Discover:

• Claire Lonvaud
• Promotion 2000 – DESS FORMULATION PARFUMERIE

• Présidente – PASSION NEZ

What is your educational background?

I first started with a chemical engineering degree from Montpellier School of Chemistry (ENSCM). After 2 years I had the chance to do a gap year at Robertet and Chanel. Then in the last year, I was taken to follow the DESS perfumery formulation at ISIPCA.

What is your professional background after ISIPCA?

I first worked on the R&D side in the quality control, evaluation, analysis and formulation laboratory, electronic nose ... in composition companies (Quintessence) or brand (Chanel). And then the boom in perfumery regulations arrived and professional opportunities led me to this type of position, being a chemical engineer in perfumery. I didn’t imagine finding myself so far from the product and this olfactory art.

So, I decided to complete my scientific career by following a specialized Master in Marketing and Management at ESSEC. This allowed me to give a new direction to my professional career by becoming product manager at Yves Rocher then marketing manager at Reminiscence for almost 10 years.

How did you get the idea for this project and how did you set it up?

With patience and a single passion: Perfumery. Scientist first, then marketing. Step by step, and I can see today that ISIPCA offers know all-in-one diplomas!

What has been the greatest challenge you have overcome in your entrepreneurial adventure? What barriers did you encounter and how did you overcome them?

My business creation project was born following a social plan at Reminiscence. My career was rich. I wanted to share my knowledge and train myself. It was then that I had the chance to take a training course with Isabelle Ferrand, president of Cinquième Sens Paris. In a few moments, the project to create a “Cinquième Sens Grasse” was born. No complex business plan, support from Initiative Terre d´Azur to validate the project, and the structure was born with 2 activities: training and advice in perfume development marketing.

The obstacles were in the form of the difficulty in finding professional clients to start. Initially, I tested the different activities to see what my market was in Grasse. No comparison. So everything to create. Make yourself known and recognized as an expert in perfume training and project support.

What were the key moments that contributed to the success of this project?

The installation in my own offices in the heart of the historic center of Grasse at the end of 2018. From there, I felt that this place would open me up to new opportunities. I was able to welcome more individuals from all over the world wishing to learn perfumery in Grasse. This place also offers everyone the opportunity to come and smell more than 400 raw materials and perfumes from the market, and formulate in the coworking space. A dimension on a human scale for a real personalization of everyone's professional project.

What advice would you give to successfully manage the creation of a business?

Believe in yourself ! And work hard with pleasure! Freedom is expensive, but nothing beats the satisfaction of building and seeing your project come to life!

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