This article was originally published on December 3rd 2014 on Billionaires Australia >>>
While models are usually known for their sharp sense of style and figures to die for, Amanda Dyer has all of this and a business mind to boot.
After learning that she had a developed keen sense of smell during her modelling career, Dyer soon combined this with a new approach to business: social media.
Boasting over 200,000 followers worldwide, and a blog read by millions, her years of work have paid off, and she has now created the perfect platform to launch her line of luxury products.
Her key mantra when setting up as a businesswoman is ‘listen’. She believes that listening to customers and fans has helped her hone her product, and any future products that she brings to the market.
Having built up a strong social media following, Dyer soon had people raving about her signature collection of candles, which were created by herself in collaboration with a top Parisian fragrance expert – a process that took nearly one year to complete.
The range – Collection Privée – hosts three bespoke candles each with a unique scent: CALM, FOCUS and PLAY.
And not content there, Amanda is also in the process of developing an expanded range of room sprays, soaps and diffusers.
We managed to catch up with Amanda in the midst of the launch of her luxury candles.
B: Hi Amanda, firstly thanks for taking the time to sit down with us, we know how busy you are at the moment.
Oh of course, I love what you guys are doing so it’s my pleasure.
B: You were discovered when you were 14 years old and by the time you were 16, you were living between Tokyo and Milan. Were your parents comfortable with this foray into international stardom?
The funny thing was my parents were very strict with me growing up. I wasn’t even allowed off my street when I was young. Then shortly after that I was whisked off to foreign lands (laughs) – my poor mother, I can only imagine how hard that must have been for her. That said she came on many of my international assignments in the early days so that was nice.
B: Our friends at Elite tell us you were somewhat of a young celebrity in Japan. Tell us about that.
I spent close to 6 years in Japan and was blown away at the fanfare I received. At one stage I was on 12 billboards in Tokyo and on the cover of five Japanese magazines – it was absolutely crazy!
I remember girls my age coming up to me in MacDonald’s asking me to take pictures and sign autographs. It was very surreal because in hindsight I was still a baby myself.
Japan will always hold a very special place in my heart and I still keep in touch with many of my Japanese fans and friends today.
B: You have mastered the art of ‘communication and broadcast’ through social media. What’s the secret to your online networking success?
Building a large following on social media is not easy. It’s anything but easy. Those who know me know that I take digital community building very seriously – and very professionally. To understand this, one needs to understand that we live in a content driven world today. People want the type of content they want, when they want it and on particular devices. I give them what they want – simple.
B: Congrats on ‘Maison by Amanda Dyer’, the site looks amazing and so do the campaign shots.
Thanks so much. My team and I have worked so hard over the last 12 months to make this dream a reality. The end result has blown everyone away. It’s gratifying to hear that people absolutely love them.
B: The scented candle industry is worth billions annually, with many amazing products to choose from. Why should people buy your candles?
I wanted Maison to differ [and] to create our scents based around intention. Our CALM candle has got the right mix of ingredients that allows you to unwind and take it down a notch. Our PLAY and FOCUS candle also act accordingly to what their names suggests. Unleashing the power of aromatherapy, we have created three signature scents that will contribute to a true multi-sensory experience.
B: Are you thinking about expanding internationally with this brand?
We will be shipping to our international customers but right now the focus is to grow the business in Singapore first. We will then expand to our Tier Two target cities around Asia Pacific like Hong Kong, Bangkok, Jakarta, Mumbai, Delhi, Sydney and Melbourne.
B: You have two beautiful children that you devote a lot of time to. How do you balance the roles of CEO and mother?
I have a great team who help me with a lot of the business day-to-day, which allows me the clarity to focus on the core business issues. This means that I also have a lot of time for the kids. They come first – always – and that will never change. Homework, nappies, drawing, swimming are all things that come first.
B: Well, thank you so much for speaking with us and we wish you the very best with Maison by Amanda Dyer.
Thanks so much guys, keep up the great work!