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June 25, 2015

Startup & Digital Media Advice from Entrepreneur Jo Malone

Jo Malone_Flickr_Pouria

by Jaimie Siegle | Advertising Systems Inc.

A household name among celebrities and designer fragrance fans, UK Entrepreneur Jo Malone grew her namesake luxury perfume business into a covetable, worldwide beauty brand that was acquired by Estee Lauder in 1999. Recently, Malone has dived back into the fragrance industry with a new luxury line called Jo Loves, and a customized candle startup named ShotCandle that allows customers to select their own scents.

In an interview with Startups, Malone discusses the importance of digital media technology to the new ShotCandle brand, and how using technology and rediscovering her “inner entrepreneur” has been vital to the company’s success. Here, our top three takeaways from the interview:

1. Tailor your digital/social media strategies for your unique business.

Despite only one Jo Loves storefront in London, Malone considers her line to be a global brand, thanks to technology, e-commerce and social media. Like similar beauty brands, Instagram has proved to be a valuable channel for audience engagement and global awareness of Malone’s products. “Finding your voice as a brand, and communicating it clearly, is more important than ever.”
Photo by Brendan Corr_Flickr_FortuneLiveMedia

2. Digital media is essential, and print media is far from dead. Used together, the two can be a powerful combination.

Tapping into the right media mix is a trial-and-error process, but finding the sweet spot is worth it: “I was blown away when the combination of print and social media around the launch of [fragrances] White Rose and Lemon Leaves sold four months’ worth of product in three weeks.”

3. Remember why you started. 

“When you’re successful in life, you have a responsibility to keep building,” the self-proclaimed “working girl” says. She continues to re-invest profits back into the business, and notes that the company’s growth has rekindled her entrepreneurial spirit. Although making mistakes is inevitable, bouncing back and learning from them is what’s most important. “I’ve also got lots of passion, resilience and creativity and I think they’re the three greatest things you can have in business.”

Images: Courtesy Flickr/Pouria; Flickr/FortuneLiveMedia (photo by Brendon Corr)

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