For Tonya Kidd-Beggs, founder and CEO of STORIES Parfums, the key to the brand really is in the name: storytelling through the art of perfumery. Founded in October 2018, STORIES is a testament to the power of fragrance in Tonya’s own life. An astounding businesswoman with a fascinating life story, Mumble sits down with Tonya to understand her route to success.
1. What first sparked the idea for building your business?
I originally wanted to create a personal, bespoke perfume for myself and learn a new hobby. This journey led me to Grasse in the South of France, which is the hub of the fragrance world and home to many famous perfumers. It was during my time working here that I had an epiphany. The creation process brought back long-forgotten memories, and I realised the transformative power of fragrance. This realisation inspired me to establish my own fragrance house as a testament to the power of fragrance and the stories that have shaped my life.
Fragrance has always been a way for me to connect with who I am and what matters to me. By sharing my fragrances, I also feel connected to my grandmother, whom I sadly never met. I grew up knowing her favourite perfume and still feel connected to her to this day. She was a businesswoman in a time when women did not work much and broke many glass ceilings for women in her day. She carried an entrepreneurial spirit that I, too, have inherited.
2. How would you describe your process of working as a Founder?
The inspiration for each fragrance is derived from my emotions and feelings on the day. I don't have a specific concept or strategy for my perfumes. Everything comes to life as I work, much like an artist painting a picture. It's an expression, an art form, which I like to call the ‘art of perfumery’. I experienced significant trauma at the age of 12 and, because of this, suffered a loss of my childhood memories. In later years, I went through counselling to remove the root of trauma successfully, and in fact, I went on to train as a counsellor to help others. However, sadly, I still had no recollection of my lost childhood memories until I started developing my first fragrances. Unbeknown to me then, I did not realise that our sense of smell is the most powerful of all our senses closely linked to memory and mood; scientific studies prove the link between our sense of smell and memories. These findings fuelled my passion to tell my story to the world in the hope they, too, would connect with their own aspirations and memories through my scents.
3. What is your big vision for Stories and how do you measure success?
At STORIES, we have one clear purpose: to connect people with their own story, past, present and future through the art of perfumery.
As a brand, our proposition is to create luxurious gender-inclusive fragrances, body care and home fragrances that inspire memories, created from high-quality, sustainable ingredients and materials using traditional production methods.
There are a number of key ways we measure success. Sales and revenue growth is, of course, key. Increasing sales figures indicate growing demand and market acceptance of the brand.
Customer satisfaction and loyalty are also hugely important, and we have specific metrics to gauge how well STORIES Parfums meets customer expectations and builds a loyal customer base. We also monitor brand recognition, market share and competitive positioning within the fragrance industry.
Lastly but not least, we focus on sustainability impact. Sustainability is a core value of STORIES; measuring the company's environmental footprint, sustainable practices, and social impact can also be essential success indicators. We aim to be certified B Corp and Positive Luxury. •
By aligning the business's activities with its vision and regularly evaluating performance against key success metrics, STORIES PARFUMS can track progress, identify areas for improvement, and strive towards achieving its long-term goals.
4. What has been the most critical decision you made that has impacted your business the most?
Choosing the right target market is crucial for any business. Understanding your target market helps tailor your marketing strategies, product development, and overall business approach to better meet the needs and preferences of your customers. Failing to accurately define and target the right audience can lead to wasted resources, ineffective marketing campaigns, and poor sales performance. On the other hand, successfully identifying and appealing to the right target market can lead to increased customer engagement, higher sales, and overall business success.
5. What advice would you give to anyone dreaming of starting their own business?
Believe in yourself and your dream. What started out as a hobby for me is growing into a globally renowned luxury niche fragrance brand with sustainability at its core. I began my brand in my mid-to-late 40s after being a stay-at-home mum. I went to London, knowing this was where I needed to launch in 2017 with nothing but my perfumes and my stories, but a passion that has fueled every step of the way and a belief that what I have built is unique. I do not look at trends and what others are doing. Instead, I am focused on the belief that I have created something very unique, which is supported by the power of fragrance and the power of our sense of smell with memory and mood.
In trusting my own instincts, I entered the oversaturated world of fragrance in the beauty industry with no prior knowledge of brand building. Despite feeling inexperienced, I had my creations and a story. Over time, I've learned to follow my intuition, despite it being a costly lesson at times.
Discover STORIES Parfums at storiesparfums.com, and connect on Instagram @storiesparfums @tony_stories_parfums.