We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jason Kloess a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jason, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Staying inspired and creative is really hard, especially when running a business (or multiple) and getting in the weeds of finance, marketing, logistics, etc. I used to be a touring musician and in a band for nearly a decade, but even playing and performing each night left minimal time to continuously create. For me I have to time block and be very intentional, which at first can feel forced, but once you get into a habit and routine it starts to naturally flow. I also noticed that when creativity comes, I have to run with it rather than putting off that idea for a new product, scent, song, etc. It can come at random times and if I suppress it to focus on other things, that moment is gone. Letting your creativity breathe and exploring it when it comes has resulted in a lot of the great things.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’ve done everything from finance to tech sales, touring musician to management, real estate to fragrance. I currently run a men’s grooming company (Roosevelt Supply Co), a national park inspired candle company (The Roosevelts Candle Co) and a unisex fragrance company (Les Deux) as well as real estate. I started the men’s grooming company with 1 product, and it was a bit of a joke at first. We didn’t actually think many people would buy our beard oil that we made while touring. We sold 5 bottles in Philly at a show, 4 the next night, 6 the following, and by the end of the tour we couldn’t keep it in stock. I realized driving back to Austin, TX that we had something special.
I launched the candle company after going to a trade show and realizing I had a knack for fragrance and scents, and the process to make a candle was similar to some of the other products I made (or so I thought). Each is made after a particular national park and we plant a tree for every candle sold via One Tree Planted. The response has been amazing and it’s been so cool to hear everyone’s stories about spending time in the parks and their experiences. Scent and fragrance are so essential in memories, and it’s been really special to see how a candle can transport someone back to a special place.
Les Deux started because I had so many people asking for one of our candles in a perfume. Making perfume can’t be that hard, right? haha, I had no idea what I was doing. After 2 years of formulation and countless trials, I finally had the first 2 fragrances to launch with. I wanted everything to be unisex, while leaning a little more masculine. The branding, the fragrances, the feel of everything is luxurious and masculine but feminine enough that it has broad appeal. After getting covid and losing my sense of smell for nearly 6 months, I had to resort to “wine & whiff” parties. I’d invite my neighbors and close friends over to drink wine, hang out and eventually test out fragrances I had been working on, all while not really having my smell back. It was a great way to test the market and see what people gravitated towards.
We’ve gone from perfume and candles, to a whole line of bath & body products. We just launched our body oil in each fragrance and are currently working on body lotion, body wash and deodorant. LOTS of things coming for 2024!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I worked at a startup in Austin for a few years and that’s where I really learned that if I wanted to make something happen, I had to put in the work. No one else was going to care about my outcome or success as much as I do, and I have full control over that. I also learned that failure was ok, and to accept and embrace it. We all fail, at many things, but no one cares. It’s a fact of life, so pick yourself up and move on to the next thing, as it’ll be way better that whatever you were just working on.
Determination and perseverance are qualities that all entrepreneurs and business owners need to have. It’s so hard and crowded and noisy in every space now, but hard work and perseverance will help you stand out. A lot of people give up or get discouraged when it gets hard, but that’s just when things are about to get good if you just keep going!
Trust your gut. I’ve made so many decisions on what others think which can lead you down the wrong path. When I create a new fragrance, product, packaging, etc I have an idea and am very specific for why I do something. I always want feedback, but at the end of the day I have to trust my gut with what resonates, fits the brand, etc.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents made me get a job at an early age, which I think was so beneficial. I started a lawn care business when I was 9 and would push my lawn mower around the neighborhood each week. I started with our own yard and expanded to neighbors, etc. I couldn’t drive, so I’d just push the mower for blocks and slowly picking up more yards on the way. I did it for years and used most of that money towards a savings account.
Making me get out in 100+ degree heat all summer long taught me the value of hard work, instant gratification (finish the job and get paid immediately) and the importance of taking pride in your work and being meticulous. Accidentally mow over someone’s bushes, flowers or monkey grass and you lose that client, not to mention the phone call my parents would receive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lesdeuxfragrances.com/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lesdeuxfragrances
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lesdeuxfragrances
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/theroosevelts-1
Image Credits
Justin Rearden Kylie Hull
