Today we’d like to introduce you to DeSean Robinson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us DeSean. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My journey started as a dream and a desire to give back to my culture in an honorable way. I had been in the fragrance business for many years providing great service to my customers selling them perfume oils. At this particular time my life my ex-wife was in school finishing up a degree and we had two small girls. I was operating a small storefront in Fort Worth, TX. I was getting tired of the brick and mortar aspect of my business so I opted to come home in the evenings to cover my girls while my ex-wife would study to finish schoolwork at the library. So I decided to shut down the retail part of my business and wholesale only during the daytime.
After several months passed, some of my loyal customers started calling me asking if I had product I could sell them. Many claiming they could not find anything worthy of my fragrance! Shortly thereafter, I found myself on the streets meeting my customers anywhere I could. Barbershops, salons, gas stations & grocery store parking lots. Of course everywhere I went, I would get a new customer from the word of mouth customer I was meeting.
Soon my weekends were filled with me selling products again only this time I was on the streets of the city. I didn’t like serving my customers this way. I felt I was given them a disservice by doing transactions on the streets. It felt very drug dealish (Lol). I was doing legitimate business in the streets. I had a big problem with way I was doing business!
I began brainstorming! Started asking myself how can I make my business seem more legit in my eyes and I felt proud doing? So I starting meet customers only at Starbucks and nice McDonalds and other places like that. But sometimes I would get asked to leave those places. Then one night in a dream about a perfume store on wheels! It was like a box truck that customers could come inside and purchase their goods!
I woke up remembering that’s it! God had giving me the master plan! And my new journey begin to set out to build the first mobile perfume shop on wheels! As I done my R&D and discovered nothing out there existed. I was fired up! I knew It would be a challenge to find someone to build it! No company had make anything like this before! I finally contacted a company in Kansas City, KS. I remember approaching them and the guy was in awe after I explained the concept to him. His reply was,” We have never done anything like this before and we would love to be the first!”
It was the longest four years later when I was finally ready. But I didn’t give up! I did something almost every week to move me closer to my dream. I called the company back and told him I was ready to get started. Surprisingly the guys were still employed with the company and remember me! And he said, “Let’s do this!” We started and four months later, the first Mobile Perfume Bar was born!
But a twist of events happened while I was waiting! During the time of me waiting for my van to get finished by the company, I had hired. I received a certified letter from judicial courts of Kansas stating that the company I hired had filed bankruptcy! I was floored and did not know what to do! I was horrified because the letter was asking if I wanted to participate in the bankruptcy I had to reply within 45 days! All I had dreamt about was now in jeopardy by this bankruptcy! I feared that if I participated in it, they would not finish my van. And I also feared that if I didn’t file and the company closed their doors that I would never see my van again. And the dream of the Mobile Perfume Bar would be over! And I would have no recourse. Thankfully, I owed them a large amount of the money at delivery of the van. And I was bank on that if they were hurting financially they were counting on the money I owed them so they had to finish! Thank God I was right and it worked out in my favor. As soon as I picked up my van the day after. Literally, the company shut their doors, disconnected phone numbers they were no longer in service, the whole nine!
Also during that time, while all of that was happening, I was also going through divorce court proceedings. I was displaced out of my home of 20 years due to the court proceedings. But I never gave up! It seems as though all was falling down around me. It was the best and the worst of times.
Finally, ScentLush first mobile perfume bar was born which represented a new era in my life! It gives me a new hope to keep going! Fast forward three years to the present day. I now inspire my community and I get to meet people from all walks of life. I get to share my story, my strength and my love show and tell people there is hope, and their hopes, dreams and aspirations are possible. And I get to stand with them as a witness to show them they can make it even through dark days if they never give up!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I created the first mobile perfume bar. I do pop up collaborations around the DFW area supporting local businesses. In exchange for our promotion efforts of the local business we serve. We market our products to their customer base.
We specialize in men and women world-class collections of designer inspired fragrances. We also get to educate our people about the fragrance industry trade secrets on how they price gouge. Fragrances which are often too expensive to purchase on a regular bases. We bring high-end premium fragrances to the average fellow man. We are known for our Pop up experience that WOW the customers with the way we do business.
We are most proud of creating a mobile perfume bar that’s different and innovative for different cultures to experience. And our clean and elegant streamline packaging. And the fact, it is the only van of it’s kind. This is what truly sets us apart from any competitor in our industry.
What were you like growing up?
I was a natural leader even when I was younger. I can recall my friends always coming to me for advice. I was always the one to come up with new ways of doing things and I wasn’t afraid to think outside the box. And I wasn’t afraid to ask question I didn’t know the answer to. I always felt very different than the people that was around me. I wasn’t afraid to be my own person. Even though no one celebrated, individuality people thought you were weird if you spoke out.
Pricing:
- Silver World Class Collections Men or Women $24.99
- Gold World Class Collections Men or Women $34.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.scentlush.com
- Phone: 817-705-6947
- Email: scentlush.com@gmail.com
- Instagram: @scentlush
- Facebook: scentlush fragrances
Image Credit:
The Daiquiri Shoppe Grand Prairie, Texas
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