ScentXpresso Scent Challenge LIVE

Confession time.

I’m nervous.

Not the usual things about starting a new business; developing the product, juggling the work that needs to be done with my amazing co-founders.

Next week we are going on the road with our ScentXpresso scent challenge! Our goal is to bring a moment of scent based serenity to the hustle and bustle of Londons Christmas shoppers. A warming burst of sweet orange to combat the chill.

I will be meeting real people in a shoot in London.

This will be unscripted, unexpected and unfiltered.

It’s not the quality of our natural farmed scents that gives me a moment of trepidation.

It’s the act of going out to people on the street and asking them to talk.

Real world, real people, real reactions.

Reality gives you truth that online content often can’t.

This isn’t the first time I have gone on a crazy mission out in public, I also took our prototype out onto the streets  back in July.

That was uncomfortable at first too as I sat in my car psyching myself up to go and talk to that first person.

But

It was 3 of the best hours of my time at ScentXpresso.

The willingness of people to listen, ask questions and learn about the product and the reactions which followed left me with a bounce in my step.

My favourite was when I talked through the product with someone and they asked to buy my prototype there and then.

Exciting to be sure, but sadly not for sale.

Talking to those 20(ish) people in the flesh was a unique opportunity to hear what people genuinely thought, what questions they had, what mattered to them.

These people are the drivers behind the ScentXpresso Scent Challenge, they made me realise:

It’s sometimes tempting to hide behind polished content.

But ScentXpresso isn’t an aspiration.

It’s made to give real people a moment purely for them, even when every minute feels like a rush.

Have you ever tried this kind of public feedback?

Let me know in the comments.

PS if you happen to be in the Covent Garden area on Wednesday or know people who are, tag them and come say hi and join the ScentXpresso Scent Challenge!