Product Description

In this remarkable memoir, Lisa Price shares the extraordinary story of how she went from bankruptcy to successful entrepreneur—grossing more than two million a year while working from her very own Brooklyn home. Intoxicated by fragrance and scent even as a child, Lisa was famous among her friends for always smelling good. She never imagined that the oils she enjoyed mixing up for her own pleasure would give way to the hugely popular “Carol’s Daughter,” a luxurious, all-natural line of bath and beauty products.

How did a young black woman in financial straits, unable to get a business loan and deeply in debt, churn out a multi-million dollar enterprise? With $100 in cash, her own kitchen, and the simple notion that people should follow their hearts (which Lisa did by following her nose!) But first Lisa had to face down her demons—her fears about money, low self-esteem, and a history of failed relationships. But as she tackled each problem, her confidence soared and her business was unstoppable. She met her husband and business partner, began a family, and bought a large, beautiful space in her Brooklyn neighborhood to sell her products—favorites like Honey Pudding, Mango Body Butter, and Jamaican Punch that stars such as Halle Berry, Erykah Badu, Maya Angelou, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Rosie Perez buy religiously.

In Success Never Smelled So Sweet, Lisa Price charts her amazing journey in lively, down-to-earth stories about her childhood growing up in Brooklyn and the often unexpected “accidents” in the kitchen that led to her bestselling scents. From the early cultivation of her sensory gift through cooking with her Trinidadian grandmother to her painful years in a rigid school system where she was berated by teachers and bullied by kids, Lisa speaks tenderly and wisely about the subtle ways in which life can guide us to our inner truth—even as it throws out difficult obstacles along the way.

For any woman who has ever longed to leave the nine-to-five grind and work successfully from home, Lisa Price’s story is a must-read. Filled with inspiring anecdotes, life advice from her own mother, Carol, and the recipes for some of her best-loved products, Success Never Smelled So Sweet is a book to read by candlelight while soaking in a silky rose-milk bath.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #845385 in Books
• Released on: 2004-04-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

From Publishers Weekly
The creator of Carol’s Daughter, a bath-and-beauty-products company, presents her life story, along with aromatherapy recipes, in this lightly enjoyable read. Price grew up in a loving, strict African-American family in Brooklyn and later pursued careers in singing and television. She also ran up huge credit card debt, and wound up owing the IRS tens of thousands of dollars—at 28, she was forced to declare bankruptcy. It’s undeniably fascinating to learn how, a few years later, she managed to start Carol’s Daughter with $100 in cash; she slowly built the company—without loans or credit—until she paid off her enormous debt. With such an honest and inspiring tale to tell, it’s unfortunate that Price devotes so much of her time to describing celebrities she’s met along her road to success. A brief encounter with Prince gets a whole page, for example, but her decision to declare bankruptcy takes up little more than a paragraph. Readers might also raise an eyebrow at Price’s repeated belief that "God is in my corner" and that He employs Oprah and other celebrities as messengers to ensure that Price’s business continues to thrive. While Price does seem to be unusually blessed, this materialistic spirituality undercuts a potentially empowering message about discipline and entrepreneurship. Stronger are her descriptions of her family; her mother, Carol, particularly stands out as an inspiration. She raised not just the author and her brother, but six more adopted children, all the while fighting chronic illness. Photographs.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Price, creator of Carol's Daughter, Inc., a line of bath and body care products, offers an inspirational story of overcoming low self-esteem and crushing debt to develop a successful business doing what she has always loved. Enamored of fragrances since childhood, when her grandmother filled the kitchen with recipes of her Caribbean heritage, Price struggled to overcome false starts and failed careers and relationships. Finally, her journey of self-discovery helped her realize that what she really loved and what she was good at doing could be developed into a viable enterprise. She put her considerable energy into concocting scents and selling them. Price intersperses her triumphant story of business success with recipes for food dishes and potpourri, as well as sound advice on repairing debt or troubled relationships, starting a business, and boosting self-esteem. Readers interested in starting businesses or aromatherapy will enjoy this encouraging book. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
“Lisa Price is an inspiration for anyone who is trying to find his or her path to success; Success Never Smelled So Sweet is a journey into the heart of a business and the soul of a dedicated spirit who transformed her life by finding and following her dream.”
—TERRIE M. WILLIAMS, author of The Plentiful Harvest

“Every person has a story to tell and Lisa provides the same warmth, love and support within the confines of these pages as she does in her Carol’s Daughter creations. Her words are uplifting, and give you the encouragement you may need on your journey to finding your purpose and most of all fulfilling it!”
—DAWN MARIE DANIELS and CANDACE SANDY, authors of Souls of My Sisters
and Souls of My Brothers

“A brilliantly written, soul-touching account of one woman’s triumph over self doubt and debt. This healing testimony is both riveting and inspirational. . . . It will make you cheer and forever commit to the wondrous creations conceived by Carol’s Daughter.”
—LESLIE ESDAILE BANKS, author of Minion and The Awakening