Type Private Area served International Founded 2003 | Industry Consumer Products Revenue $190 million in 2011 | |
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Key people Orville Thompson, CEO, Director, & Co-owner
Heidi Thompson, President, Director, & Co-owner
Kara Egan, Co-founder & Director
Colette Gunnell, Co-founder & Director Products Wick-less candles, accessories Headquarters Meridian, Idaho, United States CEO Orville Thompson (Jul 2004–) Founders Kara Egan, Colette Gunnell Profiles | ||
The scentsy story
Scentsy is a Meridian, Idaho-based warmer company that was founded in Salt Lake City in 2003. Its products are sold utilizing a multi-level, direct selling structure while using the party plan model for marketing. The company refers to its multi-level sales force as consultants. In addition to warmers and scented wax, Scentsy also sells bath products, cosmetics, laundry items, and similar products. As of 2014, the company reports having over 200,000 consultants.
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Company History
Scentsy was founded in 2003 by sisters-in-law Kara Egan and Colette Gunnell. The company made light-bulb based candle warmers as a home business in Salt Lake City.
In 2004 Orville Thompson learned of Scentsy while selling video games at a Salt Lake City home-show. Thompson purchased the business from Egan and Gunnell, who then became consultants for the company. The company relaunched as a party-plan, multi-level marketing model in July 2004, and operated out of a metal shipping container on the Thompsons' Meridian, Idaho ranch. By 2013, Scentsy had expanded to 1,019 employees, most of whom work on the company's 603,000-square-foot campus in Meridian.
In October 2009, an upgrade for consultants' front end software became problematic, and Facebook was used as a backup solution. For this decision, Scentsy received the "Success Award" from the Direct Selling Association.
From May 2009 to January 2010, Scentsy's sales force expanded from approximately 30,000 to over 75,000. Inc., labeled Scentsy as "America's fastest-growing consumer products company" and was ranked 19th overall in the annual Inc. 500.
Scentsy has since been rebranded as Scentsy Fragrance, a subsidiary of the parent group Scentsy Family, which also owns the brands Grace Adele and Velata. The company discontinued the Grace Adele brand at the end of July 2014.The company is also shuttering its Velata division at the end of August 2016.