Meet Djenita Svinjar a construction and corporate attorney in the US. Djenita came to the US as a child refugee during the Bosnian War. Growing up in the US allowed Djenita to turn her wildest dreams into fruition and has encouraged her to keep an open perspective and lend a helping hand whenever possible.
In college Djenita found a passion for women’s rights and wrote a thesis inspired by two influential women in her life: her mother and her cousin Elvira, a doctor in three countries. But Djenita still craved more of a connection to her roots, to do more for women’s rights. Besides being a construction and corporate attorney, Djenita has participated in numerous women’s rights programmes, assisted with fundraising efforts, and met many incredible women who share her passions for assisting women in need.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career?
I am currently an Attorney at a construction law firm in Denver, Colorado. My work is mostly transactional in nature. I assist with the review and negotiation of construction agreements and related contracts (e.g. Non-Disclosure Agreements, Purchase Orders, Master Service Agreements, etc.) as well as with external general counsel issues for various commercial clients. I love my job, the people I work with, and the incredible clients I get to help!
I previously worked as Corporate Counsel for one of the largest general contractors within the United States where I advised projects on various matters, from contract negotiations to personnel issues to federal government audits. In that position, I worked with teams nationwide, as well as in overseas territories such as Guam, to assist them with any legal issues or questions that arose while they were constructing commercial projects for both public and private clients. This was the position that really introduced me to the construction industry, and I am eternally grateful for it.
Prior to my time in the construction industry, I worked for a title insurance company where I was In-House Counsel and Assistant Vice President, working within the legal and claims department to assist insured homeowners and sophisticated lenders alike in resolving issues relating to their legal title to real estate that generally surfaced when the insured was trying to obtain a secured loan or attempting to sell the property in issue. In this position, I worked with various entities, including some of the largest banking institutions in the world and I really appreciate the commercial and contractual foundations I obtained while in this role.
How did you first become interested in working in law?
I’ve wanted to be an attorney since I was five years old. My family escaped the Bosnian War in 1994 and came to the United States as refugees, leaving behind our old home with just two suitcases. My dad was killed in the war as a soldier and my mom and I came to the United States with my grandfather to join my uncle who had also escaped and resettled here in 1993. I was only four when we arrived in New York, but I remember the various organizations, non-profits, and individuals who helped us, including a female immigration attorney. I was so inspired by her at such a young age that I realized then and there that I wanted to be an attorney and help people. I never doubted what I wanted to do and remained persistent in making my dreams a reality in the country that I love and have called home since 1994.
I went to law school fully intending on becoming an international human rights attorney, but, once there, realized how much I enjoyed learning about transactional work, corporations, and commercial matters instead. I was twenty-five when I graduated law school, and now, I get to help people and businesses daily.
What are you working on currently and why?
I handle a variety of things that come in on different days. Right now, I have research that I’m conducting for a client for a contract question, various agreements to review and provide an initial analysis on, a responsive pleading that I am helping a colleague draft, and a pre-litigation dispute I’m helping another client with. No two days are ever the same and I love that aspect of my job. It’s a great opportunity to continue to learn and grow.
What has contributed to your success?
I’d say my past is the single greatest source of my inspiration to continue to work hard and achieve more. Arriving in the United States, not knowing a word of English, being cast as an outsider growing up, never feeling like I wholly fit into either the Bosnian or American cultures, and seeing my family struggle to put food on the table always inspired me to want more out of life. I want to continue to grow and succeed, within the legal sphere and outside of it, so that I can give back and help others who may be in similar situations, or simply serve as a source of inspiration and remind them that better days are ahead with the right mentality and work ethic.
Do you believe in destiny or do you think you can control your fate?
I tend to think people control their own fate. I have always remained an optimist who believes that someone who is unhappy with their current situation has the power to change it, they just have to find the means to do so.
If you had an extra 6 hours in your day, what would you do?
I wish I had an extra 6 hours in my day! I’ve learned that time is our most valuable resource and try to be especially cognizant not to waste any of it. I’d spend more time with loved ones, workout and enjoy the outdoors, write more, and read a whole lot more for leisure and learning than I do now.
How do you stay relevant and current and where do you get your inspiration from?
I get my inspiration from those around me. I have an incredible family, worldwide, who are all such strong-willed and determined individuals, and, most importantly, good human beings. My friends circle is full of passionate and incredible people who want to make a difference and leave this world a better place than they found it. I am grateful and honored to have amazing mentors, both male and female, legal and non-legal alike, who share their wisdom and experiences with me, who teach me, and who provide a shoulder to lean on when I need it.
I stay relevant by remaining involved. I love staying active in the community and am always willing to help with local and national non-profits. Getting to know the people who make up the community you live in makes a big difference in how you perceive things on various levels, and it’s a great way to remain informed on things that will either impact you or those around you.
If you could sum up your career in three words, what would they be?
Never give up. From when I was a young immigrant girl who had to take English as a Second Language (ESL) classes after school, to not knowing whether I’d be able to afford college or law school, to working as a young female attorney and advising teams in a male dominated industry, I’ve learned that nothing worthwhile will ever come easy and that life is anything but fair. To be successful, one must be willing to endure hardships, overcome obstacles, and remain persistent. We all have bad days and experiences. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is what we take from those experiences moving forward.
What is your next big goal? How do you think you can achieve this?
Honestly, I have a few lifelong goals that I am determined to accomplish, whether in the near future or further down the road. Given my upbringing, I would love to publish a memoir with my mom and have her memorialize the experiences we went through and the obstacles we overcame when I was younger. My family experienced so much tragedy and heartbreak when I was so young, and, unfortunately, I only have limited memories of so much of this. Of course, I can speak to the hardships we went through as I was growing up in a single parent, immigrant household, but I really want to discuss everything my mom witnessed and endured and to tell her story. She’s my hero and I want to honor her and the exceptional life she created for us, but also highlight the risks she had to take and the sacrifices she made in doing so. I think this would be an invaluable lesson for so many others going through hard times. Storytelling and leaning on one another for support and inspiration is so crucial, and I want to encourage women around the world, from every background, to tell their story, as their voices are critical to better our society.
With that being said, I also want to open a Balkan restaurant with my mom. Ever since I can remember, anyone that ever came to our home was greeted with authentic and traditional Bosnian or Eastern European dishes, and there hasn’t been a single person who hasn’t loved my mom’s food. I also love to cook and find it to be extremely therapeutic, especially during a stressful time. I’d love to do a collaboration on something we both love to do and to do so in an area like Colorado that doesn’t have any such restaurants. It’d be a great way to connect with one another, but also connect with, and teach, our community.
Finally, I want to open a winery in my dad’s honor. He was such an incredible person who was beloved by so many. He was a hard worker and truly enjoyed helping others. One of his favorite pastimes was spending time on my family’s land in Bosnia where he tended to the fields and took the fresh produce from our family’s land to friends and neighbors or sold it at the local markets. Given this, it only makes sense for my family to follow in his footsteps and bring our love of good food and wine together with his legacy to create incredible products that can be enjoyed by those near and far.
How do you think modern women can be more fulfilled in their lives?
I think people, especially women, must think outside of the box, and this is advice I have to give myself as well. Too many people, especially those in the United States, become complacent with the same old routine every day. I know of so many people who are unhappy with where they are at, who continue to vent about their routine yet do nothing about it. If something inspires you, pursue it. Join clubs and non-profits. Volunteer. Put yourself out there. Attend social events to meet more people, to establish new relationships, and to develop networks that may help you today or down the road. If the last few years have taught me anything, it’s that life is too short to be satisfied with ordinary and striving for a little extra can make all the difference.
![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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