Growing up in a duplex in the inner city of Milwaukee, WI with a father that worked blue-collar jobs and a mother that spent most of my adolescence unemployed, ambition and work ethic was drilled into Britt Gottschalk at a young age. Britt Gottschalk was a natural social butterfly that was bred to be a trophy kid and embrace that hunger to become something different than what her parents were – Successful.
Britt Gottschalk has always had a passion for connecting with people and decided that studying how they behave in groups and organizational settings was something she wanted to dedicate her life to. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee with her bachelor’s in Psychology, Britt Gottschalk went on to obtain dual masters’ degrees in Business Administration and Industrial Organizational Psychology. Throughout her academic journey, she had held down a job since the age of 15, one of them being a manual laborer position at a sewage treatment facility.
The inspiration to start her own company came well before the pandemic hit. Britt Gottschalk’s partner is a software developer, and he was able to work from anywhere at most of the jobs he’s had. That’s when Britt started becoming interested in virtual work. Based on the research at the time (in 2018) Britt noticed that most professional services within the U.S. have had the ability to have their employees work from anywhere (and some organizations have been doing this since the 1970’s) but many organizations never adopted this practice.
”I was confused- who wouldn’t want to be able to work from their comfy chair in the living room, 10 feet from their fridge, if they had the opportunity to? When the pandemic hit, it was almost like a calling. I had to decide if I wanted to leave my cushiony, management consulting job with a steady paycheck and benefits to pursue my passion and start my own company.”
Britt Gottschalk’s contract ended with the firm and founded ReVise Consulting. Britt Gottschalk‘s mission is to implement sustainable virtual workforces by focusing on analyzing the future of employee engagement, and group behaviors. While everyone is focused on big tech, ReVise Consulting is focused on something that will never be a fad – People.
1. Tell us what do you do in your own words?
I research what the future of employee engagement looks like in an increasingly virtual world, and help organizations increase their ROI by maximizing the potential of virtual workforces.
2. What opportunities has the pandemic’s confinement created?
There have been employees all over the world working remotely or hybrid well before the pandemic, but this has expedited its popularity and revealed its benefits. Our business model is centered around the promotion of effective and inclusive practices organizations can take advantage of when offering this type of work flexibility. The pandemic has also given my organization the opportunity to have a larger population to collect data on remote work practices, so that we can constantly improve in the ways that provide the most value for all industries and our clients.
3. What challenges have you faced in your creative work?
The biggest challenge has been continuing to pursue this passion of mine while trying to maintain my own social boundaries. Since I was able to start the company in the middle of a pandemic, it’s been incredibly easy for me to spend long hours working with my team without taking those breaks to check in with my friends and family. I’ve started setting better boundaries for myself, and learning moderation is something I think we all struggle with to a point!
4. Tell us more about your business, what services are offered?
We offer virtual business consulting and partnering, learning and development workshops, talent management assessments, and strategic sourcing and recruitment. Our most popular offering is the Remote Workforce Assessment. It’s used to discover the strengths of workforces and development opportunities to use resources most efficiently when operating in a virtual environment or in a distributed workplace.
5. How is your company different than any others?
We’re different because our focus is on organizations going through and working to sustain digital transformations for the wellbeing of their employees. Traditional consulting for solely in-office or on-site employees will need to adapt to include employees that can work from anywhere, and that’s where our specialty lies.
6. How do you keep yourself updated? What are some of the websites or magazines or apps that you subscribe to or read regularly?
I am an avid reader, so I’m constantly reading new reviews or journals that come out monthly related to organizational behavior and all things business. One of my favorite magazines is Harvard Business Review and one of my favorite journals is the Journal of Organizational Behavior. I’m a big fan of podcasts, and a few of my favorites are Planet Money, Radiolab, Ted Talks Daily and Work Life with Adam Grant.
7. What is the one piece of advice that has impacted you the most?
Never forget where you came from. Being in different levels within an organization was an experience that I carried over with me in the founding of my own organization. I’ve been part of teams and organizations with poor leadership, where I felt undervalued and the leadership team didn’t care. I knew that I wouldn’t have that kind of culture in the place that I had the most say in. This has driven me to create a business where people love coming to work because they have a leader that cares about their professional needs, as well as tying the work they do into their purpose as a thriving human being, while being able to receive a paycheck they can comfortably live on, not just survive on.
8. What do you like the most about your job?
It has to be my team! We’re all trying to better ourselves and one another through building each other up. We meet virtually often for a good balance of professional and social events, and we’re transparent in our communication while giving and receiving constructive feedback to build on our individual and team strengths. We’re also all really big nerds when it comes to studying organizational behavior, so that helps too!
9. Can you share some marketing tips on how to launch a business?
First, make sure you’ve flushed out the details of your idea before even hitting the market, especially if you plan to hire employees upon launching. This one is critical, because if you have a nuanced product, or one that isn’t already out there in the market, you’re going to have to find a simple way to explain to your audience what it is you’re selling so they’ll feel compelled to buy it. Second, get your messaging in front of the right people. When you know who your target market is, then start getting your messaging in front of as many relevant professionals as possible! It only takes one post, one message, or one event to get in front of the customer you want, and it’s all about making those connections! Using other platforms of professionals that are more influential, like writing a guest blog or being on a podcast, can also help you gain serious customer traction.
10. What have you learned most from entrepreneurship?
It’s definitely not for everyone. If you’re someone who’s thinking about starting a business, whether you want to keep it small or grow it large, just know that it is not a key to an instantly well-paying and glamorous life. There are many 10+ hour days, going back to the drawing board to refine your sales or product development strategies, and keeping a constant eye on your cashflow to make sure you’re saving or spending your money wisely requires diligence. If you’re someone who isn’t afraid of hard work, and you want to start a business, go for it. There’s not one day that goes by that I regret the decision to take charge of my life, and use my expertise to create better lives for others that are out there.
![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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