An Ode to My Grandmother

As we approach Mother's Day, I've been dwelling on how blessed I am to be surrounded by so many powerful, resilient women in my life. My twin daughters inspire and bring me joy daily - among a circle of dear family, friends and fellow female-founders - who have been a consistent source of love, support and kindness.

One particular woman unknowingly had a profound impact on my life, influencing how I look at things as I do, despite us sadly never meeting.

My grandmother.

An outstanding business woman of her time, my grandmother was a Northern Ireland hotelier who broke a lot of glass ceilings for women in her day, an aspiration that I aim to pass on to my teenage daughters. Like me, she was a girl's girl and loved to lift others up. My grandmother really believed in supporting women to succeed and I feel that she has passed her entrepreneurial gift on to me.

She is in fact the one who inspired STORIES Parfums.

Although my grandmother died before I was born, my mum often spoke of her.  She even kept her perfume - and I was able to form a connection with her through its scent. I grew up feeling as if I knew her because of that perfume; even now when I smell it, I am reminded of feminine strength and dignity.

Unlike most beauty products, fragrance can release memories and emotions that bring joy and wellbeing to our lives...

~ connecting us to our past
~ grounding us in the present
~ inspiring hope for our future.

I am passionate about helping women find their voices and a firm believer that every one has a story to tell. My passion is to encourage them to use their voice, share their own story - and believe that it is worth telling.