My business

Who and what am I?

I am Xavier Monpoix and I am a student at the EMC Campus where I learn about luxury hospitality management. I have a background in French and international business law and in human resources.

After a few years of experience as a hotel manager, I plan to open the first experiential luxury hotel on the French Riviera: a place where the customer can experience everything about perfume.

What financial support do I have to launch the business?

The idea is to save a maximum of money during the next ten years or so in order to be taken seriously by banks and other investors. Moreover, I already begun to develop some relation with the local mayor and its team as my project is directly linked to their city.

What problems are you trying to solve?

Considering its number of habitant, Grasse is the fourth city of the department. In the perfume industry, Grasse is responsible of 10% of the world turnover and 50% of the national turnover. There are more than 2 million of visitors a year.
For all these people and business, there is no luxury hotel in Grasse. There is only one four star restaurant that proposes seven rooms to its customers but it is clearly not enough for this city. My project could be a solution.

Furthermore, Grasse is considered to be the world capital of perfume and, except for a few museums, there is no real experience around perfume proposed to tourists or businessmen.

Describe the business, core products and services.

The main product will be the luxury hotel, high above the city with a great view on the French Riviera and the hills around. Isolated, it will propose a calm atmosphere very close to the nature.
The hotel will propose a real experience around the perfume. Through a close collaboration with the museums and some perfumers, the customer will be able to learn everything about perfume history and even create his own product.
A health center around aromatherapy will be also available to guests as well as a restaurant with products from the region.

Who are my key customers and users at launch?

Depending of the date I plan to open the hotel, my key customers at launch could either be businessmen that come and go at Grasse for its perfume industry or tourists of the French Riviera. Either way, as there is currently no luxury hotels in Grasse, there will be customers.

Did I have customers validate my idea before investors?

Through a very discreet survey I was able to question customers of existing hotels at Grasse, mostly three stars guests, about a luxury hotel. The answers were quite enthusiastic, especially concerning the perfume experience and the location of the hotel.

SWOT analysis – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Strengths:
• First experimental luxury hotel on the French Riviera.
• No other four stars hotel in Grasse.
• No spa in Grasse.
• Strong activity in the perfume industry, lots of visitors and tourists.

Weaknesses:
• I currently don’t have the experience for opening a hotel.
• I currently don’t have the money to do so either.
• Proximity of Cannes, Nice, Mandelieu and Antibes.

Opportunities:
• Huge market potential.
• No precedent concerning the perfume experience.
• Chanel is closely related to Grasse – Possible relation with my project.

Threats:
• To much time for me to be ready.
• Other luxury hotels on the French Riviera.