Here at independent Welsh perfume house ORTIR Apothecari it has been a fruitful summer, both out of doors and in.
This past year I have been very very fortunate to have been in THE room with a talented bunch of fragrance houses and some top-notch industry experts.
And look - I have the certificate to prove it.
Together we are the Next Generation of UK Fragrance Houses cherrypicked by the wonderfully supportive Fragrance Foundation UK.
All of us chosen to grow our independent fragrance brand.
Each one of us on our own personal adventure.
Every single one of us with a unique story to tell and choosing to tell it through the medium of scent.
We have learnt that there is no magic formula (oh the days when we wished for one) so we have to build and climb our own ladder to success. And if a sneaky snake sometimes sets us back a square or two how to turn it around and call it a challenge.
To be creative, canny and - guess what – kind.
Because in a class fuelled by competition, we found support and created a true network.
Of course, we all agree that there is pleasure to be had from standing out in a crowd.
But it is pure joy to mingle.