Rising Star Spotlight: Jan Moran

Jan
Moran

How about we begin at the beginning and work forward... you are a graduate of Harvard Business School.  What did you originally dream of achieving?
Actually, my earliest dream was to be a writer, so I’ve always been interested in creativity and the arts. As for my MBA journey, I also wanted to have a thorough understanding of business behind the scenes.
So, kind of a “chicken or the egg” question: which came first - business mogul or author?
I’ve been attracted to writing and business for as long as I can remember. My early grade school attempts at writing were matched with early entrepreneurial efforts. My last business, which was a company that was sold to Sephora, grew out of nonfiction books I’d written on perfumery.
What drew you to writing novels?
I’ve always had a love of reading – books were my first passport to the world. I’m a storyteller at heart, so I love to share the magic of a fascinating saga and the inspiration of creative, strong-willed characters with readers.
How does running companies and working in the fragrance and fashion industries coincide with being a novelist?
Being an entrepreneur and heading a company in the beauty business gave me keen insights into the behind-the-scenes struggles and triumphs of the beauty industry. I have such respect for women who founded iconic beauty and fashion brands in the last century, and I often weave these experiences into my writing. At heart, I've always been a creator and storyteller, and I even built a business around writing the stories behind some of the worlds most beloved perfumes and cosmetics. I was the creator behind Scentsa, a touch-screen software program for retailers like Sephora, JCPenney. Duty Free stores, and Nordstrom. Though the company was sold a few years ago to Sephora, my fragrance and skincare programs, now called FragranceIQ and SkinIQ, are at Sephora stores in the US, Canada, France, Mexico, Brazil, and Denmark.
     Today, I continue consulting to companies, making good use of my MBA skills. That's why readers will often find my characters starting or running businesses and overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges, with lots of travel thrown into the mix as well. As a writer, I write about what I know and love, as well as what I'd like to learn more about.
For example, “Scent of Triumph” is about a French perfumer during World War II, and my contemporary Love California series is about a group of friends in the fashion and beauty business.

Read the entire interview in the November 2017 issue of InD'Tale magazine.

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