Introduction

In this episode of Selling Luxury, I welcome Elizabeth Solaru, CEO of Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium and founder of the Diversity in Luxury Awards. With more than 20 years of experience across industries, Elizabeth has become a powerful voice for inclusivity in an industry long defined by exclusivity. Together, we explore what diversity really means in luxury today, from cultural nuances to language, from large global brands to small independent businesses.

Episode Summary

Elizabeth and I explore what diversity truly means for luxury businesses, large and small. Our conversation goes beyond surface-level ideas, touching on culture, client behavior, language, and the evolving relationship between exclusivity and inclusivity. Elizabeth shares insights from her own journey and from her work championing diversity across the global luxury sector, offering a perspective that is both thought-provoking and hopeful.

Key Takeaways

• The Bigger Picture of Diversity: Diversity in luxury extends far beyond representation and includes culture, geography, psychographics, and innovation.

• Reconciling Exclusivity and Inclusivity: Brands can remain exclusive in delivery while being inclusive in vision.

• The Importance of Words: Language carries energy; rethinking words like “exclusive” helps luxury evolve.

• Redemption Arc: Brands can recover from mistakes through recalibration and genuine change.

• What Makes Her Hopeful: The rise of diverse leaders, social initiatives by luxury houses, and new opportunities for entrants into the industry.

Spotlight Guest

Websites:
https://elizabethsolaru.com/
https://luxurybusinessemporium.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-solaru-1ba901

Book: The LUXPreneur: How to start and build a successful luxury brand

Contact Host

Website- www.jeffreyshaw.com

Speaking- www.jeffreyshawspeaks.com

Books- www.jeffreyshaw.com/books

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyshawauthor/

Introduction

ABASK has achieved what most considered impossible: a truly luxurious experience, entirely online. In this episode, I speak with co-founder Tom Chapman to unpack how ABASK blends craftsmanship storytelling, meticulous curation, and UX discipline to deliver experience, trust, and delight online, offering lessons any brand can apply to elevate their digital (and in-person) experience.

Episode Summary

Tom traces ABASK’s origin to a real-life need: outfitting a newly designed home with pieces that felt personal, interesting, and well-traveled without months of delays or “showroom sameness.” That insight became ABASK’s north star. Respect the customer’s time and taste while offering immediate availability, intelligent curation, and depth of story.

We explore how ABASK recreates the tactile qualities luxury buyers expect through excellent photography, maker videos, and rich product narratives that speak to an educated clientele. Tom explains the retailer’s role as a curator and advocate for artisans, using content to justify price via demonstrated craft, provenance, and process.

On the operational side, ABASK relentlessly studies customer journeys—conversion, repeat rates, and where the experience breaks, to refine navigation, category design, and recommendations. Yet data never overrides taste. The buying team prioritizes beauty, future heirlooms, and inspiration over sheer volume. Throughout, Tom argues that true luxury is every touchpoint, from first impression to the unboxing and always organized around one thing: the customer.

Key Takeaways

• The intersection of magic and logic: ABASK succeeds by balancing creative “magic” (buying, storytelling, photography, video) with operational “logic” (UX discipline, funnel analysis, retention). Data informs decisions, but craft and taste set the standard.

• Challenge culture: A company-wide habit of asking, “What broke? How do we make it better next time?”, owning mistakes, solving logistics and continually improving every touchpoint so a customer with unlimited choices keeps choosing you.

• Storytelling that justifies price and builds trust: Maker videos and rich product narratives turn “objects” into heirlooms, letting customers see (and value) the craftsmanship they’re paying for.

• Curation that respects time and taste: ABASK’s multi-brand edit (with immediate availability) enables a layered, “collected over time” aesthetic—cohesive without showroom sameness—serving luxury buyers’ twin needs: time and choice.

Spotlight Guest

Website- https://www.abask.com/en-us

Contact Host

Website- www.jeffreyshaw.com

Speaking- www.jeffreyshawspeaks.com

Books- www.jeffreyshaw.com/books

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreys

Introduction

In this episode of Selling Luxury, I sit down with client experience expert, leadership strategist, and keynote speaker Neen James, author of Folding Time, Attention Pays, and the forthcoming Exceptional Experiences (Oct 14). We dig into why “exceptional is the new standard,” how luxury is a mindset, and the practical systems that turn moments into loyalty and advocacy.

Episode Summary

Neen reminds us that luxury isn’t about price. It’s the feeling of being anticipated, remembered, and valued. When brands shift from moving bags like a bellhop to anticipating needs like a concierge, ordinary moments become memories.

We explore four ways people relate to luxury. Each one wants something simple: less hassle, a sense of worth, progress that feels earned, or memories that last. Speak to the heart of those desires and you don’t just win a sale, you create belonging.

And when belonging is systemized, before, during, and especially after, the experience compounds. A framed photo left in a room. A note that proves you were paying attention. A “champagne moment” that turns joy into a ritual. When elevation isn’t a grand gesture. It’s consistent thoughtfulness at scale. That’s how exceptional stops being rare and starts being your standard.

Key Takeaways

• The Four Luxury Mindsets: Reluctant & Removed; Luxury Lover; Pro Prioritizer; Confident & Content

• The Experience Elevation Model: Entice, Invite, Excite, Delight, Ignite

• Act like a concierge, not a bellhop: Anticipate unspoken needs; remove friction and elevate everything else.

Spotlight Guest

Website- https://neenjames.com/

Buy Exceptional Experiences- https://neenjames.com/books/

Neen on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/neenjames/

Contact Host

Website- www.jeffreyshaw.com

Speaking- www.jeffreyshawspeaks.com

Books- www.jeffreyshaw.com/books

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyshawauthor/