Her name is Merel Kriegsman, and she is a million dollar copy expert turned business mentor. She has broken the chains of generational scarcity and empowers women to become the Hermes bag of their industry.
She was a professional opera singer in Europe before realizing that she had only ever made a total of $7,800 in her lifetime and vowing to change that for herself and her future daughters! Now she has doubled her revenue every year, and is on track to have her first 7 figure year!
She’s written business owners all the way to their first 6-figure launch, doubling their email list from 6k to 12k in less than 2 weeks, and making bank with sales pages converting at a whopping 14,8%. She is an inspiring story of success, and creates ways for women to thrive.
What inspired you to start your own business?
I remember that day! I was in my mid-twenties, a successful up and coming concert Soprano living in Europe with my tenor hubby, and I wanted to get my money shit together. On that day, I did an exercise that was part of an online money challenge and it went like this: “Tally up all the money you’ve ever made in your life – to prove to yourself what you’re capable of financially, you’ll feel great!”
I FELT LIKE TOTAL SH**. Why? Because I discovered that despite being talented & ambitious, I’d made no more than about $7,000 in my entire life (that’s included the dollars my mom paid me for washing dishes as a kid).
What’s worse? I realized not only I sucked at making money. So did my mom. And my grandma was so caught up in scarcity, she would take the old newspapers she used to cover the floor of her chicken coup, shake out the poo, and hang it over the heater in the hallway overnight, only to use it as a “fresh” floor cover the next day. No way in hell was I passing this on to my daughters to be (I somehow knew I was going to have gals, and I did).
In your own words, what do you do?
Officially I help online coaches & service providers get to consistent 5-figure months and do 6-figure launches. Un-officially? I help women stop asking for permission. OWN who they are. My teaching centers around this Question: If you had 10x the courage, what would you do?
Because we already know what to do. We’re usually just afraid to actually do it. I help women overcome that, a massive increase in income is just the happy side-effect of becoming a courageous badass wonder woman stepping fully onto the arena.
What fulfillment does being a business owner give you?
When I open up my FB groups and see multiple women posting their big, big financial breakthroughs, that’s HUGELY fulfilling for me.
I’ve just had a client admit that when she signed up for my signature program “Clients Anytime Academy” she had $1,400 in her account and secretly went into debt (she didn’t tell her hubby) to join.
By the end of the program a few months later she had $20k sitting in her bank account. She has just told her husband that she didn’t need her $3,000 monthly allowance anymore. And that they are in such great financial shape, they can now buy the house of their dreams.
BOOM! That opens my heart WIDE OPEN <3
Also, making $50,000+ a month (sometimes a $150k in a month, depending on whether or not I’m launching), being able to support my family and take my husband (he’s the co-owner and CFO of our business) on a trip to Toronto splurging about $10,000 on new clothes – without feeling guilty or weird about it.
What are your goals currently? As in vision and mission?
Goal/mission/vision: make women more powerful. The way I do that? Put a STOP to financial depency, and get as many as possible to 5-figures a month (for starters).
I grew up with a mom (bless her) who had a special drawer where she hid her brand new clothing purchases from my dad. And then she would drip them out over the course of months, in the hope he wouldn’t notice she’d spend money on herself.
At times, when my parents had a serious fight, and my mom would talk about moving out… we all knew as kids that she wouldn’t. Because she depends on my dad financially, and despite working her butt off as a stay at home mom – has almost nothing to show for it.
I want no girls to ever have to experience witnessing things like this. Because it so influences what we believe about ourselves, our worth and the world.
What is your favorite part of being an entrepreneur?
The more I put in, the more I get back. The sky is the limit. I make up my own rules. Experimenting wildly (what works, what doesn’t) and seeing the result in my bank account AND in how the lives of my clients and students shift forever.
What 5 steps would you advise and give our ladies who starting their own business?
- Get a mentor – I spent half of my yearly income in my second year in business on a mastermind with a gifted mentor. It was life-changing and took YEARS off my learning curve. It’s the fast track to success.
- Unearth and release your limiting beliefs – if you believe that being successful will emasculate your husband, or make your friends & family see you as a total bitch (or want to steal your money) you’re going to sabotage yourself. Work on your limiting beliefs and upper limit problems and you can grow and grow.
- Learn sales – there’s very little you really need to start a successful business. In fact, you don’t even need a website. BUT… the one thing you do need, is sales skills. Learning how to sell is nothing less than a rite of passage for women. And especially when you master HIGH-END selling, you can make so much money, FAST.
- Find your tribe – the reason I started my online mentorship groups is because there’s something MAGICAL that happens when women get together and truly support one-another. If you want to do something right, don’t go it alone. Find (or create) a posse of women who aspire to do the same, or join a group who’s just a lil’ further along than you are with your business and it’ll light a fire under your butt!
- Expect shit sandwiches & don’t let it stop you – I hear so many women say things like “it’s just too hard, if this doesn’t change I’m quitting and going back to 9-5 – dammit!”. I was faced with HAVING TO step up as the breadwinner in my family and I’m so grateful. Because I never had the option to quit. It was sink or swim (I love necessity) and I swam. If you want to succeed at starting and building a thriving business, COMMIT. Like, marriage vows kinda commit. Anything weaker than that will not stand the long string of moments where you doubt yourself or sh** hits the fan (it will, repeatedly <3).
How did you learn to write copy? Are there teachers, books or resources you can recommend?
Read about selling & sales, and you’ll understand copy way better.
Great resource is “The Copy Cure” in my opinion (I was an official mentor in this program by Marie Forleo and think it’s high-quality, especially great when you’re starting out). Love Dan Kennedy. Copyhackers.com
And follow me! I’m always talking about creating content & copy that converts (and I’m incredibly good at explaining what to do).
What sacrifices have you had to make during life as an entrepreneur?
Sleep. Living in my comfort zone (lol)
Time with the kids (I have them in daycare during the week) – and I want to note that I have an incredible relationship with my kids, I’m just not the traditional “mom” and my husband and I equally share our parenting role <3. Some “stale” relationships with friends and family members who were holding me back
Dates with my husband – we’re getting better at it though! Right now we’re on a 3-day trip to Toronto just with the two of us! YAY!
Do you believe in destiny or do you think you can control your fate?
I believe in a mix. The universe places meant-to-be opportunities & connections on our path. But we have the power to either make the most of it, or screw it up. I’m a huge fan of Dr. Joe Dispenza, and how he explains how our thoughts (and how we FEEl) send signals to the quantum field that shapes our experience of reality.
Tell us about your proudest achievement?
Going from zero to half a mil/year in 3 years. Being the breadwinner of our family. Having influencers hire me to do their marketing. Women break free from financial dependency and get to 5-figures a month in a few months time (my fave).
![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)
How do we find a mentor???