We think everyone has been there as a teenager.. Trying to find your first bra as a teenager, most of us probably got some help from our moms or older sister. Let’s say it’s no secret that the first bras for young girls can be difficult to find, fit, and buy. It can be a bit of a shock and awkward to add one of her first bras to her up-until-puberty typical wardrobe. But there’s more to it than that; a teenage girl needs to learn about bra styles that help her adjust to a new and changing breast life. Teenage girls don’t always need wired, fancy or structured cups, and if they do, they might not wear similar sizes offered to adult women.
MyFloretz
Ketzi Hernandez as the co-founder of MyFloretz is one of those moms who was searching for bras for her own daughter and realized that the selection of body appropriate products for young, developing girls was very limited. After reminiscing with Co-Founder Mariden Lord about the struggles of puberty, the founders were determined to bring girls everywhere products they need to flourish through their adolescence.
Not only is MyFloretz a subscription box service that provides pre-teen and teen girls bras and feminine products, but MyFloretz also strives to help girls on their journey to become body-positive women.
"We recognized as we started talking to people how the developmental period affects girls and women as well as how we can help make a difference."
Are the bras made by yourself?
In the first phase of our business, we are working with manufacturers with their pre-existing product. We select the designs to make sure they are age and body appropriate for a variety of developmental phases and body types. We seek to maintain a wide variety of bras at accessible price points so that a girl with any body type can find products that fit her in any budget. We are currently working towards our second phase, where we will offer original designs as well as other feminine hygiene products.
Tell us what makes MyFloretz so special from all the other bra companies?
MyFloretz is unique because there are not many companies that cater to girls through their developing years. You can go to many major retail stores and buy generic bras for girls to wear as they grow. But those bras are often boring or they don’t fit well. What we strive to do is provide a fun and wide variety of bras for every stage of development, while educating girls and their parents about this exciting and chaotic time called puberty.
Can you describe your customers?
Initially, we thought to focus on moms who would place the orders for their daughters. What we found is that the girls themselves are very influential in making decisions. We received a lot of momentum from tween and teen girls on Instagram who were active in the cheerleading community as well as tween fashion. It’s been really special to be the company they share their first bra experience with.
Your first customer. How did that go?
We were so relieved and excited all at the same time when we received our first order! There are a lot of subscription boxes out there, so it’s always nice to have the validation that the product and service are interesting to others. We love seeing girls who have received their boxes be so excited and share their wonderful experiences with the selection.
Starting a business needs investment, what was yours?
We were extremely fortunate to have a strong community of friends and family who saw our vision and who were able to invest in us up front. As we continue to grow, we are looking for angel investors and grants to help us continue into the second phase of our business plan.
What are your companies goals currently? As in vision and mission.
Our vision is to be the main provider for all feminine products that girls need as they develop throughout their adolescent years. This would include feminine hygiene products tailored to young girls bodies, as well as personal care products like shaving razors and depilation, etc. We also make it a priority to be a company that gives back the community at large. We have plans to expand the service to help girls in disadvantaged situations access to product they require as they develop.
Are there any trends that you absolutely love or would love to see bra brand owners leave behind?
The bra and feminine hygiene industries are beginning to understand the importance of diversifying their products for women of all body types. And isn’t it about time?! One of our biggest concerns was providing bras for girls who are wider in their torso, but not as full in their breasts. There aren’t a lot of cute options out there for small chested or not fully developed breasts. This can make a girl feel like there’s something wrong with her body, when it’s perfectly beautiful as it is! It was important for us to feature bras for both smaller chests and bigger girls. We wanted to try to reduce the feelings of inadequacy or self-consciousness girls feel, which is so prevalent during the teen years.
As an entrepreneur do you have innate qualities, or is it something that you learned?
Anyone can be an entrepreneur if they enjoy learning new things. We have had the opportunity to work in jobs where we were required to wear many hats and because of that we are able to understand and complete different aspects of the business ourselves. To be successful, maybe even in any career, a person has to constantly learn new trends and ways to accomplish business in the most efficient manner. Because of technology, every industry is changing frequently, but because we love learning new things, it’s actually a lot of fun!
There is also a bit of a restless visionary in most entrepreneurs. We are the kind of people who see opportunity everywhere we look and think it’s really fun to go into uncharted areas as we figure out how to make things work. There’s a thrill in the process of developing an idea.
Lastly, being disciplined is very important to being an entrepreneur. It’s great to have a ton of ideas, but in order to make things come alive, one has to be able to follow through and do the work everyday grunt work.
If you had one piece of advice to our readers to those just starting out as a business owner, what would it be?
Our advice to others thinking about dipping their toe in the business owner pond, is not to get discouraged easily. Especially if things don’t work out as you thought they would or if they aren’t as easy as it seemed at first. One of the things we say a lot to each other is, “What did we learn from this and how do we improve on it the next time?”
![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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