What I Have Learnt: Jo Malone

What I have learnt: Jo Malone

Jo Malone CBE is exceptional. Her unique ability to see, hear and feel in smell is due to synaesthesia and has led to Jo’s incredible gift of perfume creation, as well as the revered Jo Malone London brand. After 17 years as the Creative Director, she took a step back after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. Five years later, Jo founded Jo Loves, a collection of bath, body and candle fragrances, cementing her talent as a scent maverick. Here, Jo Malone CBE, reveals what she has learnt.

Love – To love life, the things that you do and the people who are in it are truly Solomon’s riches.

Money – Money does not make you smarter, wiser or more beautiful – it gives you the luxury to choose.

Trust – When trust is part of the relationship, it makes everything richer and more enjoyable, as you are able to be the person that you are without fear.

Success – I get up everyday and want to be successful. Sometimes you need to find it slowly, step by step and others need to pick up the pace and sprint.

Fear – For me, this is the flipside of creativity. Fear is often a trap of insecurity and uncertainty but once you have understood it, it no longer holds power over you.

Friends – Someone once said to me, “If you can count on one hand great friends, you are a rich man.” Well, I can count on many hands, great friends so I am clearly a billionaire.

Sex – This is the one thing in my life that remains private and will continue to be so!

Myself – I am 54 years old and I have loved every step of the journey of my life so far. I know my strengths, my weaknesses but beyond anything, I am a dreamer and I believe all things are possible if you believe in yourself.

Society – I choose not to focus on the things that divide us as a nation but the things that unite us – an all-inclusive society is a place I want to live in.

Loyalty – When I first started out in business many years ago, it could be done in a handshake – I long for that to return – loyalty in business and the relationships is what gives us longevity and great stories to tell.

Freedom – I have loved the ability of the last 25 years to be able to build with my values. Freedom is not something ever to be taken for granted – it is truly something to be treasured and protected by all.

@jolovesofficial

joloves.comjoloves.com