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“I never saw myself reflected in the fragrance industry,” says founder and CEO Brianna Arps. moody As for why she decided to start building her business in 2017, she says, “I remember seeing commercials with half-naked men running on the beach and other advertising gimmicks that didn’t necessarily make sense. ”
Alps began her career as an investigative journalist covering the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle beats. In 2018, she realized she had been let go when she opened her company laptop to find that access to her email had been revoked. “The pressure to make a name for myself in this industry consumed me for years,” Alps says. She “didn’t realize that her worth was inextricably intertwined with her career until it was too late for her.”
She recalls riding the train back to her apartment in a panic the day she was fired. Panic developed into depression, which worsened the longer I was unemployed. She believes that her self-care routine of finding comfort and solace in fragrances helped her get through this difficult time and was the moment when MOODEAUX was born.
“The layoff sent me back to what to do next, and that was to build MOODEAUX,” Alps says. “Of course, there were questions along the way: What am I qualified to start and run a business? I silenced that inner critic and said, ‘What am I qualified to do and build this? I had to say, ‘I’m going to give myself that.’
For Alps, purchasing and wearing a fragrance is always a positive act, bringing joy, excitement and peace with every swig. MOODEAUX is dedicated to creating scents that educate consumers and help them “show off how they feel.” As a child, Alps remembers trying all the scents her mother and grandmother had in their wardrobes. “I have always been interested in fragrances because of some of the most important and best-smelling women I know: my mother, Cynthia, and my late grandmother, Minnie. I took great pride in creating a routine that centered around the whole.”
As his company continues to grow and expand, here’s some advice Alps has to share with other aspiring entrepreneurs.
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Image credit: Lisa Dexter
1. Understand that small mistakes can lead to big setbacks in the future.
”MOODEAUX wasn’t always our company name. “It was ‘Moode Beaute’ until my previous trademark attorney gave me the bad news,” Alps says. “When we went to apply for registration at the end of 2019, she discovered that another organization with the same spelling had thoroughly beaten us” in just a few days. I cried like a baby — mainly because at that point I had spent thousands of dollars on branding that would never work. ”
Alps spent more time brainstorming and collaborating with a trademark attorney and finally settled on the name MOODEAUX. It was an important reminder to her that you should never ignore the legal issues of your business. She cautions founders to ensure that they can defend their trademark rights by filing in a timely manner and hiring a trademark attorney with expertise they don’t have. She says, “Small mistakes or oversights, like not trademarking your name early on, can lead to major setbacks and challenges down the road if you’re not careful.”
2. Get used to accepting a lot of “no”s.You’ll get a “yes” soon.
“Be prepared to get more no’s than yes’s you’re waiting for,” Alps says. “After hundreds of conversations, meetings, and applications to raise further funding for MOODEAUX, we received approximately 10 buy-ins.” Arps encourages founders to build inner fortitude and persevere. We encourage them to rely on perseverance and prepare for the long road ahead. She also acknowledges that most women of color have to work harder than other women to get that “yes” answer. And each one helped her look back and redirect her energy to reaching out to those who believe in her, celebrate her, and support her vision for Mudo.
“When I meet with venture capital funds, they’ll say no for now and say, ‘When you start doing business with this retail store, come back to us and we’ll invest.’ says Alps. “Then you launch the product in that retailer and they say, “Okay, come back when you hit your sales goals.” I moved a lot. It seemed like I was never good enough for them, so I had to work hard not to internalize that.”
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3. Broaden your thinking about fundraising
Arps reminds founders that there are many ways to fund and scale your business. While traditional venture capital funds were impressed with his MOODEAUX trajectory, some funds were not convinced. “I was tired of feeling like I was on a hamster wheel and needed to think of another way to finance my business,” Alps says. “We didn’t need a fancy press release saying we were working with a big fund. We needed cash to scale. We needed money in the bank.”
Arps focused on raising funds in unconventional ways through grant-awarded accelerators and competitions. “Accelerators are a great way to learn and help level up your business,” he says Arps. “You’re not just getting an injection of cash, you’re learning. When you’re done, you’re undeniable.” We encourage you not to be shy or afraid to ask someone to invest in your business.
“I’m not chasing big headlines or the spotlight,” Alps says. “I will always go to places where I am celebrated, where people embrace Black ambition and understand Moodo’s trajectory and our ability to bring about positive change in the fragrance industry.”