Lock-In by HappyStack 🥞 He Built A £50M / Year Fragrance Business From His Bedroom - Connor Martin of The Essence Vault
May 14, 2025
Connor Martin, founder of The Essence Vault, grew his fragrance empire from street markets to multimillion-pound success straight from his bedroom. He shares how experimenting with small batches and learning on YouTube led to viral sales during COVID. Connor discusses leveraging TikTok for brand growth, unique product launches, and the importance of direct consumer feedback. He reveals insights on supply chain strategies and the challenges of fulfilling massive orders, all while aiming for eco-friendly practices and innovation in the booming fragrance market.
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Market Stall Breakthrough
- Connor Martin started selling handmade perfumes at local markets and sold out within an hour, proving demand instantly.
- That market success forced him to make perfume in his bedroom and scale from there.
Quitting After A Covid Spike
- Connor left his job after a surprise online sales spike during Covid that proved the product-market fit.
- He then combined markets and online sales to grow revenue quickly in the early days.
Use Acquisition NPD To Raise AOV
- Use acquisition NPD (cheaper or bundle products) to raise average order value and absorb higher CACs.
- Test bundles and secondary products to justify increased ad spend and improve margins.
