After 12 years at CBS News, journalist Joshua Peagler wanted a career that made people happy. With US$20,000 ($17,214) of his savings, he launched Max & Mace, a fragrance brand that draws on his storytelling skills to turn memories into scents. The range has since grown from four fragrances to seven, with Peagler projecting US$50,000 ($71,725) in first-year revenue.

Peagler said his journalistic background had inevitably influenced his approach to building the brand. “There’s naturally a story built in about why I make fragrance as I was inspired to create a scent based on this grassy field I was in one day when I was feeling really depressed,” he said. “Just smelling that grass took me out of that situation and transported me back to memories of playing in a field as a kid…”

Before launching Max & Mace, Peagler worked for several news publications, including CBS News, where he was a supervising editorial producer.

His role included booking guests for CBS News’ national broadcasts and chasing stories, from natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes to sporting events such as the NBA Finals.

The work was mentally stimulating, said Peagler, but ultimately left him burned out and in need of a career shift.

“I loved doing the work, but after a while, it really started to wear on me,” Peagler told Inside Retail . “When I’m traveling for these stories, I’m all in when it comes to interacting with people, many of whom are experiencing the worst day of their lives.

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