SaSha B. Marsh Credit Consultant with Financial Education Services
My name is SaSha Brielle’ Marsh, I am 30 years old, and I was born and raised in Holly Springs, Mississippi. I am a Credit Consultant with Financial Education Services. Our company headquartered is located in Farmington Hill, Michigan. As a credit consultant, I advise individuals on how to obtain a service that will dispute all negative items and much more as well as give them a business opportunity of a lifetime.
Raised by a career driven family, I grew up to be humble and grounded. I am eternally grateful to my late mother (rest her soul) and my grandmother for teaching and instilling in me to be strong enough to stand on my own two feet. Now that I have grown into this fiery woman with driven values and morals I appreciate this upbringing more and more.
My undergraduate education in Starkville, Mississippi and graduate education in McKenzie, Tennessee were my pride and joy achieving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Masters in Science in Criminal Justice. I just knew I would be extremely successful with two degrees. Although I am a credit consultant in many ways those degrees prepared me to be the Legal Assistant I am today. However, that indeed is an accomplishment but, I realized that by having degrees does not guarantee you a sustainable income or lifestyle.
Over the years I discovered that it is more to life and opportunities than the traditional way of going to college and getting a corporate job. So I decided to research this company called Financial Education Services and later began to use the services myself by enrolling in The Protection Plan which assists individuals with being educated and increasing their credit. I stayed in continuance prayer in regards to investing in the company to become a credit consultation to establish my own business.
I feel this has been the best decision that I have made in regards to my future and career. Working in corporate American isn’t all peaches and cream many bosses in this generation do not value a good employee. Although many Americans will leave in a heartbeat once appreciation or values aren’t appreciated but, many of us are not in the position to do so.
However, Financial Education Services is a great company to become your own boss being able to see your work ethics and see the earnings from your hard work as well as the company appreciation of your hard work do not go unseen with them!
Being able to help individuals in the financial aspect of their life that impact their lives greatly feels amazing. I am grateful that I was able to invest in this business opportunity to better my life and others. Although the support of a new business is very hard to come by initially, however, the end result will be worth all the blood, sweat and closed doors. With the Lord on my side and ordering my steps, I cannot fail only Blessings and Increases.
How did you become an entrepreneur?
It just happened over a period of 6 months I was in war in my mind about taking a leap of Faith and doing something new other than working in the Legal & Political Field. So I researched the company for a while spoke with individuals such as my mentor( Danekia Taylor, Regional Vice President) that had a corporate job as myself and solely works as an entrepreneur to date.
What are your company goals currently?
Within the company, my current goal is to service 400 individuals within a 6 month period for 2018. It’s my vision to get individuals educated on their finances. I wish someone took the time out with me in high school to help me become knowledgeable of money and credit before I went off to college and screwed it all up.
How would you describe your work style?
I can honestly say I am a perfectness I expect the presentation to on point at all times by that being said I bit difficult with putting the finishing stamp of approval when it comes to me building this empire in regards to financial services.
How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
The improvements that I am going to achieve for the next year are to be able to walk away from my full-time job, reach and help 4,000 individuals and leave a legacy behind for any other individual that has a similar situation as myself.
What do you do on a daily basis to grow as an entrepreneur?
On a daily basis to grow as an entrepreneur I have to keep the focus on the goal I have to stay prayerful each and every day. I have to communicate with others daily to educate individuals on the business of credit. I can relate to this service and use it for myself so it’s a passion to be others resource to have a better life as the Lord intended for us too.
![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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