Amy Levesque decided to start her business called Hub Digital after she got laid off from her sales job. Levesque was doing really well selling digital ad space for a large news network when the company was purchased by an investment agency who promptly laid off 90% of the sales staff. It was a massive shock and it made Amy Levesque go from being completely comfortable with her future, to being absolutely freaked out by it in the span of 15 minutes.
After processing things for a few days, Levesque decided that she never wanted to feel out of control like that again. She knew she had to offer something valuable to people, and she wanted to do it on her own terms now.
Amy Levesque decided to pursue her passion for marketing that she always had while she was in school at Emerson College in Boston, MA. Pursuing her passion led Levesque to start her own marketing company Hub Digital. Serving all of Rhode Island, Hub Digital offers full-service marketing at affordable and reasonable rates for small businesses. Hiring large agencies or full-time marketing help can be expensive, and it’s important for small businesses to maximize and account for every dollar spent. Hub Digital offers the quality work of a large firm, but with the attention and commitment of a single person.
In your own words, what do you do?
I help small business owners and solopreneurs grow their businesses through sustainable, long term digital marketing strategies. I help them utilize and showcase their personalities, talents, beliefs and skills to authentically connect with their target market, and drive more traffic and sales.
What challenges did you face early on?
If you know anything about me, you know that one of my biggest weaknesses is patience. I HATE waiting for stuff! When I first started my business I was constantly comparing myself to other people who had been in business for years and was getting frustrated that I wasn’t at their level yet. I had to learn that business growth doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes YEARS of hard work and determination. It was tough pill for me to swallow in the beginning when I just wanted to be at that point already.
Did you take any courses or qualifications?
I did! I have a bachelors degree in Marketing and Advertising from Emerson College. After school I worked in digital ad sales for about 5 years where I learned a lot specifically around buying ads (both display ads and paid search ads), as well as organic SEO strategies to give added value to my clients.
In college I minored in print journalism as well. That writing background has really helped me gain a foothold in content marketing in particular. It’s something we focus heavily on at Hub Digital and something we’re really proud to excel in for our clients.
Did you have any particular fears about starting a business and if so how did you get over them?
That I wouldn’t be good enough. I think most of us entrepreneurs struggle with “imposter syndrome”. That feeling like we’re not qualified to own our businesses or offer advice to other people. I had to leap a little bit and have faith in my education, background, and what I believed in. But, it still took a good few years of hearing positive feedback from my clients before I was able to internalize it and truly believe it myself. There are still days where I hear that nagging voice in the back of my head and I have to really focus on driving it out
What skill has helped you most throughout your career?
I think it’s been the idea of coming from a place of truly helping my clients and doing things “right”. I have always focused on doing things well, even if it means taking some extra time to do it. I don’t do it to sound altruistic or anything, but I’ve always come from the philosophy of it you’re going to do it anyway, you might as well do it right.
Sometimes it’s hard to do things this way, especially when client’s push back about spending the extra money, or I’ve had to say “no” to things because my current workload just wouldn’t allow it to fit in. But in the end, it’s given a reputation I’m proud of and has really helped drive growth through referrals.
Tell us what it was like to build from zero?
I feel like I’m still doing that! There are still days where I look back and think that I’m not where I want to be with my business. I’m constantly reinvesting back into my business to find new revenue streams or into education. Sometimes that is a hard practice for me when I just want to use the money on clothes or going out.
Building something from scratch is super hard, and requires A LOT of patience (something I struggle with!). But at the end of the day, when you finally get to see that hard work pan out, there is no better feeling in the world.
Tell us about your other company that you recently launched geared towards women entrepreneurs
I’m SUPER excited about my marketing membership program, The Hub. It’s an online marketing membership that offers expert trainings and masterclasses, as well as an amazingly supportive community, focused on female entrepreneurs and business owners.
Women own about 40% of the businesses in America (34.4% averaged across Europe, 27% in
What marketing strategy do you use for your businesses? Have you tried a strategy that did not work at all in the past, what strategy would you advice someone to leave behind?
Value, value, and more value. I’m all about giving away as much as possible through blog content, videos,
Marketing used to be SO much easier a few years ago when you could just post something on social media and get a whole bunch of followers interested in buying from you. That doesn’t work anymore. Organic reach on social media has decreased dramatically and the only posts that are still getting through to consumers are the ones that deliver value to those that are reading it.
What popular entrepreneurial advice do you agree/ disagree with? Why?
I used to live by the idea of “faking it until you make it”. And, while I can still see some merits in using that theory to drive your confidence and push yourself to take risks, I’ve completely cut that out of what I show to my potential clients or my audience on social. If I’m struggling with something, I tell them about it. If I’m proud of something, I’m honest about what those accomplishments are. When I’m confused about the next steps, I put it out there and ask
![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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