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/