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TaraDerakshan - co-founder at perfume brand Sniph
TaraDerakshan - co-founder at perfume brand Sniph

Wonder Woman Wednesday: Tara Derakshan

Next up in our Wonder Woman Wednesday series is Tara Derakshan, co-founder of Sniph

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Tara Derakshan is the co-founder of Sniph, a luxury perfume brand that allows you to discover your favourite scent by trying a different fragrance each month. Customers subscribe to one of six collections that have been carefully curated with different groups in mind and then receive a monthly 8ml bottle that allows them to try the fragrance for a period of time before committing to a full purchase.

Scientists have proven that scent is extremely powerful when evoking old and even forgotten memories. Learn more about fragrancing your boutique here.

We met with Tara to discuss her background and the inspiration behind her innovative business.

Tell us about your background

I have quite the diverse background with a professional career starting out in beauty, before moving into philanthropy and tech and then over to Sniph. I went into digital marketing and advertising after university and was particularly intrigued by the tech scene and innovation that took place in different industries.

This interest brought me to London where I worked at a tech company. I travelled the world and worked around the clock - it was an unsustainable lifestyle and I wasn’t happy. I wanted to bring things back to basics and started practicing all sorts of meditation, yoga, and elements of self-care, often with an aspect of scents involved.

I am super passionate about people empowerment and always hope to create an actual difference. I decided I wanted to work with something meaningful that empowered me and the people around me.

I’m obsessed with scents and the more I read into the subject I realized how strong our sense of smell is and how we often take it for granted. Combining this what I felt was a lack of innovation in the world of scents is what brought me to Sniph, or brought Sniph to me.

Read more: Wonder Woman Wednesday: Jacqui James

What inspired you to set up Sniph?

I met co-founder Lisa Kjellqvist and some sort of magic appeared when we realised that we both have the same affection for scents and appreciation of how they transform us.

Even though we were completely caught up in our own fascination, we were equally frustrated by the time and money our hobby accumulated. The entire process of buying perfume was so time-consuming, expensive and above all, extremely difficult. We were also frustrated by how you can change your outfits and hair often depending on mood and occasion but not necessarily change your scent so readily due to the high cost of blind-purchasing a bottle.

We wanted to give a wide audience of people the possibility to experience and fill their life with a wider variety of scents and help broaden their fragrance wardrobe in a delightful way. That’s why we created Sniph.

Read more: Wonder Woman Wednesday: Anna Cirignaco

Why is scent so important?

Scents are so important to how we feel and create memories, scents can evoke a feeling from a childhood place, person and when you visited a certain country or city.

Read more: Wonder Woman Wednesday: Kimberley Fairfowl

Why is Sniph great for brides/grooms?

A wedding day has to be memorable in every single sense: from the gown to the way the bride smells. A couple will forever remember the perfume they were wearing on their wedding day for years to come and associate that smell with that special day.

Sniph is an excellent way to discover a new unique scent that brides and grooms can associate solely with their wedding day! The couple can theme the wedding day and all their bridesmaids with a specific scent and once the day is over, just a whiff of that wedding scent can transport them back to the day.

Read more: Wonder Woman Wednesday: Olivia Smith

What are your secrets to success?

Work hard and play hard. I believe 100% in working hard and you have to love what you do when you are working 24/7. But you have to have a good balance and make sure you put in exercise and restful spa time as well.

I also think networking is a must and it’s important to meet as many people as you can as you never know where that may lead! Give a lot of yourself to your purpose and the people around you, and you will be rewarded when you’re ready for it.

Read more: Wonder Woman Wednesday: Béatrice de Montille

What’s your greatest achievement so far?

I’m so proud of everything we have accomplished and the lives we seem to have touched so far! We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of people who love the idea and the reviews we receive from members and the press - we’ve been featured on Harpers Bazaar, Glamour and the Mail Online to mention a few media companies.

We were also asked to predict Meghan Markle’s wedding scent, which was definitely a great achievement given how much we love the British Royals! Our pop up at luxury department Harvey Nichols was a big milestone as well as we were able to make it affordable to buy fragrances that otherwise cost a fortune.

Read more: Wonder Woman Wednesday: Chupi Sweetman

What’s your favourite part of your job?

I am so excited that people love what we are doing! We receive notes and emails from our clients thanking us for finding new perfumes and this makes the whole journey of Sniph even more special. I also love helping give niche perfume brands from around the world a voice and a vehicle to be well-known! Making the world a better place via scents is a great journey to commit to and gives me purpose and reason every day. I wake up knowing what I’m fighting for which is a big motivation.

Read more: Wonder Woman Wednesday: Emmy Scarterfield

What does your typical working day look like?

The best thing about Sniph, is that there is no typical working day and I love the variety! One day might involve a journalist breakfast, another day could be traveling around the world to search out lovely perfume. We are constantly brainstorming and collaborating with other fantastic brands that share our values. The task list is endless from website changes to creating events!

Read more: Wonder Woman Wednesday: Alexandra Harper

Can you tell us five interesting facts about yourself?

  1. I’m a certified hairstylist and was once ranked top 10 hairstylists in Europe
  2. I have an endless amount of energy and love being on the go both in work and travel. Working on Sniph means I combine a love of travel with scent – recent trips have included Cornwall, Switzerland and Ibiza
  3. I can speak 4 languages - Farsi, Swedish, English and French
  4. In November 2016, I became the first Persian/Swedish woman to have crossed the Dasht - e - Lut desert of Iran to raise awareness and funds for women survivors of war globally
  5. I am a feminist, in the sense I am a firm believer in equal rights, equal opportunity and female empowerment.

If you’re feeling inspired having read Tara’s Wonder Woman Wednesday profile, read the Wonder Woman Wednesday profile of Charlie McCorry, founder of Perfect 10 Black Label.

 

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