Mandy Aftel doesn’t have the typical baby-boomer-starts-a-business story. She didn’t get laid off; she didn’t quit a job because she was ready for something else.
She just found something more interesting to do in her 50s.
The Detroit native spent three decades or so in Berkeley, Calif., in her own therapy practice, which catered to artists and writers. (Author's note: I wish she had worked in the New York area.) Aftel has also written a number of books ranging in topics from perfume, her passion, and therapy, to the life and death of Rolling Stone guitarist Brian Jones. (More on that later.)
All the trials and triumphs of building a business – delivered to your inbox.
Now, 67, Aftel launched her online fragrance company, Aftelier Perfumes, in 2000 after years of successful dabbling. (Neiman Marcus, and others, peddled her products.) She decided to start a proper business, largely because her hobby was taking off.
“I'm grateful,” Aftel said, “I was never in the corporate world!”
Mandy Aftel and her perfume in Califronia
More on her career, perfume and, Brian Jones:
How I Got Started
"One day on a whim when I was nearing 50, I took a local class on making solid perfumes. I fell in love immediately with the gorgeous smells of the natural essences they were using. I started to play around with them, never thinking it would develop into anything. I collected over 200 old perfume books to learn all about these magnificent materials, and fell in love with the books too! I taught myself how to make it, and at this point have written 4 books about natural perfume. I had started selling some of my perfumes at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. I still really enjoyed doing therapy, but didn't have time for both. It was less of an 'a-ha' moment, more of an 'oh-no' moment when I had to drop my therapy practice 15 years ago. This all coincided with the rise of the internet, which has allowed me to have entirely online business."
My Business Structure
“I am the sole proprietor, and my husband and stepson both work here as well. The business has taken over many rooms in the house. My studio is at home, so I work right here, ship everything from here, and love it! I make everything by hand, and include a note with every order.”
Measures Of Success
“I’m profitable. I have always done better than break-even. I never borrowed any money, financing everything from the organic growth. We do well enough that my husband can help me full-time and didn’t need to find another outside job when he was laid off from the tech industry. Our revenue goes up every years, and in the last 3 years our website has gotten over 1.5 million page views.”
Bigger Isn’t Better, And I Like It That Way
“We are still small enough that I can manage everything myself. I have had many offers for investment and expansion, and been fortunate to be able to pass them up and just maintain the size that we want, without needing to grow. A bigger business is not always a better business”
Advice For Startups
1. “Keep your own counsel, don't do anything or take any advice that doesn't feel right for you. There are many, many ways to run a business.”
2. “Find a way that is sustainable - and fits for you so that you can continue to grow more passionate about what you are doing.”
3. "Don't waste a minute doing something you don't love. Business takes up a lot of time and should be like a love affair -- something that you would do whether or not you are paid for it.” 4. Think of what thing you would want to do if you won the lottery. Do that now.”
5. “Do something or make something that you would want to buy.”
Is The Customer Always Right?
“The most important thing to have in a business is a repeat customer. Anyone can make an initial sale, but you need people who like what you're doing and will tell their friends.”
Why A Book About Brian Jones?
“I loved rock & roll, and was very curious how someone could have money, fame, talent, looks – so many good things, and yet die so young and in such a mess. Researching & writing about things was easier and different back then, I just set out to find out the answers, one thing led to another, and I wrote the book over several years.”
