For Danielle Ryan entrepreneurship is in her DNA. The granddaughter of RyanAir founder Tony Ryan was trained at the Royal Academy of Art in London. She is a businesswoman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, actress and producer. The 32-year-old is the founder of ROADS and the company’s ethos is based around storytelling on various levels – books, films and fragrances. IRMA wanted to find out how to tell a story with a scent.
IRMA: What do fragrance, publishing and film production have in common and where did you get the idea for a fragrance label?
DANIELLE RYAN: It is the start of Roads being an even more diverse lifestyle brand. We will be adding more companies to the group in the future. The common tie – other than them being passions of mine – is they are, for me, different platforms for communication and collaboration. Everything is based around creating projects from what we see around us. A bit like journalism – if we find something that is cool or worth talking about, we either make a film on the subject, make a fragrance based on it, or do a book about it.
IRMA: Which part of Roads excites you most at the moment?
DANIELLE RYAN: I’m excited by Roads so much at the moment. For me the most exciting challenge is to keep up with how the world is interacting with one another. Also I love being the one to find out what’s cool right now. I’m so inspired daily by what and who I find.
IRMA: You are involved in so many different activities, from charity to publishing, from movies to fragrances. How do you organize yourself and how do you relax?
DANIELLE RYAN: I rely on a very talented team that I hired who know more than me. I’m also regimented about time. Getting up at the same time every day, taking my kids to school, then a workout and into work. I timetable everything that I need to cover into an agenda for the week and stick to it. If I’m concentrating on one thing then I don’t allow myself to get distracted by something else. Concentrate on one task at a time and you can cover a lot of ground. Also when I’m home, I switch off from work – that’s actually when I can think most clearly.
IRMA: What makes you happy?
DANIELLE RYAN: My little kids, my husband, contemporary art, fragrance, theatre, movie binges, innovation projects and anything that’s new and not the norm.
IRMA: Is the world for you immense or does it get smaller and smaller the more you get around and see?
DANIELLE RYAN: The more I travel the more I know how little I know. The world gets bigger and bigger.
IRMA: What is for you true luxury when travelling?
DANIELLE RYAN: Organised cultural trips. Comfort all the way. Efficiency when moving around. Great food.
IRMA: Home sweet home or more and more places to discover?
DANIELLE RYAN: Keep discovering for sure. I would move every year if I could.
IRMA: Is the creation of a scent almost like going on a journey? And if so, what kind of travel?
DANIELLE RYAN: Yes, in that it can be escapism. It’s travel for the imagination.