When people ask me what it felt like to “make it,” I think of a handful of moments.
One of them? The day I got a massive purchase order from Jack Ma’s team.
It was exciting. Unbelievable, even. But right behind the thrill came the pressure.
Am I ready for this?
Are my products?
I knew I needed to refine everything. I couldn’t just show up with what had worked so far—I had to elevate.
And one thing I knew had to change immediately?
My scents.
I wasn’t a trained perfumer. I’d created fragrances intuitively, inspired by nature, memories, and emotions. But this was next-level. I needed my scents to be high-end, natural, and emotionally resonant. I wanted them to feel like luxury—but still tell a story.
LESSON 1: You don’t need to know everything—but you do need to ask.
A mentor stepped in. He said, “What if we reached out to Ann Gottlieb?”
Yes, that Ann Gottlieb. The legendary “nose” behind Calvin Klein One, Dior Addict, and so many more. I almost laughed. Me? Email her?
But here’s what I’ve learned: sometimes, the biggest leaps start with the smallest asks.
I sent an email.
She replied.
We set up a meeting.
LESSON 2: Don’t downplay your story—lead with it.
I showed up to her office on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with my lotion bottles in a tote bag.
She’d already laid out each scent on the table.
And as we sat together, she didn’t just evaluate formulas—she asked me about the meaning behind each one.
I told her about my anxiety as a child.
About how scent helped me reset.
About my mission to help others claim calm through fragrance.
And Ann? She got it. She said yes.
She offered to help me reimagine my entire line.
It was a Cinderella moment.
But it was also a reminder: People connect with story more than strategy.
Lead with heart. Let people see what you’re really about.
LESSON 3: Fancy doesn’t always mean aligned.
Ann introduced me to a high-level creative director. I was swept up in this sparkling NYC fragrance world. It was thrilling, inspiring, expensive—and disorienting.
I kept telling myself: This is what growth looks like. It’s supposed to feel uncomfortable.
And sometimes, that’s true.
But sometimes, discomfort is your intuition whispering, “This isn’t quite it.”
We created beautiful scents. I learned more than I ever imagined.
But eventually, I had to admit: I wasn’t building what I had originally dreamed. I was building someone else’s version of luxury.
LESSON 4: Growth doesn’t always mean bigger—it means clearer.
That season taught me the power of refinement, collaboration, and creative risk.
But even more than that, it taught me how to come home to my why.
Now, everything I do starts with alignment.
If the growth doesn’t match the mission—it’s a no.
If it doesn’t help people feel better, calmer, more grounded—it’s not mine to build.
YOUR TAKEAWAY: What this story means for you
If you’re in a season of growth—or craving one—ask yourself:
- Am I stretching toward something aligned, or just chasing shiny?
- Do I need to refine my tools, skills, or systems? Who can help me do that?
- What story am I telling through my work, and am I sharing it with the people who need to hear it?
And if you’re building a brand or a dream, remember:
You don’t have to be the expert in everything.
You just have to know your why—and keep showing up for it.
Because growth gets so much easier when you’re rooted in what matters.
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