CONTENTS
01 — before there was a brand
02 — where the name came from
03 — influenced by fatherhood
04 — learning to be picky
05 — care over convenience
06 — objects with purpose
07 — finding the right pace
08 — what don don aura really is
09 — for the future
10 — a letter for charlotte
chapter one
before there was a brand
don don aura didn’t begin as a business plan. it didn’t start with a product list or a goal to sell something. it began as a feeling — one that kept returning, quietly, no matter how busy life became.there were long stretches where everything felt loud. days moved too fast, expectations piled up, and the world seemed built for urgency rather than care. in contrast, the moments that mattered most were always the smaller ones. moments by the sea. moments of stillness. moments where time softened enough to breathe.
those moments became the foundation. not because they were dramatic, but because they were honest.
don don aura was born from a desire to hold onto that feeling — and to share it without over-explaining it.
chapter two
where the name came from
the name “don don” is the heart of everything.
it carries the idea of steady movement — calm momentum. not rushing forward, not standing still. just continuing, gently, with intention. it represents progress without pressure, growth without force.
but the name is also deeply personal.
it came from a child’s voice. from warmth, playfulness, and connection. from a moment that didn’t feel like branding at all — it just felt right. the kind of name that doesn’t need justifying because it already belongs.
don don aura is as much for my daughter as it is for me. she is part of its rhythm, its softness, and its meaning. the brand carries the same values i hope she grows up with: kindness, patience, care, and confidence in moving at her own pace.
there’s a quiet pride in that. pride in knowing that the name stands for something rooted in love, not trends. that it can grow alongside her. that one day she’ll be able to look at it and know she was always part of its story.
chapter three
influenced by fatherhood
becoming a parent changes the way you see time.
it sharpens your awareness of what matters and what doesn’t. it teaches you that presence is more valuable than productivity, and that the smallest routines often hold the deepest meaning.
don don aura was shaped in that space.
slow mornings. shared laughter. the comfort of repetition. the understanding that not everything needs to be maximised or monetised — some things just need to be protected.
creating something that reflected those values became important. not just as a brand, but as an example. something that said it’s okay to choose calm. okay to be intentional. okay to build something slowly and properly.
this brand is part of the legacy i’m building — not in a grand sense, but in a human one.
chapter four
learning to be picky
from the start, don don aura was particular. details mattered. not because of perfectionism, but because rushing never felt right.
there were many times when products arrived almost correct — but not quite. packaging that didn’t feel right in the hand. finishes that missed the mark. materials that didn’t align with the values behind the brand.
each time, the decision was the same: accept it, or go again.
going again wasn’t easy. it meant uncomfortable conversations. it meant delays. it meant sitting with uncertainty. but cutting corners would have hollowed everything out. so the brand chose patience, even when it slowed progress.
that process shaped don don aura as much as any design decision.
chapter five
care over convenience
the eco-conscious side of don don aura was never a marketing angle. it came from instinct.
using recycled materials. producing in small batches. making to order where possible. reducing waste rather than hiding it. these choices were about responsibility — about not adding more noise to an already crowded world.
don don aura doesn’t claim perfection. it claims effort. it chooses awareness over indifference, and intention over ease.
that honesty matters.
chapter six
objects with purpose
incense became central because it made sense.
sandalwood, in particular, felt grounding in a way that aligned with the brand’s energy. warm, steady, never overpowering. something you light for yourself, not for display.
the mugs followed naturally. practical, unfussy, designed to be used. taken to the beach, the van, the kitchen table. objects that become part of daily life rather than sitting untouched.
everything don don aura creates is meant to live with you.
chapter seven
finding the right pace
there were moments of doubt. moments of overthinking. moments of scrapping ideas completely and starting again. moments of questioning whether any of it would land.
but each reset brought the brand closer to itself.
don don aura learned to trust its pace. to stop chasing perfection and instead chase alignment. to let things evolve naturally rather than forcing them into place.
this brand doesn’t shout. it doesn’t rush. it doesn’t try to be everything.
chapter eight
what don don aura really is
don don aura is for people who feel deeply. for people who notice when something is off. for people who value calm without emptiness, and ritual without performance.
it’s for those who understand that slowing down isn’t laziness — it’s a choice.
this brand is still growing. still refining. still becoming. and that’s intentional.
it’s not finished. it’s alive.
chapter nine
for the future
don don aura exists for the present — but it’s built with the future in mind.
for my daughter. for the life she’ll grow into. for the values i hope she carries with her. for the belief that you can build something meaningful without losing softness along the way.
if you’re reading this, you’re already part of it.
stay a while.
it’s calmer here.
FINAL CHAPTER
a letter for charlotte
charlotte,
one day, you might read this.
or maybe you won’t — and that’s okay too.
but this brand exists because of you, whether you realise it yet or not.
don don aura was shaped during the years i was learning how to be your dad. learning how to slow down, how to listen, how to notice the quiet moments instead of chasing the loud ones. it grew in the spaces between our days — the calm ones, the ordinary ones, the ones that don’t always feel important until you look back.
the name came from you. from the way you spoke, the way you laughed, the way small things carried big meaning. it was never meant to be clever or polished. it was meant to feel true. and it still does.
i’m proud of this brand, but not because of what it might become. i’m proud because it was built with care. because it refused to rush. because it chose kindness over urgency, and intention over noise.
most of all, i’m proud because it carries values i hope you carry too.
that it’s okay to take your time.
that you don’t need to shout to be heard.
that doing something properly matters more than doing it quickly.
that calm is powerful.
that softness is not weakness.
don don aura is as much yours as it is mine. not as a business, but as a reminder. a reminder that love can live inside work. that creativity doesn’t have to hurt. that you can build something slowly and still move forward.
whatever you choose to do in your life, i hope you feel free to do it your way. at your pace. without apology.
this brand will grow and change, just like we will. but its heart will always stay the same.
and so will my pride in you.
always.