Jo Malone

Jo Malone’s background

Despite being severely dyslexic and leaving school at 15 with no qualifications, Jo’s ferocious creativity remained undiluted. While working as a beauty therapist in her London flat, she began mixing bath oils in her kitchen, and her hand-made products soon garnered popularity amongst her clients.

From plastic jugs and saucepans to her first store in London in 1994, Jo continued to cultivate and hone her brand. Four years later, her sweet-smelling formulations found themselves on the coveted shelves of New York’s Bergdorf Goodman department store.

In 1999, Jo sold her business to cosmetic giant Estée Lauder where she stayed at the helm as Creative Director until 2006. It was official: that small shop in Knightsbridge had become an empire, and two years later Jo’s services to the beauty industry earned her an MBE.

Having bottled the secret to successful branding and overflowing with creative flair, Jo has shared her experiences in publications, radio and on numerous television shows including BBC One’s The Apprentice – You’re Hired; BBC Two’s Working Lunch; ITV1’s Loose Women; and Lorraine.

She conceptualised and presented the four-part TV series High Street Dreams, which aimed to help small businesses realise their dreams of trading on the Great British high street and resulted in six new British brands.

Ambitious to create new product concepts and put the entertainment back into retail, Jo returned in 2011 with the launch of her second business Jo Loves, a collection of lifestyle fragrances inspired by the key ingredients of her life – the memories and moments in time that shape who we are.

Jo’s story demonstrates that the right blend of creativity and persistence, with top notes of daring, make for a successful formula in business.