Side Hustle Pro

470: This NYC Native Runs a Luxury Fragrance Boutique Out Of Her Harlem Brownstone REWIND

July 9, 2025

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  • Kimberly Waters founded Muse, a luxury boutique fragrance house in Harlem, by leveraging her corporate career for funding and a friend's parlor floor, demonstrating a strategic, incremental approach to entrepreneurship. 
  • Muse's success is attributed to its unique 'fragrant speakeasy' experience, focusing on education, community, and culture, offering personalized appointments that empower customers to explore and understand fragrances beyond transactional sales. 
  • Kimberly's journey highlights the transition from a passion project to a viable business, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, tenacity, and intentional planning for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to bet on themselves and build a scalable venture. 

Segments

Founding Muse in Harlem
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Kimberly Waters launched Muse, a luxury fragrance house, from her friend’s Harlem brownstone parlor floor in 2017, driven by a desire to create a community-focused fragrance destination.
  • Summary: This segment covers the initial inspiration and humble beginnings of Muse, highlighting its establishment in Harlem and the founder’s vision to provide a unique fragrance experience within her community.
From Corporate to Fragrance
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(00:05:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Frustration with a lack of career advancement in corporate healthcare and pharmaceuticals led Kimberly to explore her passion for fragrance, transforming it into a side hustle and eventually Muse.
  • Summary: Kimberly details her career dissatisfaction in the corporate world, her personal search for purpose, and how her lifelong love for fragrances became the catalyst for her entrepreneurial journey.
The Muse Experience
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(00:31:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Muse offers a personalized, appointment-only ‘fragrant speakeasy’ experience focused on education, community, and culture, allowing clients to discover fragrances in a relaxed, intimate home setting.
  • Summary: This section describes the unique customer experience at Muse, including the by-appointment-only model, the focus on personalized consultations, and the creation of a welcoming, educational environment that fosters connection with scents.
Scaling and Future Vision
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(00:44:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Muse’s growth is driven by authenticity and word-of-mouth, with aspirations to expand nationally and internationally, transitioning from a side hustle to a full-time venture with a clear vision for its future.
  • Summary: Kimberly discusses her marketing strategies, the business’s evolution, her goals for scaling Muse, and her commitment to eventually transitioning to full-time entrepreneurship, envisioning Muse in new locations.