Leandro Tan was supposed to go to a perfumery school overseas later this year, but this pandemic happened, so all plans needed to be pushed back.
All the same, “while I was reviewing the requirements, I missed the part (where they) require us to have a fragrance that we have curated as a part of the admission screening. So I did my research and scouted for partners that would turn my vision into reality.”
Eventually, Leandro decided to turn it into a business “since I would have excess bottles to sell. It also gave me a platform to gauge if it is still worth going to a perfumery school since they are buying the bottle for my vision and from there I could decide if I should go full steam.”
And so ÀNDRO PROFUMO came into being.
“I was not inspired by somebody… but surprisingly something intangible: memories,” Leandro said. “You know the feeling, when you smell something and it takes your mind to a time and place that’s long forgotten because we are too busy running our lives? I want to help people remember the smell, the emotion, who they are with, etc. I want to be the reason why everytime they smell a fragrance from ÀNDRO, the memories rush in.”
Did he ever imagine he would be going into this field/line of work/line of business?
“Honestly, no. Even if I love fragrances and making floral arrangements, I would tell my friends, maybe in another life, I would be a perfumer or a florist. But I finished Fashion Design and Merchandising, so I guess there is a relation of some sort since some big fashion houses have ventured into fragrance lines and some even have floral ateliers. Growing up being exposed to beautiful things and being educated in an art school has taught me a lot, and overtime, has refined my sense of taste when it come to things.”
There are still challenges.
For instance, mixing fragrances was challenging “since I have no prior knowledge when it comes to mixing fragrances. My partners/suppliers did all the mixing and I was the one giving the ratios of different oils until they eventually figured out how I want it to smell.”
Yet another problem is the pandemic, so “meetings are limited to messaging and phone calls.”
But this biz immediately grew.
And for Leandro, this is understandable because clients are ” getting something curated with passion through my point of view and I think that makes it unique.”
“It is not always going to be sunshines, rainbows and cupcakes. So on the days that you are too lazy to work, or even when things get tough, it will give you drive to do what you have to do and get the job done.”
What are the bestsellers?
“So far, majority of our clients love BIANCO and OSCURO. They cost PhP420.00 each.”
While Leandro already attained ROI, “I am still figuring out on how to scale on things. So for the new release, I had to re-invest more than I profited. Regardless of what the outcome may be, I think I still win because at the end of the day, I learned a lot of things that I thought I can’t do and that in itself is a return of investment.”
All the same: “From where I am standing, I can see that it is a very profitable venture, but it will take time and a lot of patience before I could truly feel the fruits of my labor. And I am definitely okay with that because I am in it for the long haul.”
And for people who may want to also open their business, what tips can Leandro give?
“As cliché as this sounds, venture into something that you are very passionate about. It is not always going to be sunshines, rainbows and cupcakes. So on the days that you are too lazy to work, or even when things get tough, it will give you drive to do what you have to do and get the job done,” he ended.
Interested to know more or to order from ÀNDRO PROFUMO? Head to ÀNDRO PROFUMO’s IG page, @androprofumo.