Lifestyle

Build Your Life to Be Flexible

Published

3 years ago

February 28, 2022

COVID-19 changed everything. It transformed the way we live and work, and it revolutionized the way millions of Americans approach their careers.

Dylan Ogline, founder of digital marketing agency Ogline Digital and entrepreneurship training program Agency 2.0, is no stranger to self-employment. He also found that during the pandemic, entrepreneurs experienced more stability than their nine-to-five counterparts.

“Everybody’s got to start now,” he says in reference to starting their own business. “People are going to be working at home, traveling the world.”

Dylan stayed put during the pandemic, and it’s been more than two years since he’s left the country. Yet he stands by his take on the unprecedented potential of digital entrepreneurship. And lately, others have taken note. His business more than doubled during the pandemic, all in the name of helping others pursue their passion and take back control.

Because the idea of going to the office and working for a single company throughout a person’s career? That concept is dead. And with mass layoffs and business closures at the peak of COVID-19, people are becoming more aware of not only the power, but the necessity of flexibility.

Here’s the thing: Dylan believes a progressive take on the changing corporate landscape is critical. Many of his own clients were forced to grow their digital presence after needless stalling—because after months or even years of putting that off, the pandemic didn’t leave them with much choice.

So these clients adapted, and their businesses thrived. Other companies died.

Talk about survival of the fittest.

But Dylan views this as a lesson. “One thing that never changes… is that the world will continue to change,” he says.

The millennial is committed to his agency clients, just as he is devoted to the students who enroll in his training program, and he wants them to build the confidence and skills they need to go out on their own, embrace change, and prosper.

Why’s that? Well, strategies that are working today might not be effective five years from now, and people need to be prepared. Artificial intelligence, for instance, will have a colossal impact on billions of lives. So Dylan has made it a focal point to teach his students to adapt to the evolution of business.

It’s all about a shift in mindset. According to Dylan, the education system teaches people to be good employees—but not to be good business owners. It teaches people to do the same thing for 30 years, and they’ll inherently climb the corporate ladder. They’ll move up naturally.

But will they? That ladder doesn’t exist anymore. And by waiting to go out on their own, people risk standing on shaky ground. Often, Dylan’s students will explain they’ve done countless Facebook ads for their employer, yet they couldn’t even fathom starting their own business.

He asks them, “Why not?”

If there’s anything the digital marketing star has learned in the last 17 months, overcoming that uncertainty—and embracing the unknown—can go a long way.

Dylan likens the shift we experienced during the coronavirus pandemic to the Great Recession. Others have too. A lot of people were laid off, and their lives were greatly impacted—but again, they were stuck in their way. With that, his advice to people in general is to become more comfortable with change.

“Build your life to be flexible,” he urges his students and everyone else.

Dylan has done exactly that. And while he was in a fortunate position with his flourishing business during COVID-19, it wasn’t all a matter of luck. He also built his life to be flexible.

For those who are curious about this approach, the entrepreneur recommends a book called Who Moved My Cheese?, written around the 2008 financial crisis, and published in 2008, author Spencer Johnson, M.D., uses cheese as a metaphor for anything a person wants in life: a good job, good health, a meaningful possession or relationship, or even money.

The idea is that we’re all stuck in a maze of sorts, searching for what we desire. And in the book, the characters must deal with the changes they face. Each individual must face change head-on, and then write about what they’ve learned on the maze walls.

The moral of the story is this: By learning from others, we can discover how to navigate change for ourselves. This is precisely what Dylan tells his students and clients, and it means a lot to him to be able to guide others to their own version of success.

“People might say, ‘This is how the world is. This is what I do. This is how I make money,’” Dylan explains. “These people need to become more comfortable with change, because world-shaping events are going to become more common.”

Climate change is upon us, and workers are increasingly displaced. Experts are exploring the possibility of future pandemics, and these things are going to have a massive impact.

The more flexible you are, the better off you’ll be.

And Dylan’s students have the results to show just how impactful this advice can be. Take one woman from the Dakotas, who was kind, talented, and terrified of sales. She enrolled in Dylan’s program, launched her own agency, and realized how capable she really was. This same woman is now happily self-employed, a dream come true for her.

Another student was dealing with the stress of a spouse’s layoff. They used part of the final paycheck to invest in his program, and landed their first client close to Christmas. This gave them the means to buy their kids Christmas presents, even during tough times.

This is what it means to be self-employed nowadays. While people aren’t taught in school to think like business owners, entrepreneurship is well within reach. All it takes is exploring what you don’t know, and adopting a more flexible mindset once you take the leap.

Lifestyle

Jean-Pierre Morreale: The Perfumer Behind Bespoke Creations for Royals and Celebrities

Published

2 days ago

October 19, 2024

Michelle Langton

In the exclusive world of haute perfumery, where luxury and discretion go hand in hand, Jean- Pierre Morreale stands as a figure shrouded in mystery. As the genius behind Morreale Paris, Morreale has earned a reputation not only for his exquisite fragrances but for his secretive nature, which has only enhanced his allure among the world’s elite. While his work speaks for itself—crafting fragrances that embody elegance and opulence—it is his connections with royalty and global celebrities that have cemented his place as a master of bespoke scent creation.

A Life of Mystery and Exclusivity

Jean-Pierre Morreale’s name is synonymous with luxury, but little is known about the man himself. Despite being at the helm of one of the world’s most prestigious fragrance houses, he remains elusive, allowing his work to take center stage. Morreale’s life and career are defined by discretion—a quality that is highly valued among his clientele, which includes some of the most powerful and influential figures in the world.

Morreale’s secretive nature is not a marketing ploy but a way of life. He rarely gives interviews, avoids the spotlight, and prefers to let his fragrances do the talking. This air of mystery has only fueled the fascination surrounding him, with rumors of private meetings with kings, queens, and Hollywood’s biggest stars swirling around his brand. Those who know him describe a man deeply committed to his craft, who values privacy above all else.

The Perfumer to European Royalty

Jean-Pierre Morreale’s aristocratic heritage has always played a significant role in his career, and it is this connection to European nobility that has given him access to some of the world’s most exclusive circles. Morreale is a trusted confidant of royal families across Europe, with a clientele that includes members of the Italian, French, and Middle Eastern royalty. These relationships, forged over years of mutual respect and admiration, are built on trust and discretion—qualities that Morreale embodies in his work.

For many royals, fragrance is a deeply personal part of their identity, and they turn to Morreale for bespoke creations that reflect their status, personality, and history. His private consultations with these figures are shrouded in secrecy, with few details ever reaching the public. What is known, however, is that Morreale’s bespoke fragrances are as unique as the individuals who wear them, crafted from the rarest and finest ingredients in the world. His creations often become the signature scents of the royals he serves, worn only by them, ensuring that they remain one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

The Go-To Perfumer for Celebrities

In addition to his royal clientele, Jean-Pierre Morreale is also a favorite among the world’s biggest celebrities. From Hollywood A-listers to music legends, many of the entertainment industry’s most famous names seek out Morreale’s expertise when it comes to creating a bespoke fragrance. These celebrities, like his royal clients, value his discretion and trust him to create scents that capture their essence without the intrusion of the public eye.

Morreale’s clients often reach out to him privately, whether it be for a custom fragrance to mark a major career milestone, a personal scent for a red carpet event, or even a gift for a loved one. His ability to understand the emotional and psychological aspects of scent creation makes him the ideal perfumer for those who wish to wear something truly unique. For many, the process of working with Morreale is a highly personal experience—one that often involves intimate conversations about memories, emotions, and desires.

The Art of Bespoke Perfume Creation

Jean-Pierre Morreale’s approach to bespoke fragrance creation is a blend of art, science, and intuition. His process is meticulous and deeply personalized, starting with a private consultation, often conducted behind closed doors in the most luxurious of settings—whether in royal palaces, private estates, or in his secretive Parisian atelier. Morreale takes the time to get to know his clients, understanding their personal history, emotional connections, and even the cultural significance of certain scents.

Every fragrance he creates is a unique reflection of the individual, composed of rare and often exotic ingredients that he sources from around the world. For Morreale, no detail is too small, and his creations are known for their complexity and depth, with each note telling part of a larger, personalized story. These scents are not just perfumes but works of art, often packaged in custom-designed, handcrafted bottles, making them as visually stunning as they are olfactorily captivating.

Once the fragrance is complete, it is delivered to the client in the utmost secrecy. This level of exclusivity is part of the allure of a Jean-Pierre Morreale creation; owning a bespoke fragrance from Morreale Paris is akin to possessing a rare piece of art, one that can never be replicated.

A Legacy of Discretion and Luxury

Jean-Pierre Morreale’s dedication to privacy has only enhanced his status as one of the most sought-after perfumers in the world. While other fragrance houses may seek publicity, Morreale has built his brand on a foundation of discretion, catering to those who value their privacy as much as their luxury. His relationships with his clients—whether royals or celebrities—are built on trust, and it is this trust that has allowed him to continue creating bespoke fragrances for the most influential people on the planet.

Despite his global success, Morreale remains as discreet as ever, allowing his work to speak for itself. His clients, from European kings and queens to Hollywood stars, know that when they commission a fragrance from Jean-Pierre Morreale, they are not only receiving a world-class creation but also the assurance that their privacy will be respected.

Jean-Pierre Morreale’s combination of artistry, exclusivity, and discretion has made him the master perfumer of choice for royalty and celebrities alike. His secretive nature, far from being a hindrance, has only added to his mystique and elevated his brand to legendary status. In a world where privacy is often a luxury, Morreale’s ability to create bespoke fragrances in complete secrecy has earned him the loyalty of some of the most powerful and famous people in the world. For those fortunate enough to work with him, a fragrance by Jean-Pierre Morreale is not just a scent—it is a timeless, personal masterpiece, created by a man who values the art of discretion as much as the art of perfumery.