How did founder Claire Burke harness her experience in interior design to launch a business in home fragrance?
Mark Grodsky: Claire Burke realized that home fragrance was an extension of interior design. She knew that even the most extraordinary room wasn’t complete without the right accessories and an exquisite scent to tie it all together. With a $200 investment, she launched her business creating combinations of botanical elements and complex fragrances, which became her trademark. GDA: What was the company’s initial product, and how was it marketed? MG: Claire began by mixing dried flowers and herbs in her bathtub to create our flagship product, Original Potpourri. As sales grew, operations moved to an old brick house that could accommodate consumer demand. Deciding to expand their business, Claire and her husband took their products on the road. They stopped at every Virginia gift store to sell their hand-mixed potpourri. Product lines grew as the times changed, with packaging and quality product still valued as the cornerstone of the brand. GDA: What have been some of the company’s challe
