We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful K.b & Bryan Elliott. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with K.B & BRYAN below.
K.B & BRYAN, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
Frequently, we’re asked about the inspiration behind launching The House of Artem, and we often find it challenging to pinpoint a single defining moment. In truth, it’s the culmination of our life’s journey and experiences.
During my childhood, a significant portion of my time was dedicated to immersing myself in art through literature and music. I often found myself lost in the captivating narratives spun by talented storytellers, allowing me to tune out my surroundings and drift away into their worlds.
After college, I relocated to NYC, where my career in some of the world’s premier fragrance houses began to flourish. While I admired their dedication to craftsmanship, I couldn’t help but notice a glaring absence. Unlike the culturally rich art forms that had influenced my upbringing, luxury fragrances lacked recognition as an art form in their own right.
My wife, K.B., has a background in Women’s Studies, with a focus on the images of women in film and media. Her skill in storytelling for film projects was pivotal in establishing the foundational brand identity of The House of Artem.
Our wine-fueled conversations often gravitated toward our passion for fragrance and the significance of telling stories that are frequently overlooked in the world of luxury scents.
These discussions sparked our desire to reinvent the narrative behind fragrances, elevating them to the status of other established art forms. This meant not just viewing them as scents but as powerful mediums for storytelling and cultural expression.
So, what sparked the creation of The House of Artem? It emerged from the urgent need for the art of storytelling in a space where it had been absent before. Our approach to telling culturally relevant stories through scent sparks dialogue and fosters understanding across generations and cultures. We truly believe where empathy is present, anything is possible.
We hope that our fragrances not only evoke emotions but also serve as reminders of the importance of recognizing and celebrating the artistry behind every scent.
K.B & BRYAN, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
At The House of Artem, we offer more than just perfumes—we create experiences. Our fragrances are designed to spark emotion and resonate deeply with the wearer, promoting an understanding and appreciation of different cultures and histories. Through each scent, we seek to bridge generational and cultural divides, making our fragrances a way for people to explore and celebrate human connection.
What sets us apart is our commitment to blending storytelling with luxury, using only the finest ingredients and crafting each fragrance to be a true work of art. Whether it’s a scent inspired by a particular time in history or a fragrance that captures a specific emotion, our products are designed to offer something meaningful and deeply personal to every wearer.
What we are most proud of is the community we’ve built—people who appreciate the thought, care, and creativity that goes into each fragrance. We’ve been thrilled to see the reception of our fragrances at Osswald NYC since we launched there earlier this year. Our mission is to continue creating scents that not only captivate the senses but also promote understanding and cultural awareness.
Ultimately, The House of Artem is about more than luxury; it’s about using fragrance as a medium for storytelling, connection, and celebration. Whether you’re a high-net-worth individual, a collector, or someone who simply appreciates the finer things in life, we’re here to offer you something unique—a scent that tells a story as unique as your own.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
I’d love to share our story—it’s definitely one of those moments where the stars just aligned perfectly. We are actually a husband and wife team, and we met in a somewhat serendipitous way. We had known about each other for years, but our paths never really crossed in any meaningful way. We were both in relationships with other people at different times, and I think that kept us from ever considering anything more than casual acquaintance. Even though there was a mutual awareness and attraction, we were focused on our own lives and didn’t think much of it.
It wasn’t until December of 2020, when we both happened to be single, that things shifted. We have a mutual friend who, interestingly enough, never sets people up—like, ever. But this time, she couldn’t shake the feeling that we would be a perfect match. She saw something in both of us that we hadn’t yet realized for ourselves. She knew we had similar visions for what we wanted out of life, both personally and professionally. At first, I think we were both hesitant because the timing had just never been right before, but we trusted her intuition.
From our very first conversation, it was clear that our friend had been onto something. There was this natural alignment not only in how we saw the world but also in our ambitions. We realized we both had a passion for creativity and storytelling, and we wanted to build something meaningful together. What started as a personal connection quickly grew into a professional partnership as well, and Artem was born from that shared vision.
Looking back, it feels like everything happened the way it was supposed to. Our relationship, both as partners in life and business, is built on mutual respect, shared goals, and a deep understanding of each other. It’s not every day you get to build something with the person you love, and I think that dynamic really comes through in our work and the energy we pour into Artem. We wouldn’t be where we are today without that foundation.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the most significant pivots we’ve made in our journey was during the early stages of raising capital for Artem. We encountered something thats called the “Missing Banister Theory,” which essentially refers to the idea that, when you’re climbing a staircase and expect there to be a railing to guide you, but it’s missing, you have to find a new way to keep yourself steady and move forward. In business, this happens when your expectations don’t quite match reality, and you’re forced to adapt.
For us, that moment came while we were in the middle of raising capital. We had a solid plan in place, and like many entrepreneurs, we anticipated that the funding process would move quicker than it did. But, as we found out, raising capital often takes longer than expected. It’s a challenge that many startups face, but when you’re in the middle of it, it can feel like a crucial piece of your plan is missing—like that banister that’s supposed to guide you up.
Rather than letting that slow us down or deter our momentum, we had to pivot quickly. We shifted our focus to preselling our products as a way to prove market validation. We knew that if we could demonstrate real demand for Artem through preorders, it would not only generate revenue but also provide a compelling case for investors, showing that there was a genuine appetite for what we were building.
This strategy became a critical part of our growth. The preselling approach allowed us to engage directly with our early customers, build anticipation, and solidify the brand’s place in the market even before we had full capital backing. It was a clear example of how sometimes you have to adjust your path, even if it’s not what you originally envisioned.
In hindsight, this pivot was a blessing in disguise. It strengthened our confidence in the brand, brought us closer to our customers, and ultimately validated that Artem was something people truly wanted. It’s a perfect example of how embracing uncertainty and staying agile can lead to unexpected successes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artemfragrances.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artemfragrances/
Image Credits
Bryce France (K.B. & BRYAN ELLIOTT PHOTO)