From Banker to Scent Maker! Kickoff Pumkin Spice Season with Fragrance Bar Owner Christina Julian

Ep. 42 ✨Ever wonder what it takes to pivot from a corporate career to owning and operating an experiential retail business? Meet Christina Julian, the visionary behind Rochester’s unique fragrance bar, Scents by Design. 🚀 From navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship during a global pandemic to hosting Taylor Swift album release parties, Christina’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.Tune in to hear how she turned her passion into a thriving business, embracing creativity, community, and collaboration along the way. 🎧 #GettingRealWithBossy #ScentsByDesign #EntrepreneurLife #BossMovesKey Takeaways: Experiential retail is a marketing strategy that focuses on creating engaging and memorable shopping experiences that go beyond the traditional purchase. The goal is to connect with customers on an emotional level and immerse them in the brand's narrative. The Significance of a Business Plan: How a well-thought-out business plan helped Christina navigate initial challenges and continues to be a living document guiding her journey. Community and Collaboration: The vital role of community over competition and collaborations with local businesses in fostering growth and creating memorable customer experiences. Innovative Customer Engagement: Unique events like Taylor Swift album release parties and themed fragrance-making sessions as a way to attract and engage customers. Strategic Expansion: Christina's thoughts on potential business expansion and her approach to balancing growth with maintaining her core values and customer experience quality. Notable Quotes: "Creating a custom scent is not something you can do online; it's a unique, in-person experience that people crave." "We create spaces for memorable life events, from girls' nights to engagement proposals, which makes everything worthwhile." "The idea of expanding is appealing, but I don't want to lose the personal touch and creative joy that comes with being hands-on in my current space." Resources: Scents by Design Website: scentsbydesign.com Scents by Design Social Media: Instagram: @scentsbydesigncandlebar Facebook: Scents by Design Candle Bar Subscribe to Getting Real with Bossy Podcast and join Kelly Bush and Kelly Metras every other Monday as they uncover the inspiring stories behind small business owners in Rochester, NY and beyond.Title Sponsor: Salena’s Mexican RestaurantEpisode sponsors: Marshall Street, Union TavernHosted by Kelly Bush + Kelly Metras founders of www.BossyRoc.comMusic: Do it by Infraction, Mellow Bop by Prigida & You are the best by Cutesy Chamber Ensemble Produced by JazzCast ProsAbout the Guest:Christina Julian, the owner and founder of Scents by Design, was born and raised in Rochester, New York. Christina earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication Management and Design at Ithaca College before beginning a career in Commercial Banking. In 2019, Christina left the corporate world to pursue entrepreneurship. She opened Scents by Design, a pour-your-own candle and custom fragrance bar, in the Neighborhood of the Arts in November of 2020. Chapters:0:00 Welcome from Kelly Metras + Kelly Bush3:56 Introducing Christina Julian4:49 From Banking to Custom Candles: A Pandemic Pivot7:37 Creating Custom Candles and Fragrances for Unique Experiences11:42 Navigating Business Trends and Consumer Behavior in a Unique Market14:27 Creating Custom Scents for Emotional and Branding Purposes18:25 Balancing Ambition and Personal Fulfillment in Business Expansion21:39 Creative Events and Taylor Swift Album Release Parties26:43 Balancing Creative Passion and Administrative Tasks in Business30:40 A Journey of Transformation35:32 Business Expansion Challenges41:23 The Importance of Community and Collaboration in Small Business44:56 Manifesting a Taylor Swift Collaboration with Scents by Design Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices