Signature Collection

There are a group of international Fragrance Influencers who have been flown to the Maldives for the launch of 2 new perfumes.

I don’t expect anyone of them to say to the many fans who follow them that either of those two perfumes are not good.

One can argue that this type of marketing has existed from the beginning of time and nothing is wrong with it because it happens in every industry.

As a consumer how do you feel about the people whom you follow being gifted all expenses paid vacations and gifts to then come back and market to you?

Is it just one of the perks of the job as an Influencer that they enjoy or should there be a moral code in the industry that prevents this type of lavish gifting?

I am interested to find out your view point since this is also a debate in the medical industry.

Last December I officially met in person someone whom I spoke to a few times on the telephone and whose business I have been supporting for the last 5 years.

The person invited me to call them in January 2026 and invited me to a meeting where we could consider collaborating.

I always welcome collaborations because no man is an island even if we live on one.

If you go back to my LinkedIn posts in mid-January I referred to that meeting where everyone put their cards on the table and certain promises were made to me as I exited the meeting. I felt it was a great meeting because we all stated what we could do for each other and also the limitations of the potential partnership.

A couple of weeks passed and an email that was supposed to be sent by the end of the business day never came and so I followed up with gentle reminder emails a couple of times.

I eventually got the feeling that I was being ghosted and I did not understand why because if you change your mind, it’s okay to do so and you are within your rights to do so but the decent action in any scenario is to tell the other person that you have had a change of heart.

My world didn’t end because I have been so accustomed to people changing their minds about any number of things from frivolous to important and I have learnt to be okay with if it happens and if it doesn’t.

My only concern was that I was ghosted by business people whom other people revere on LinkedIn and in local society as if they are the most successful people to walk the earth. To me a simple email stating that they are uninterested in pursuing the venture would have sufficed.

It is what it is and I am at that stage in life where great if it happens and great if it doesn’t because my worth is not measured by opinions but by the real impact I bring to my industry and country.

Everyday I encounter people who ask me for my opinion on perfumes. My opinion shouldn’t count for you because I will not be wearing the perfume so what I think about it doesn’t matter.

Some people are upset when I say these things to them because we have been conditioned to value what other people think and not what is best for us.

However, in all my extensive years of study, research and experiences, how a perfume will resonate on me based on my individual body chemistry, setting in which I am wearing the perfume and application of the perfume, the very perfume that I love and gets me great compliments, you may dislike.

It is important to have your own experiences with your perfumes to determine what you love, what loves you and what is not going to trigger a migraine or an allergic reaction in you.

This is why I have developed my Art of Scent class to help people understand the science behind perfumes and how appreciating this science can impact on your outlook on perfumes and fragrances.

It’s a great time to also book my class and invest in yourself because as it comes closer to the last quarter of the year, I am unable to host Sojourns as frequently as I would love to because my emphasis then in on Christmas.

With INITIO Parfums Privés – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉