CO-FOUNDER GREGORY COLE IN SUBKIT'S "GO SOLO" FEATURE

by GREGORY COLE Feb 23, 2022

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is The Bubble Collection, a fine fragrance brand that I co-founded with my creative partner Michael Perris. We created fragrance bubbles so that you can have fun with fragrance; to spotlight a collection that reflects your moods, lifestyles, and dreams; to innovate scents so light that they just tease the air around you and others, and to float you into slow motion with your first spray. Gone are the days when you have one signature scent. We created a collection so you can choose a bubble you want to live in or break out of or connect to. All of our fragrances are unisex, vegan, cruelty-free, and contain no parabens or phthalates. They are small-batch, handcrafted, and Made in the USA.

Tell us about yourself

For years I marketed luxury goods and beauty products. And my favorite part of the business has always been working with fragrances. The power of taking of bottle with liquid and transforming it into a beautiful story has always been something that I found magical. My partner and I came up with the creative concept for the blockbuster Romance by Ralph Lauren and that put us on the fragrance map. Afterward, we worked on fragrances launches for Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, and Tom Ford. It was then that we decided since we love fragrance so much, we should launch our own brand.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The whole journey - from coming up with a concept and after years of planning and pivoting seeing it through to the launch of the brand. There were a lot of hurdles - financial, COVID, supply chain - but I stuck with it and did it!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Turning off. I can work 24/7 but I have to remind myself to take some time off and take care of my mental, emotional and physical needs.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. I'm all for bootstrapping your business at the onset. But make sure you have enough money stashed away for unexpected costs.

2. You have to be passionate about what you do. You will work endless hours and days, but if you love what you are doing, you will enjoy every minute of it.

3. Don't be afraid to seek advice, but from qualified people who have experience.

Have plenty of assets ready - photos, videos. You will need them for your website, social media, and wholesale marketing.