Finally, I can post this interview. This one is really close and personal to me, as I've thought daily about this young man and his business, wanting nothing but success for him. But also, he created a fragrance that reminded me of my own mother, who's struggling with dementia. When it arrived, I wore it the next day and visited my mother, who really enjoyed what I was wearing. I ended up leaving the bottle with her, and while she stays with my sister, I've been told she reaches for it to wear... all while thinking of her firstborn son, me. As mentioned, here is the Drew Goetz Urbane Aromatics interview. Tony: Hey Drew, thanks for your time! Drew: Of course, appreciate you doing this. Tony: Who is Drew Goetz, and what brought you into the world of fragrance? Drew: I’m a college kid from Rochester, Minnesota. I started the company in my parents’ garage in high school. Some friends and I were throwing around business ideas, and somebody suggested candles. I figured if you’re going to make a good candle, you need a good fragrance first, so I went that route instead. Once I got into it, I never really looked back. Fragrance sticks to people in a way most stuff doesn’t, and that’s what kept pulling me in. Tony: "Urbane" is a very particular word. Why Urbane Aromatics? Drew: I wanted a name that matched who I was making these for. Someone who’s put together, carries themselves well, and isn’t trying too hard. It also just sounded right on a bottle. Tony: What did you feel was missing in fragrance? Drew: Access. A nice bottle runs $150 to $200, and a lot of people buy one and never wear it because it feels too good to use. The cheap stuff doesn’t smell the same. I figured there was a middle spot nobody was really going after, so I went after it. Tony: What's the most rewarding part, and what did nobody warn you about? Drew: The most rewarding part is seeing a stranger wearing something I made. That never gets old. What nobody warned me about is how little of this is actually about fragrance. It’s logistics, packaging, customs, retail. The scent is one piece of a lot of pieces.

Something about a public restroom with Le Labo hand lotion!!