THERE HAVE SO MANY TYPES OF
BUSINESSES THAT SPROUT UP IN
DETROIT, FROM FASHION LINES TO
FOOD PRODUCTS.
NOW THE D CAN ADD A NEW
FRAGRANCE LINE CALLED SUPERB FOR
MEN.
JOINING US IS BLAKE HAIR, THE
OWNER OF SUPERB FOR MEN.
WELCOME TO "LIVE IN THE D."
>> HOW YOU DOING, TATI?
GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
WHAT INSPIRED DO YOU START A
LUXURY COLOGNE BRAND?
>> MY NAME IS BLAKE HARRIS.
I GRADUATED FROM WESTERN
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY.
I GOT MY BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND A MINOR
IN MARKETING.
WHAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO START
THE COLOGNE.
I ALWAYS WANTED TO CREATE A
PRODUCT THAT EXEMPLIFIES LUXURY
AND CONFIDENCE.
CONFIDENCE WAS INSTILLED IN ME
AT A YOUNG AGE BY MY MOM AND
THAT CARRIED ON TO WHAT I
DRESSED, HOW I DRESSED, THE WAY
I CARRIED MYSELF, THE WAY I
SPOKE, AND THEN REALLY FROM
THERE, AS I GOT OLDER,
TRANSITIONING INTO FRAGRANCE.
SO GOING INTO, YOU KNOW, HIGH
SCHOOL, DIGGING INTO MY DAD’S
COLLECTION, HE ALWAYS -- I
DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO USE IT, SO I
USED SO MUCH OF IT ALL THE TIME.
IT WAS OVERPOWERING.
I COULD HEAR HIM NOW SAYING, IF
YOU ARE GOING TO USE MY STUFF,
DO IT THE RIGHT WAY OR PUT IT
BACK.
HE TRIED THE HIDE THE COLON
COLLECTION FROM ME.
BUT THAT WAS MY FAVORITE ONE.
>> Tati: THAT’S HILARIOUS.
THAT’S A GREAT STORY.
THAT’S GREAT STORY.
YOU SPENT SEVERAL YEARS
CULTIVATING THE BRAND.
AND THEN YOU LAUNCHED IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC.
HOW DID THIS IMPACT YOUR
BUSINESS?
>> WELL, TO BE HONEST, TATI,
THAT CAME DOWN TO THE BOTTLE
DESIGNED ITSELF.
I NEEDED TO CREATE SOMETHING
THAT WAS VERY ATTRACTIVE AND AS
SOON AS YOU SAW IT COULD CREATE
THE IMPULSE PURCHASE.
I KNEW THE PANDEMIC IS ONLY A
PHASE.
NOTHING LAST FOREVER.
SOON PEOPLE WILL BE BACK OUTSIDE
AND BACK ON, BACK ON, SHOPPING
AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THAT CAME RIGHT WHEN PEOPLE
WERE GLUED TO THEIR HOME.
THE CONTENT THAT I RELEASED GAVE
ITS OWN ATTRACTION.
IT WAS REALLY PERFECTED TIMING
AND I JUST THANK GOD FOR WHERE
I’VE COME FROM, LAUNCHING THE
LAST FATHER’S DAY FOR TEN HOURS
A DAY.
>> IT’S WORKING OUT NOW.
SPEAKING OF CAPTURING ATTENTION,
YOU HAVE SOME BOTTLES IN FRONT
OF YOU.
TELL US ABOUT THE FRAGRANCES,
WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT?
>> WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM
THIS, FROM THE REVIEWS I HAVE
HEARD, JUST IN REAL LIFE BEING
DOWN IN DETROIT, LIGHT, AIRY,
CRISP, FRESH, IT HAS A VERY
LIGHT, YOU KNOW, THE LIGHT TONE
ONCE IT SETTLES ON YOU.
IT DEFINITELY HAS A LOOK LASTING
FRAGRANCE FOR YOU.
SO IT’S GOING TO GIVE YOU THAT
WORKSHIP THE LAST HOUR AT LEAST
FOR FROM SIX TO EIGHT HOURS.
I DEFINITELY WANT YOU TO SEE HOW
IT’S A PRISM.
SO IT TRAPS THE LIGHT AROUND IT.
IT’S A PRISM.
I WENT WITH THE DROPPER STYLE.
THAT’S HOW YOU APPLY IT WITH THE
FRAY DWRANS.
I FEEL LIKE THAT’S THE EXTRA WOW
FACTOR TO ADD THE EXTRA ELEGANCE
AND LUXURY TO IT.
IT’S THE SAME EXACT THING OF
WHAT YOU WOULD DO WITH A SPRAY.
JUST THAT EXTRA WOW FACTOR.
>> Paul:
>> Tati: YOU PUT A LOT OF TO
ZION INTO THE BOTTLES.
HOW DO YOU THINK THE
PRESENTATION ENHANCES THE
EXPERIENCE.
>> THAT WAS THE NUMBER-ONE THING
I HAD TO DO FOR MYSELF, TATI.
I HAD TO DETACH MYSELF AS THE
C.E.O. AND JUST PUT MYSELF IN
THE POSITION OF THE CONSUMER
SOME WHEN THE CONSUMER WILL WALK
PAST THIS PRODUCT, DOES IT
CREATE INTRIGUE?
IS IT ATTRACTIVE?
WILL SOMETHING POSITIVE COME
FROM ME.
WHETHER IT IS AN IMPULSE
PURCHASE, TELLING A FRIEND OR AS
A FOLLOWER ON INSTAGRAM.
ALL OF THOSE ARE POSITIVE OUT
COMES THAT COME AFTER YOU SEE
THIS PRODUCT.
AND I WANTED THAT TO BE.
THERE AS SOON AS I SAW THIS,
WHAT I TRANSITION IS HEARING
PEOPLE IS EXACTLY WHAT I
ENVISIONED.
IT’S VERY FULFILLING TO HEAR
PEOPLE SAY EXACTLY WHAT I FELT
WHEN I FIRST WAS CREATING WHAT
YOU SEE TODAY
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, LET EVERYONE
KNOW QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE’RE OUT
OF TIME, WHERE THEY CAN LEARN
MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR PRODUCT.
>> SO WE’RE ON INSTAGRAM, THE
WEBSITE IS WWW.CONFERFORMEN.COM.
WE ALSO HOSTED A LAWN FOR THE
SUPERB FOR HER.
THAT’S COMING OUT SOME TIME IN
OCTOBER.
OTHER THAN, THAT THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME TODAY, FEW TATI.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SPEEDING TO