Dreamers: Scents and Sensibility (page 2 of 2)

Images from this article

Photographed by Melanie Dunea

Lise Price, 46, at her flagship store in Harlem.

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Getting Ahead With Lisa Price

Is your job getting easier or harder now that you've got investors?
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now we have systems, processes, a plan. There aren't so many bumps in the road. We can be creative and less reactive.

What is the smartest thing you've done while running the company?
Getting out of my own way. That, and understanding that it's not all about me. I had to learn when to let others take control, even if they did things differently. Eventually I realized that if I needed to, I could always take back the control.

Who are your customers?
African American women, but since we expanded distribution, we've been able to reach a broader audience. Except for a few hair products that might be too heavy, most products—lip gloss, massage oils, lotions, men's and women's fragrances—are for everyone.

What is the biggest mistake you've made?
Trusting someone else's opinion over my gut. I trusted they knew what they were talking about because they had a degree or had been in the field longer than I. They were wrong.

My gut was right.

What does money mean to you?
Money makes things a little bit easier a lot of the time. It doesn't solve all problems, but it isn't the root of all evil either.

Do you miss the kitchen action?
I don't miss it so much now, because I get to be creative in other ways. I'm writing blogs and introductions for brochures. I'm helping to create the decor for our new office space. And I'm working on the packaging for a holiday fragrance.

What was your most traumatic moment?
Probably the first time I went on HSN. It's live. I was deathly afraid of selling on camera. I had this horrible fear that the phones wouldn't ring and I wouldn't sell a thing. But I went, and I sold out.

From Reader's Digest - November 2008

• • Dreamers
• • Success Stories
• Your Money Guide

• Dreamers: Chipotle Founder Steve Ells
• Steve Ells dreamed of opening a gourmet restaurant. But first he needed a cash cow. That's how he got seriously sidetracked.
• 
• Helping the Homeless With Cookies
• One woman found her calling in cookies—and in helping the homeless find their own place in the world.
• 
• Sheri Schmelzer: Accidental Entrepreneur
• In the kitchen with her kids, Sheri Schmelzer got crafty-and lucky-with her Crocs.
• 

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