Soulmates & Stories: How Rayan’s application was the birth of The Ritual of Yozakura

Hellooo – this is me!

My name is Rayan Odyll, and I am a Product & Brand Innovation Manager at our Central Head Office in Amsterdam. I have a background in Design, with a major in Fashion and Communication, and I joined Rituals two years ago. Driven by my passion for storytelling through product innovation, I transitioned from the fashion industry to beauty. The people around me describe me as creative, kind, and passionate. In my free time, I indulge in various creative pursuits like pottery, jewellery making, and flower arranging. I love learning new things and exploring different cultures through travel and cuisine. Embracing life's beauty in all its forms is a mantra that truly resonates with me.

My story is about how I inspired a limited edition collection as a job applicant.

During my interview at Rituals, I was asked to revamp The Ritual of Sakura, our #1 bestselling collection. You can imagine I was really excited; what a nice challenge! I proposed extending its storytelling through The Ritual of Yozakura, a concept inspired by the beauty of Japanese cherry blossoms at night. It went over so well with my interviewers that they offered me the job the next day! I still remember receiving the call; I was at my mom's place and couldn't stop smiling.

Upon joining Rituals, I presented my idea to the entire team and others – one of them being our founder, Raymond Cloosterman. After finishing my presentation, Raymond remarked, "Is Rayan from Innovation or Marketing? He has so many ideas." It still is one of my absolute highlight moments, receiving such a nice and funny compliment from our big boss. Long story short, they decided to bring my idea to life! Rituals empowered me to lead the project, collaborating with many amazing colleagues at every touchpoint, from fragrance formulation, packaging, and in-store materials to the marketing campaign and storytelling.

I'm incredibly proud of the work we did together, turning my idea into what has become the most successful launch of a limited edition in Rituals' history. It has been immensely rewarding to witness the positive reactions from colleagues and customers when they see and test our products. I even worked in one of our shops for a day to experience their reactions to my concept firsthand.

How I experience working at Rituals

Being part of a company that values creativity and fosters an environment where out-of-the-box thinking is encouraged and appreciated makes me feel lucky. At Rituals, you will be listened to, you can share and exchange your ideas, and you can have an impact if you want. It's a place where your potential is recognised and nurtured, allowing you to grow and develop personally and professionally.

I think when you truly love what you do, it doesn't feel like work. And that's working at Rituals for me. It is about being inspired, sharing your visions, and turning them into reality. I approach every task with enthusiasm and dedication, reflecting positive energy into my work and connections with my colleagues. Speaking of colleagues, the environment is fantastic. When I started, I was surprised by how friendly and supportive everyone was. Rituals is filled with authentic, caring, empathetic, and committed people. We work hard and play hard, with epic parties that bring us even closer together :-). I think our parties are one of our (untold) secrets.

If I had to describe Rituals in 3 emojis:

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