Jo Malone was an unlikely entrepreneur at first, leaving school aged just 13 to care for her mother who had suffered from a stroke. Also severely dyslexic, Jo struggled with school and so decided to begin work on a beauty counter. Here she found her love for creating different fragrances, beginning to create fragrances at home to give away to budding customers. She also then went on to work as a facial therapist, delivering skincare and fragrance to clients from the comfort of her own home. Before long this passion for fragrance developed into a business, with Jo ultimately founding Jo Malone London.
Jo Malone London shortly became an industry leader in the sale of luxury fragrances and candles, and today can be found stocked on the shelves of Selfridges and provided in luxury hotels and spa’s across the country. As the business began to thrive, Jo found it difficult to manage with the extensive number of customers flocking to the brand. As a result of this, Jo decided to sell her company to esteemed Estée Lauder back in 1999. Despite selling the company, Jo remained involved and acted as the Creative Director of Jo Malone London for the following seven years, finally leaving in 2006.
After a period away from the pressures of owning a business, Jo felt that she was ready to re-join the fast-paced and high-pressure business world once more, fuelled by an entrepreneurial spirit. Armed with new concoctions of beautiful scents and layered candles, Jo went on to found Jo Loves in 2011. The business immediately rose in popularity, favoured by the original customers of Jo Malone London. Since then Jo Loves is now available in a number of stores and online and is fortunate to have a store located in London.
Earning a credible reputation through her luxury, world-class businesses, Jo Is frequently sought to appear on television. She has previously appeared on The Apprentice, Lorraine, Loose Women and Working Lunch. Having mastered the secrets of the luxury industry, Jo is called upon by such programmes to share her experiences of successful branding and business. In reward of the services she has performed throughout her career, Jo was appointed CBE during the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours. She has also been recognised for her work involving the GREAT Britain campaign, appreciating the creativity of British industries on a worldwide scale.
As a speaker Jo covers how she went from humble beginnings, living in a council-house to being the founder of a multi-million-pound luxury fragrance company stocked in some of the most prestigious venues around the world. Like any successful person in business, Jo is able to provide a captivating story of both her failures and successes, motivating corporate clients to keep on going despite the challenges they face. Epitomising both creativity and perseverance, Jo Malone is the perfect addition to your next event to inspire success within the workforce.
In December 2023 Jo Malone sat down for a Q&A and discussed how she built two successful companies and her fight with and recovery from cancer. Watch our Exclusive Interview with Jo Malone.
