Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

For years, I’ve lived with anxiety and panic attacks. In my hardest moments, when my world felt shaky, the only thing that could ground me was scent — especially the soft, comforting smell of vanilla. That aroma had the power to calm my mind, slow my racing heart, and bring me back to center.

How do you stay motivated?

Seeing people genuinely happy with a product I created is what drives me. There’s something different about knowing you made something with your own hands that brings someone joy or improves their space. That feeling pushes me to keep building, keep improving, and create products people actually connect with—not just buy.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would invest it into learning perfumery at a deeper level and growing my business. Better knowledge means better scents, and reinvesting into production and branding would help me reach more people while staying true to how I build everything.