BIRD WILLIAMS: You’re listening to Bird Means Business Episode 40. 

Welcome to the Bird Means Business podcast. I'm so glad you're here. I'm so glad that you're taking time out of the busyness of your day to invest in yourself and invest in your business and I hope that's what happens every time you listen to one of the episodes here on the podcast. I have an incredible guest in the studio today. Mair is a ball of light. She is brilliant and hard-working and beautiful and she really just has a heart of gold. For five years Mair has been a trailblazer in the fragrance industry as an independent perfume designer and creator. Her Mair brand can be found in high-end luxury stores and boutiques, as well as now it's available on Macy's online site. Her background is in marketing in corporate communications. And she's been featured in multiple national and local publications for her contributions to her community, other entrepreneurs in the niche fragrance industry. Cannot wait to dive into the story of Mair Fragrance. It’s really going to be a treat. She shares not only the story of her journey but also insights into the fragrance industry, and it's just a really, really great well-rounded take on what it's like to be an entrepreneur. What it’s like to learn. What it’s like to get scrappy. And I just thought you're gonna love it. Alright, let's jump in.

BIRD: Hi Mair, I'm so excited to have you on the Bird Means Business podcast. How you doing? 

MAIR EMENOGU: Ashley, it’s great to see you again, even though it's virtually. I'm doing all right.

BIRD:  Good, yes, even though it's virtual. I've had to kind of get used to it, with all the zoom calls and all the things. But it's great to see your face and it's great to have you here on the podcast. I'm really excited because I feel like there are listeners out there who will really gain a lot from hearing your story. And I haven't really heard the full story. I've known you for years. I've seen you. I’ve seen the incredible things you're doing. But I am also excited about really hearing about your story. So let's really just start there. Tell me the story of your entrepreneurial journey, and how you got to where you are today.

MAIR: Right, so my journey story is a rocky one with potholes. Okay? I actually started really avoiding, at all costs, entrepreneurship. So this was before it was cool. I got on the wagon before entrepreneurship was cool. I was in corporate America doing marketing for oil and gas, and then really just hit like a glass ceiling almost. But before I hit the glass ceiling, three years prior, I was a receptionist. That's actually how I started my career at an engineering firm. And the VP of the company came down, saw my signature, and randomly said, “Mair, I can see this on a perfume bottle.” And nothing happened in the moment. Like that wasn't the flip the switch moment, I'm going to be a business owner. I was like, absolutely not. The vision of my heart is to climb a corporate ladder, and I'm going to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. That was my dream. Okay? And so what he was saying was going against that. So I was like, no. And then I kept reaching the ceiling. So I'm going to drop a stat for you that I used to be ashamed of. But I now own my story. I have been laid off six times. 

BIRD: Wow.

MAIR: OKAY? So it was like, how is someone with my record going to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company? No, I have to be like Tyler Perry and build my own table.

BIRD: Wow what perspective. That's amazing.

MAIR: Right? And so, I didn't want to move. I mean, I could feel it. I could feel like this is not the way I ride. Working in a nine to five is not the way I ride. And so I could feel like the tug of entrepreneurship, but I didn't know in what. You know, everyone thinks of, if I had a business, what would I do. And mine was a restaurant. I never thought the beauty industry would be in my future. I was like the most craziest wildest business idea I can think of is to have a restaurant. That didn't happen, or not yet. And so I was like, God, I'm not gonna move until you speak to me what this next move is. You have to tell me what this business idea is, or else I'm not moving. Because I was perfectly fine. I didn't care to be laid off the seventh time. I was perfectly fine to find out, find the next job. That was, I think the number was three, I think that was three months prayer. And then I just heard it. I was driving down the toll road. I just heard it. Do a fragrance. And I didn't waste time. I was like, okay, I gotta learn how to do it because I don't know anything about science lab or the world of perfumery. That's how that started. And that process was a three-year process.

BIRD: My goodness. So it was a three-year process of you coming to like, I'm going to own this path, entrepreneurship?

MAIR: Yes, it was three years of not listening to that voice. Cause I was like, no, I want to climb the corporate ladder and I kept falling. Yeah. 

BIRD: What I love about what you said is that like you wanted a restaurant, and there was a desire there for that and it was like that wasn't what it was going toward. But you felt an impression like, okay, I'm going to do a fragrance. It wasn't necessarily that you were obsessed with fragrances. And what's so neat about that is that I know that there was so much like having to figure it out, like from the ground up. So kind of tell me about that process. What did that look like?

MAIR: Yeah. So, the best perfume schools are in France, and France is very expensive to live in. And the school alone, a semester was like 20 grand for two classes. Okay? 

BIRD: Wow! 

MAIR: So it was like okay well that's not the route I'm going. And then you had YouTube, right? So on YouTube, there were several, several people on YouTube, teaching you how to make like a fragrance with what's in your home. So that's actually how I learned how to make perfume, on YouTube. And so, from there, it was like, okay, well, they're teaching me how to make perfume. But the perfume is smelling like essential oils like a body oil. But I want actual perfume that can rival bigger brands. That last statement wasn't actually the dream because I was like okay, God said do fragrance. But I can just make this and sell it to my friends on the side and keep my day job. Like that was my plan. Knucklehead. I'm a Taurus. We’re so stubborn. 

So the job that I was working was actually connected to the Galleria. So you can imagine all the fancy stuff and because of that time period because that's where I was. The Galleria never closes. So, at around eight in the morning, I was just like, let me just go get a cup of coffee. But I just happened to be walking around when the luxury corner was on the second floor before they redid it. And I saw names like Ferragamo, St. John, Valentino, Gucci, Prada. They're all together. And I was like, Mair, I think you should take this a bit more seriously. Because if you did you can rival these brands, these heritage brands on your name alone. Doesn't matter what you sell. And I was like, “Good idea, Mair! Let's do it! Let’s do it for real!” And so, I did. And so it was like, you know. Okay, great. Now I know the process of how to make a perfume. And now I know natural perfume. And now I know how to mix perfume oils. Now we need the science background. So, I wasn't going to pay the 20 grand a semester just to take two classes. So I was like, let me link up with one of the industry's best. It's a wild and crazy idea. And I'm gonna pause because I'm sure your listeners are like, how does she pay for it. And so, I want to say so, I think, at that time I was 23, or 24. And so, what is the American dream? The American dream is to have your own home and be able to stand on your own two feet. So all of those six jobs, I was saving radically for a home, and I was like look this downpayment is about to be massive. We're gonna see this 23, 24 year old and I'm just going to be like, boom! That's what I was saving for. Literally, I've just bought a fancy car and I was like, three years. I'm not paying this off in five, seven years. I'm paying this off in three years and I'm gonna pay it off, in cash. I'm just gonna be like, ooh. 

BIRD: I love it! 

MAIR: Right? But then, I was with my boss. We were in Canada. And we were at some kind of conference and I was telling him my plan. And he was like, “No one should ever drop that much money into a depreciating asset.” He was talking about the car. Cause I was like, “Look, in about a year, I'm paying off this car. Just gotta pay it off in three years. I'm just gonna pay it off.” And this is what he said verbatim, “That is the dumbest thing you could do to yourself right now.” So I'm like, I'm just gonna put it all in a savings account. That's what I did. So that's actually the money that was used to fund Mair. So I never bought the house. Not yet. 

BIRD: Another version of your legacy. I mean, a home is amazing because it's you know it's an asset, you're building wealth. But you're doing the same thing through an amazing fragrance brand. So it's just the reroute, but you'll still get there. I love all of that so much. So then you had to kind of figure out I guess who's gonna make it, and inventory. How did you navigate all of that? And I love that you were so young, doing all of this. And so bold. I just love that.

MAIR: Right? Taurus. That imagery of seeing those stores in real life and just saying, we can rival. We can do this. It was the driver. That was the most important monumental moment in all of this, Like being there at the right time and being mentally ready to receive what I was seeing. And so I was like I need to link up with industry best like I can't just link up with just anybody. It's gotta be someone who is well known and if not well known is a master in their craft. And so that's what I did. I linked up with someone by the name of Fred Cohan who is a master perfumer. He's worked on a lot of fragrances on your perfume counter, your vanity. He's definitely had a say in that. So that's who I linked up with. And again, I'm sure your listeners are saying, how? It was almost serendipitous. I literally went online. I went on Google and I just said ‘fragrance chemists’ and called like 20 of them. Here's the deal. My story is a unique one, right? So when someone saw my signature and said I can see that on a perfume bottle and I just ran with it. It's like a record deal. Not every producer wants to work with you. And it’s the same way in the perfume world. Not every manufacturer wants to work with new talent. In fact, they run from new talent because it's like, well, how long are they going to be in the market? New perfumers' life longevity is about two years. So it's like, and I'm going to invest in her, and then two years later, she's done. It's a risk on both sides. That's how that happened. Inventory, business, all that. He and his wife really took me under their wing and taught me the industry. That's how that happened.

BIRD: That's incredible. Oh my gosh, and I love that you just went out, and hey, go to Google. Google these people, chemists. And make it happen and figure it out and call 20 people. Like that's what it takes sometimes. And like I said to have that boldness at such a young age is just amazing. Because I mean we launched The League when I was 25. And I can't tell you how many times I've sat in like banking offices with loan officers or different landlords or older people who were looking at me like, who do you think you are? What do you think this is? Like they were definitely expecting to meet someone else when I showed up. So there's just something to that and I could just see and feel it and you and I just. I love it so much.

MAIR: Yeah, I think that's probably like a differentiator. I don't remember who I was listening to. But at that time, they were saying, and I really wish I could remember who this was. But they were saying it's going to be more in your favor for an investor to invest in something that you can see, and that’s already making money. And so I was like how’s investor? It was almost like a no-brainer. It's like well, I got a stack of cash. I'll just I'll be my own financier.

BIRD: Yes, I love it. Oh, girl. Yes, all of that. All of that. Okay. So what are some things that you've learned about the fragrance industry, or maybe that surprised you about the fragrance business? If there's a listener out there who's like I want to get into the industry. What are some things that you kind of learned? 

MAIR: Yeah, so I relate fragrance industry to the music industry. I think that's the easiest way to understand. So you have your big dogs, Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden, all those big names, right? The shocker is that none of those big names own their fragrance line. Not one. Okay? And then you have like the independent categories. We're like the Chance the Rappers of the industry. That's people like myself that own it, all of it, and are independent. And every deal was not linked with a major label. It was independently done. That was the biggest shocker because it was just like, wait. Tom Ford doesn't own Tom Ford? Michael Kors doesn't own Michael Kors? What? And so it was just like an uneven playing field because all of these brands are owned by distribution companies that have unlimited access to capital. Unlimited is the right and proper word to use there because that's how they obliterate brands like mine, independent brands like mine because they can spend a million dollars in three months on advertising alone and not blink of an eye. And that's normal for them. And then you've got me. It's just like, I’m not doing that. That's the difference and that was the main shocker of the industry. The other shocker was how much of a community it is. Same thing like the music industry where, and I use that lightly with the music industry. Hang on, same thing. But within the music industry, you know, they are big on collaboration, because it's like if we could just work together. There's power in Unity. We can both win. That is the theme in fragrance. So it's just like, man, if we share each other's things, we can both win. Like here's my community, here's your community. Let's get together. Let's meet up in Wisconsin. Or Let's meet up in New York, and let's have a party. You're new, I'm old. We can make it work. I was actually blown away by the love and acceptance I have had in my own fragrance community. That was definitely a shocker.

BIRD: That's incredible. That's not something I would have expected you to say, there being a community there in the fragrance industry. That's really really special. 

MAIR:  In the fragrance community, not beauty industry.

BIRD: I see, I see. You got to make that distinction for sure. Wow! That's amazing. So, what would you say were some factors that would attribute to your business success? You're like, I'm young. I do have my own capital that I'm bringing in. I don't know what I'm doing. I have this great mentor, but I'm a small fish in a big pond. Like all of that going on. If you look back and what would you say, like, wow I think it were these things that really contributed to my business success.

MAIR: You know there's a saying, “Ignorance is bliss.” I’ve said it several times. I’m very bold. I've always been very persistent. I would attribute that to mental fortitude. I have fallen several times. I just didn't share it on social media. So I just kept going. Everybody knows what it looks like when you quit. But you owe it to yourself to keep going and to see how far you can go and see what the future can become. If you continue. I contribute all of my success to that main mantra. 

BIRD: Whew! Yes. 

MAIR: Number two, I had help along the way. I partnered with other people early on. I was like okay, you are in Houston, you are a boutique owner, I want to partner with you. You are a hotel owner, but you have a boutique in your hotel, I want to partner with you. Partnerships, the power of partnerships will get you alone. 

Number three, my tribe, people I lean on, are also in the fragrance community and also have their own brand, their own fragrance brands. And I know your listeners are going, “Well, isn't that the competition?” No, because we are going about the fragrance industry, completely different ways. We're all secure and very confident. And I know that's very rare to find in our own skill and talent. So when we come together, we're not like, “So what are you doing so that I can make it better?” It's, “Okay so how can I help you? I know there's a store in West Philly that is looking for that kind of perfume.” See what I'm saying? The power of unity. I knew that early on going in, so I was able to receive it and act on it. 

BIRD: Girl! This is like my love language. You're just speaking my love language right now. I talked about how to think about competition. And people are so worried about the competition or someone copying them. But what I say is that you have your own secret sauce. And when you're confident in what that is and what that brings to your audience, your customers, your clients. It doesn't matter what's going on around you. You don't have to feel like you're in competition. We've ever looked at other gyms, even other gyms in our area that did similar things, as competition because we knew we provided something unique and special and great. And in the same way, we were able to then in freedom collaborate and support and encourage and promote. I mean, I remember when Hurricane Harvey happened here in Houston, we were actually stuck in California. We had gone on a family trip and couldn't get back home. And there was a gym owner in our area who went to our gym to check on it and make sure that it wasn't flooded and was reporting back. He was having a bicycle there because he couldn't drive because of floodwaters. But we had established such a strong community with other gym owners that we had someone do that for us. And I think to your point, it can definitely contribute to your success when you have that perspective and that mindset shift. I love that. Wow. And to keep going. I'll just say really quick. That was one of our hashtags for The League ‘Keep Going’. Just put one foot in front of the other. Yes, it might look like stuff is going crazy around you. You might not know exactly what to do, but you can do something. There's something you can identify that you can do today, this week, this month, to take your business one step closer to your goal. And so just do that. Just do the next thing.

MAIR: Yeah. And I would also say you know I went to school for marketing and corporate communication and so I have a huge advantage. And I definitely lean on that and use that to the greatest of my ability. And I went to school with some cool people. A lot of the photographers that work with me are actually people that I went to college, high school, middle school with. I lean on it and use it. Here's my network. I'm going to tap on it. Definitely, I think those are the main contributors. And I also want to say, the guy, his name is Van Wilson, who saw my signature, and was like I can see this on a perfume bottle. We're like this. We are attached to the hip, to the point where he's like, “Oh girl, you're annoying.” I mean, it got to the point where I was calling him every day because you know every day there's something new. But like we're attached to the hip. So, look, the only voice I'm actually listening to is my own, but it's influenced by people that I really respect and are allowed to speak to me on this, you know. Van is an entrepreneur as well. But also, he came in with an intrapreneur mindset. So he built the business with his buddy and then sold it but then worked in it and now he's executive VP. All the fancy titles for another company. So it's just like, you, I want on my team, you know?

BIRD: That's so good. It goes to say like, you never know what one word or phrase or encouragement you give somebody, what it might trigger. He said that to you and you weren't even thinking about being an entrepreneur. You weren’t thinking about having a fragrance brand. But that little spark. It was like a seed planted. And look where you are now. So it’s just encouragement. You know,  it goes a long way. I love that. 

Okay, so what is one piece of advice that you would give someone who's just starting out in business? They're kind of like you when you were 23,24. Or when you first really started to make moves toward launching your business. What would you do differently back then knowing what you know now?

MAIR: Right, so I would say that number one key, this is a lag principle, not even more of a business one. But I would say, make a plan. And I think that's so simple and basic for me to say. It's not really that profound. But let me tell you something. The last year, let's just talk about this COVID 2020 year. It was the first year that I actually had a plan. Okay. I mean yeah you have the business plan. Actually, does anyone read that and follow that to the tee? No. Well, I didn’t. Let me speak for myself. 

So, let me tell you a story. So I was talking to Van. And this was when I had just gotten the word that Macy's wanted some kind of partnership. Didn't know what but they wanted some kind of partnership. And I was telling Van because it happened in year three. And I was like, “Van, did you ever think that I would ever get Macy's early on?” Because you know, I had projected like a department store to pick me up in the 10th year. That's typically when that happens. And he looks at me and he was like, “Well yeah. Actually, I thought it would happen sooner, but you didn't have a plan so that's probably why it didn't happen.” And I looked at him and I was like, wait, what? And I was like, “Hater”. I think that was so key because that was when it shifted. It's like, okay, I'm gonna write down what I want, write it down, have a goal, write it down. I want to own an art gallery and this is how I'm going to do it. And then you stick to that plan and you just watch it happen. Things will just start to unfold almost naturally because it's in the center of your mind, but you also wrote it down. I think that's a game-changer. 

Number two, I was not smart with money. I was still living my lifestyle. As an entrepreneur, and we both know. You and I both know, that is not how the game is played. You know, I'll just be honest I was still buying the luxury stuff. And then, when things would happen where I needed capital for my business, put it on my credit card. The number one thing here is credit cards are not loans. They are to be used in emergencies, or for the sole purpose of building your credit score. That is it. They are not loans. And so that is what got me into this oppressing period of debt. Because of the mismanagement. And they don't teach you that in school, but you're learning it now. I learned this early on. Well after the whole debt thing. But buy it on paper first. It's not a budgetary term. But it's just something, a buddy of mine told me. He was like, look, if you buy it on paper first, you know it's going to come out of your account. It's like balancing a checkbook, you know when you balance a checkbook, you're buying it on paper first. If you need $5,000 to buy the machine. All right, I'm gonna put it down by $5,000 for machinery, but I only have $2,000. So we're gonna wait on that because I'm not going to use a credit card for this. I think those are the two things: make a plan, be smart with your money. Be humble. Live humble.

BIRD: Oh my gosh, Mair. So I have to speak to the first thing you said because one of the things I actually offer my clients is a business plan process. It's a five-week process where we develop a business plan. So when you first said that I kind of laughed because I hear that all the time, which is like what's a business plan? Like you do a business plan in the beginning and you kind of stuff it in a folder somewhere, and don't know, whatever, whatever. I resonate with everything you said. It's why you know so many businesses fail early on. Thankful yours, did not. But it's because they haven't really proved their business idea to themselves, They haven't gone through this process of seeing how do my marketing and operations and financial, all this kind of work together? And so it's so funny that you mentioned that because I'm actually about to jump on a work conference with Boss Babes ATX, and I'm talking about how to build resiliency into your business plan. So it's perfect timing kind of going in with the reminder that so many people think of business plans as like, eh, whatever. No, but it is a really viable document. With The League, I feel like that led to so much of our success because we weren't even planning on it, but in our first calendar year, like we launched in December of 2013. And in 2014 we had six figures in revenue, and it was like, and this is a warehouse circuit trading gym. I mean we're, like I said, 25 and 27. We don't know what we're doing, figuring it out. But we had this business plan. And it wasn't something we just created and set it down somewhere. It was something we actually used. I worked on wall street so I sent it to my managing director to look at. I was like, does this make sense? Like, tell me. She was like change this, think about the numbers this way. Like she helped me vet it, and we went by it and we checked it regularly and I think it has so much to do with our quick success and in our rapid growth. So, I love that you bring that up. But yes, having a plan is so so key. And the numbers, the financial pillar is the second module of my course. And it's because people have the numbers in their head. But like you said, when you write it down, it's like, oh, I have to save for taxes. Oh, this isn't gonna work with how you planned. I had a client who, we’re going through this session, we're on a zoom call just like this. And you could see the light bulb go off. She was like, I have to double the business offerings that I was planning on if I don't want to bleed money for three years. And I was like, right. And now you see it because it's here in your business plan in your financial section. So I am with that, all of that, all the way. I love your answers to that question. 

So, This is a question that I ask every single guest, and it's just this. What is one thing you can do this week to bring you closer to the best version of yourself? And I ask it because so often we think about our goals as far off, we have these big plans and goals, but it's like what can you do, right now, this week, today, in your near future to kind of bring you close to the best version of yourself, however, that looks.

MAIR: I can relax. I think that is me. I don't know if I should say this. Maybe, maybe not. I’m gonna say it anyway. There's always a positive in everything. COVID really, really forced me to slow down. I'm very grateful for the slower pace, because, I maybe like many people, was running on fumes. And I wasn't planning on stopping. It was to the point where, I've never struggled with anxiety in my entire life, but like before pre-COVID, I was definitely in that direction. it's just like, “They have to know my name. I have to be here.” And this this this. And everyone needs to see this. I'm doing this. And I'm not showing that. And it’s still something I'm still grappling with because I'm like there's so much more that Mair can be. So much more that my brand could do. 

But you know, it was to the point where I wasn't enjoying my success at all. It was like a major milestone happened and everyone was like, “Did you not just realize that that just happened?” And I was like, on to the next. Literally, that was my reaction. It was like onto the next. I think that is the one thing that can get me closer. It's just like, relax and slow down and take in the moment. Take it in.

BIRD: That is it, girl. I think every single entrepreneur, especially in the first five years range, needs to hear exactly what you said, and can absolutely relate to where you are. And same with me with COVID. When it happened. I mean, I literally initially thought of it as, Oh, I have two weeks to do all these things because we had to shut the gym down. And so, to me, it was like an opportunity to get a whole bunch of stuff done. Now here we are like six months later, still shut down. You know, still in quarantine. Didn’t think it would be that long. But I was in this mode of go go go go go. How much can I stuff in my days? And also just like one of the revelations I had was, all of these things on my calendar when we shut down. I was just having to delete, delete, delete, delete, and it was like, I started to think. These are not things I have to do. Before COVID they were, I have to do this. I have to do this. I have to go. I mean I know it's a global pandemic and that's huge and crazy but I don't have to do all these things. And so it made me rethink. What am I allowing in my space? What am I putting on my calendar? What should and shouldn't be there? What am I doing because I feel like I have to versus it actually fills me? Now of course there will be things in your business that you do have to do to move forward. But not all the things, you know. And so it's really deciding, where do you set those boundaries. My challenge for myself is going forward as things open up to not just fill my calendar back up. To be aware and intentional about my schedule, my calendar. So I love that you said that.

MAIR: Yeah, I think for me also because I’m playing with some big dogs here. Let me give you an example. When COVID happened and shut down. My other entrepreneurial friends that are farther ahead. They pivoted like THIS (snaps fingers). Like, one day that time and they were on to the new thing. And I'm looking at that and I'm like, “Aren't you tired?” And I'm just watching her and I was like, you know what? This is why they say comparison fails because if that was my spirit, it wouldn't work. I would have exploded. So it's just like, I can watch you and clap for you, and have grace for myself in knowing that I'm going to take a break because that's what Mair needs. And you can pivot and live in the fast lane and do all of that because that's what's right for you in that certain time. So comparison. Don't do it. 

BIRD: Oh, yes and yes and yes. I define excellence, actually, Tauren Wells said this once, and it really stuck with me. “Excellence is doing the best that you can with what you have in your hand.” And what we don't realize is that we all have different things in our hand. Even when I launched for Bird Williams, I was looking at these other online businesses and all the things that they were doing to serve their people. And I'm like, I want to do all of that. But what I wasn't realizing is I'm a one-woman show, you know? They have a full team. They have several people making all this happen behind the scenes. It was actually my financial planner who reminded me. She's like, “Ashley, it’s great that you want to do all this. But you know they have a full team right?” And so, to your point with things like COVID. And this is an aggressive example, COVID is wild and you know unprecedented. But I tell people all the time there will be COVID-like scenarios in your business going forward, again and again, especially when you're just starting out. You're going to have a lot of roadblocks, so you have to get used to adapting and being comfortable with what that looks like. And to your point, understand the way you adapt might look different from a competitor, or a friend, or someone else, and that's okay because you're fit for the long game. If you would have pushed yourself to try to pivot, because of this comparison, you would kill yourself and then you would not be making deals with Macy's, not being able to… Again, the long game is what we're focused on. So I love that you brought that up. That is a very important thing to point out. So thank you.

MAIR: No problem.

BIRD: So now we're going to do this really fun, lightning round. It's just a fun way to have my listeners learn more about you. It's just like a list of fun, like five questions. So here we go. 

MAIR: I won’t keep my answers corporate. I'll be as fun as possible.

BIRD: Okay, awesome, awesome. So number one, what is an item on your bucket list?

MAIR: Go to Prague.

BIRD: I’ve been there.

MAIR: Have you? It’s so beautiful. The architecture.

BIRD: It’s so beautiful. All of that. I lived in Milan for six months in college, and I traveled all over Western Europe and I went there. So yeah, it's beautiful, do it. Number two, what's your favorite season of the year?

MAIR: Summer. Actually no, I'm gonna change that to spring.

BIRD: Ooh, I love it. That's awesome. You’re, like let me think about it. This heat in Houston makes m

MAIR: Naw.

BIRD: If you could travel anywhere right now, where would you go? 

MAIR: New York. 

BIRD: That's my favorite city, I love it. Number four, what is the very first thing you do in the morning?

MAIR: Check my phone. 

BIRD: Okay, okay. That’s an entrepreneur right there. What is your favorite type of music?

MAIR: Trap.

BIRD: Ahhh! H-town! I love it.

MAIR: A lot of you were not expecting that.

BIRD: I was not expecting that. But you said you weren’t gonna keep it corporate, you were gonna keep it fun. So there we go. How can people connect with you online? I want people to learn about you, about Mair Fragrance, of course. So how can people connect with you?

MAIR: I think the best way to connect with me is on Instagram. It’s @mairfragrance. But I'm on all of them. I recently just got involved in LinkedIn and I love it. Okay. Oh, yes, I know, like, when did that come out and I’m just now joining it? You can find me. My LinkedIn is, everything on social media

is Mair Fragrance. But if you want the personal side, it's just my first name and last name, Mair  Emenogu.

BIRD: Awesome. Wonderful. Well, thank you so so much for sharing this space with me. I know my listeners will love to hear your story and just really your heart. You're such a unique, like ball of light, and fun, and passion, and it's special to have you here on the podcast. So, thank you so much.

MAIR: Yes! You're welcome. Now, I have to ask you something. Am I funny? 

BIRD: Are you funny? 

MAIR: Yeah.

BIRD: Yes I told you. You’re like, “Am I hilarious? Just checking.”

MAIR: That’s the one thing I want to be in life. I just want to be funny. 

BIRD: You know what’s so funny? I want to be funny and I am not funny. Like I ask my husband that sometimes. But he's like, Ashley you're a little lame like you're a little cheesy. I never know, like the cool things, or celebrities’ names, or all the fun stuff, the lyrics of a song. I always get it wrong. And I'm like, you know what?

MAIR: That’s what ? said. Like when you try to be funny, you're not. like when you try to be funny. You're not funny. When you're not thinking about it. You're funny. And I’m like, okay!

BIRD: Kids are the best. They're the most honest. I'm like afraid to ask my children things. Like I don't even know if I want to hear the response. 

Awesome. Well thank you so much for being on, and I hope you have a great day.

MAIR: You too. Thanks for having me, Ashley. Awesome. Good to see your face.

BIRD: Good to see your face too. 

Wow. That was incredible. I mean, her story. Her fearlessness. I mean, getting on Google and typing in chemists, and calling 20 people, and finding one to be a mentor. What? I love it. Like getting scrappy like that, really believing in what it is that you're called to do and making it happen and making it work. And all of just her everything. Everything she shared just really resonated with me. And I hope it resonated with you as well. Wherever you are in your entrepreneurial journey I think there's something you can pick up from this episode, so I hope you enjoyed it. As always, I will provide links in the show notes for ways that you can connect with Mair, and learn more about her and her amazing Mair Fragrance, and even where you can purchase it online. All right? 

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