As a trailblazer in the fragrance industry, Sharné C. Jackson brings her dynamic leadership and passion for diversity to her role as the first African American Executive Director of the Fragrance Foundation. With a Spelman College education and an MBA in Marketing from Atlanta University, Jackson has masterfully applied her eight-plus years of senior retail experience at Macy’s to transform an industry historically lacking in representation.
Drawing on her expertise in building innovative, content-rich marketing programs, Jackson has launched groundbreaking initiatives like “Scents of Success: Building a Career in the Fragrance Industry” at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This purpose-driven leader combines her commitment to education, representation, and mentorship to open doors for the next generation while helping established brands embrace inclusivity.
Beyond her professional achievements, Jackson serves as an adjunct professor at Medgar Evers College—where she was named Professor of the Year—and volunteers with programs empowering at-risk girls in underserved communities. In this exclusive interview, she discusses her journey, the Foundation’s initiatives, and her vision for creating pathways to success in the fragrance industry.
Can you share your vision for the Fragrance Foundation?
The Fragrance Foundation is a nonprofit member organization. Our members consist of fragrance houses, brands, retailers, and related businesses. Our mission is to inspire the world to discover the passion and creativity of fragrance. I am the executive director here. I’ve been here for 5 years, and I’m so excited about the work that we’re doing and the work that we continue to do.
One of the things that we do is source for our members. We are about nurturing talent, engaging the consumer, and about education. Education from educating our members as well as educating young people about the opportunities in this industry.
What’s it like being the first African American to hold the title of executive director at the Foundation?
It’s really exciting for me. My purpose at this point in my career is, how do I open doors for other people that are behind us and are coming up? And the next generation of leaders? One of the things that’s been exciting about working at the Fragrance Foundation is when I was hired by the President, Linda G. Levy, who is very committed and devoted, and a woman of action when it comes to making sure that this industry is represented.
When I got on, we really talked about, what do we do? How do we make sure that there’s more diversity and representation in this industry? I came up with a program because I know the importance of young people seeing what’s possible. I know as a Spelman graduate what it’s like when you’re at Spelman, and you see people come in from other industries and people that look like you. We’ve really been taking our education initiative, Scent of Success, and going out on the road across the country to talk about opportunities that are in this industry.
What examples have you seen through your outreach efforts?
Last year I had the opportunity of being at Spelman with Spelmanites that have the product, Brown Girl Jane, and for all of us to be on the stage at Sisters Chapel and talk about this industry, and for those students to just have this “Wow!” moment like, “Oh, my gosh, you are in an industry that we never thought could be possible for us!”
Based on the work that our members are doing, this commitment to making sure there’s representation, the way that we’ve been able to bring in students for internships as well as entry level roles, I see a shift. I also see a shift in terms of representation when it comes to Black founders. There are a number of Black founders that are members here at the Fragrance Foundation, and it’s just grown exponentially, and I couldn’t be prouder of the work that we’re doing. At some point you don’t want to be the only person of color in the room. So when you get into these spaces and you see more people of color, it’s just so rewarding for me.
How does mentorship play a role in what you’re doing?
It’s really important. Within our entrepreneur committee, which is headed up by Chris Collins, an African American brand owner and CEO who’s on our board, big brands and big brand members have been able to mentor businesses. Our members that work with students – it’s not just a one and done for us where we’re going on these campuses. It’s like, how do we maintain those relationships? How are we consistent? How are we putting in sustainable programs?
To really see how these students are growing, and I have to say, in many instances this will be my second year going back to Spelman in person. We were doing it on Zoom before. To be able to see how those students have developed from last year to this year is going to be awesome.
How will young talent shape the industry’s future?
I think the sky’s the limit. I’m excited to see a Spelmanite or a Morehouse man possibly heading up a big fragrance brand as a CEO. We have a program called the Notables, and I’m seeing more of that – where we really salute up-and-coming young leaders in the industry.
What’s important is that we continue to bring people out into the community. We meet people where they are so they really can see what’s happening and what’s possible.
For those with a fragrance idea, how do they get started in launching a brand?
I think it’s more or less a process, and it’s putting a plan together. Chris Collins, who’s an entrepreneur, started his brand in 2017, and to see the number of fragrances that he has now compared to what he had then, and how each year he launches a new fragrance to his collection, has been remarkable.
Is this a growth industry for diverse individuals looking to build fragrance houses?
There are a lot of opportunities for brands. The number of Black founders that are members keeps growing. I think the pandemic spurred that on for smaller businesses, and to see their agility, and how quick their innovation is, and what they brought to the market has been quite fascinating.
What would you say are your superpowers as executive director?
Every day I wake up, and I’m thankful. I always try to see the light and the positivity. The other thing is the resiliency, and keep going and putting one foot in front of the other, and that’s what I tell young people – to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and eventually you’ll get to where you need to be.
If you were giving a commencement speech at Spelman, what would your title be?
I think the title of my speech would be “The little things are the big things, and the details are very important.”
What would you tell your younger self about life, now that you’ve had this experience leading?
I’d say to take every opportunity that you have, regardless of what it is. It’s molding you to be where you need to be. At one point I was a school teacher, and now I do a lot of education. I’m doing education now – it’s really full circle.
What do people need to know about the journey of success in the fragrance industry?
I think it’s really about having the passion. In life, having that passion really can drive an individual. Everyone in this industry has that passion, and when I come to work every day it’s different. Never a dull moment. And as I talk about my purpose and the shoulders that I stand on, it’s important to show that passion.
You’ve introduced a new online fragrance course. Can you tell us about that?
We just introduced a new online fragrance course called Fragrance Essentials, and it goes through the fundamentals of fragrance. Anyone within the industry or just getting into the industry who wants to learn about the fundamentals of fragrances – it’s a 2-hour course with 4 lessons, and it really takes the individual through the core fundamentals of fragrance.
Why is it important to give access to those who didn’t have it before?
From a business perspective, we’re bringing in individuals that didn’t have access, and a lot of times not having access is about not knowing what’s possible. Once you know what’s possible, the sky’s the limit.
What does curiosity mean for you?
Curiosity means to me ever learning, every day learning something different. Every day doing something that I wouldn’t normally do. I actually have a magnet on my refrigerator that says, “Do something that scares you every day.”
