Hey boss ladies! My name is Sharyce and I am the owner of an online women’s boutique called Pink Sage. I provide boss ladies all over the world with fashionable trends without breaking the bank.
A little about me and how I started my company. In 2014 I started to give it some thought as to what I wanted to do with my creativity. I knew I wanted my own boutique but had no idea how to get started. I did a little research on trademarking and decided to trademark a name. I had my twin sons in May of 2015. Becoming a mom was one of the best things that ever happened to me which became my number one priority.
While enjoying the mom’s life and working, building my business was put on the back burner. In 2019 I decided to take it seriously, I got my LLC and launched Pink Sage at the end of Aug 2020. I was very proud of myself even though I knew I had a long way to go and a lot of mistakes that needed to be fixed. (side note ladies – there is no such thing as the perfect time to launch your business. If you’re waiting for that you will be waiting for a lifetime. sometimes you just have to take risks and when you make mistakes take them as lessons, not failures.)
Six months later I’m being featured in this fabulous magazine! I have a good following most importantly, I am building a community of boss ladies that support one another, my sales are going up and I get to wake up every morning loving what I do.
Here are a few tips that I used that helped me along my journey.
- Business plan – Create a business plan (who’s your target audience? who’s your products or services for ? how can you solve their problems ? how are you going to make this happen ?) plan and set a schedule, set goals and accomplish them.
- Stay Consistent – you have to make sure that you show up every day and show out for your brand.
- Take your social media seriously – Social media is a great platform to get your business out there and seen.
- Quality content – Making sure that your content is valuable to your customers and the people viewing it. Be creative. Use videos, Tiktok, and cool fonts to draw in the viewers.
- Research & Invest – Make sure that you do your research. That goes for any business you’re trying to build or skill you’re trying to learn. Sometimes it requires spending some cash and investing in yourself which is the best investment you can make. You cannot be afraid to spend a little more money and get professional help from marketing reps etc.
Your business is like raising your child, you are nurturing, & watching it grow
When creating your business, it is important to be yourself. When creating Pink Sage, I wanted a brand that was me. All that know me, know that I love to switch up my hair and looks. I dress to what feels right to me and of course, what I feel looks good on me.
These past 6 months of being in business I learned a lot about myself and the business world in general. I have strengths that I did not know I had. Being a business owner has put me to the test mentally, physically, and emotionally. To me your business is like raising your child, you are nurturing, & watching it grow. With parenting, you have okay days, good days, and not-so-good days. It is the same with your business. Some days you may make 7 sales and the next day you make only 1. How you deal with those bad days determines if you will last in the business world or not. I’ve had my great days and my bad days. When I have my bad days, I just take time to reflect on the day. I would do my research on how to improve what I felt was wrong. Strategize and plan.
Then come back better and execute. Also having a strong support system has gotten me through. Taking time for yourself is important. Selfcare Sunday is just the time to do so, or a day out the week that you’re free. Unwind do something that makes you happy and, that you enjoy doing. Run yourself a nice bath, read or catch up on the tv shows you missed. I make sure that I do so every Sunday for at least half the day. So, I’ll spend my morning doing my normal routine, and maybe go over content for the next day in advance then relax. I know things will change as my schedule and brand grows.
For the future expect to see nothing but big things from Pink Sage and myself
I just rebranded this month and added a ton of new looks to my website. I will eventually be dropping my own creations and handmade designs. You will see my personal style and growth through my fashion. My style will incorporate lots of colors, patterns and shapes in a classy sexy way. It will be a mix of casual and elegant streetwear. I look to bring out all my styles even some simple basic looks that set high statements. I want to show women that you do not have to wear designer or break the bank to look high-end or get the style that you’re trying to achieve. I also plan on helping other boss ladies, by sharing my tips, and journey hoping to inspire them to chase their dreams as well. You may see me stepping into the art field as well. A little secret about me is that I love to draw, and I dab in the painting field. Don’t know exactly where I’ll be in two years, but I do know that my future is bright, and I see nothing but positive things.
![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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