Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawn Crenshaw.
Shawn, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been fascinated with fragrances ever since my dad bought me my first bottle of Pierre Cardin cologne while I was in grade school. That fragrance had superpowers. The first day I wore it to school, instantly I became the most popular kid at recess. All the girls were complimenting me. From that moment, I realized that a man is incomplete without a great smelling fragrance.
Five years ago, while holiday shopping for a fragrance at one of the big department stores, I noticed something absent from all of the designer fragrances. There wasn’t a single designer fragrance that used an African-American model in the promotion or branding of its fragrance. I sampled every fragrance on the counter.
Not one fragrance presented imagery that reflected who I was and who I was aspiring to become an African-American man in American society. None of the fragrances connected with me. I didn’t purchase a fragrance. I left the store determined to create a fragrance that authentically connected with African-American men.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My journey has been a labor of love. I knew nothing about the fragrance industry before embarking on my journey. I spent long nights researching on the Internet, learning the difference between a top note and a base note, and understanding the difference between an eau de toilette and Eau de Perfume.
The biggest challenge was finding a fragrance designer and manufacturer to help me create the fragrance recipe and produce a bottled product. After years of trial and error, I found an upstart fragrance company in Germany to take on my project and help me bring it to market.
Please tell us about Ovation for Men.
The focus of my company is to create products targeted to African-American consumers and brand those products with creativity, authenticity, and showmanship.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would seek start-up capital from an angel investor or venture capital firm.
Pricing:
- $65 per bottle
Contact Info:
- Website: Shawncrenshawinc.com
- Phone: 4045132673
- Email: shawn@shawncrenshawinc.com
- Instagram: @shawncrenshawinc
Image Credit:
Ron Hill
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
