My name is Monisha Edwards and I am the Founder and Chief Scent Officer for Scent & Fire.
Scent & Fire® is a tech-forward fragrance brand deep-rooted in Culture and Wellness. We manufacture eco-conscious products and highly conceptual body + home fragrances without having to sacrifice sustainability or aesthetics. Our fragrances are made to beautify environments, build confidence, and change the traditional outlook on self-care.
After my father was shot and paralyzed in 2017, I became his 24-hour caregiver, and it took a toll on me mentally. I was diagnosed with PTSD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and severe anxiety. I eventually turned to aromatherapy healing practices to help lower depressive episodes. Fragrance and self-love pulled me out of a really dark space.
My main mission is to teach others about sustainable self-care practices through the creation of clean fragrances that are inclusive to provide a sense of well-being.
THE PROBLEM
Only 35% of men and women consistently make time for self-care, and that percentage is significantly decreased within Black communities. Furthermore, many people are unaware of the health benefits of aromatherapy and wearing fine fragrances as a sustainable self-care practice that can help with anxiety, insomnia, and self-esteem issues. Self-esteem is associated with anxiety, depression, and stress, which can significantly affect one’s quality of life, especially in BIPOC communities.
OUR SOLUTION
To battle the aforementioned statistics, we are providing green manufacturing of clean and inclusive personal care alternatives, functional fragrances for mood enhancement, and technology for modernized scent experiences. Our functional fragrances are neuro-pleasing scents that tap into the deepest parts of the brand for mental clarity and confidence boosting.
We utilize technology to change the way you interact with fragrances through curated music playlists and sensory campaigns. We also started utilizing machine learning to help aid in the scent development and discovery process.
All of our products are blended and hand-poured in small batches from domestically sourced raw and recycled materials.
OUR TARGET AUDIENCE AND MARKET
Our market share opportunity includes the $4.24 trillion global wellness industry, as the $11.8 billion U.S. fragrance industry
Our current business model serves 3 verticals, Direct to Consumer, Business to Business, and Multi-Channel Retail. Our primary customers are men and women ages 25-45 who like to indulge in eco-luxury fragrances and aromatherapy for self-care. These customers typically have a discretionary income of $400 or more to spend with our brand and reside in the southern and eastern states.
We have a major advantage over other eco-friendly fragrance brands by creating sensory campaigns and utilizing technology to change the way people interact with fragrances. We are also one of the very few Black-owned high-end fragrance brands on the market.
WE'RE TRANSITIONING
I’m in a special space with my brand where we’re pivoting from being a candle company into a full high-end fragrance brand. We’re seeking funding for the production of our existing and new products. We are working with a perfumer that helped us develop our two gender-inclusive clean body fragrances and we’ll need the funds to manufacture the new fragrances full-scale. The funds will also be used to hired 2 new production associates to help with production and fulfillment as we expand our wholesale and private label side of the business.
Retail readiness is part of our 2023 growth strategy, which will require us to acquire GS1 barcodes, update our packaging, acquire cruelty-free licenses, and become EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) compliant to be able to drop ship for potential retail partners such as Nordstrom, Anthropologie, West Elm, and Macy’s.
The funds will also be used to launch the Scent To Give™ Foundation, an initiative that was developed by my father and I to continue our philanthropic work to create opportunities, educate, and continue our fight against the stigma in our community. One of our main initiatives includes providing sponsored therapy sessions for men, women, and kids in marginalized communities, and providing resources and mentoring for those suffering from spinal cord injuries just like my father.
I decided to crowdfund through iFundWomen because I wanted my campaign to be a success. The mentoring and resources that iFundwomen provides for women founders is unmatched. They’ve already given me a boost of confidence in my fundraising initiative and have even made an initial investment in my campaign.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
I have a goal of raising $10,000 by the end of the year to take my brand to the next level. I truly believe that I can get there with your help and support. If you can’t make a financial contribution, sharing this campaign with others is just as helpful. No investment amount is too small or too large as I am in need of the funding to accomplish my goals as soon as possible. Please take a look at the perks that I’ve created for those who would like to contribution to my campaign. Thank you in advance for your support and love for clean fragrances!
