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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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.
Local Manufacturing Speeds Testing
- UK manufacturing signals safety and speed to market, which helped testing and regulatory work compared to slower China supply.
- Local sourcing shortened fragrance-to-market from months to weeks and improved control.
Consumables Keep Growing Post-Boost
- Consumable products have built-in tailwinds: repeat usage and word-of-mouth sustain growth beyond advertising booms.
- That repeatability kept Essence Vault growing even after Covid ad advantages faded.
