
How do you keep up with your work as a Mom Boss? How do you manage your workdays?
Balance! Balance! Balance! I wish I could give a perfect outline of what you should do to be the perfect Mom Boss and how to balance the two but that just isn’t reality! Everyday faces new challenges and obstacles and that perfect timeline will quickly prove to be unrealistic. Taking
ethic and the only way to do so is by having one myself, our children don’t hear what we say, they only see what we do. I never want to be spread to thin in either area so I really believe the key here is balance and learning to set boundaries, so that no areas get neglected.
What is your favorite aspect of being a manager?
Becoming a Manager has opened up an opportunity for me to step into a leadership role and use my influence and experience to create more leaders. When Honey Bunny promotes employees to managers, we refer to our managers as “Leaders” because we are doing much more than “managing” our employees. In order for their to be growth there has to be a constant development of leadership. You have to look at your employees as the people they are and develop authentic relationships with them instead of looking at them as another “spot to fill”. Creating an environment of leadership is a constant challenge and process for any company because leadership is an ongoing, life long education. I am enjoying teaching my team the things I have learned and helping them avoid the mistakes I have already made. My passion is to inspire others to develop themselves personally and in the marketplace.
![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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