The TEDxAtlanta conference and year-round programming is fueled by four groups of amazing individuals: speakers, volunteers, attendees and partners. In our Partner Spotlight series, we invite you to meet the businesses that lending us either their time and expertise, or their financial support in service of furthering the mission of spreading ideas that spark curiosity, civil discourse and ultimately a more cohesive community.
In conversation with Makeba Lloyd, founder of Scentonomy, an X Zone activation partner at TEDxAtlanta 2025.
What inspired you to start Scenetonomy?
I started Scentonomy while on a self assessment and development program where one of my assignments was to answer the question, “What is your gift to the world?” My first thought was to create a platform that encouraged the practice of aromatherapy as a daily self-care routine and to make it simple and accessible. While working on this program, I was invited to apply for an innovation grant. And so, I came up with an idea to build an aromatherapy tool backed by an essential oils algorithm which helps people identify essential blends according to their needs and scent preference. It was a Sunday afternoon, the room where I was working was very bright and I remember being extremely excited.
Since then, the concept and platform have blossomed into a full service holistic wellness company that highlights the benefits of aromatherapy while providing a number of services such as sound therapy, massage therapy and acupressure. Our services are available to individuals as well as corporations for their wellness initiatives.
As you’ve gone on your journey, what were some of your greatest challenges?
I have been bootstrapping my company since its inception. I haven’t sought out investor funding because I strongly believe that an idea and a company should be able to stand on its own for a 2-3 before raising capital. Working towards profitability year after year without funding is challenging but it is possible when you work lean and bring in team members who believe and support your vision.
As your company has grown and become more established, what would you say are the core values and how have they influenced your business?
We are a wellness company so our internal culture is always about checking in with oneself to assure we are operating from a place of peace of mind and overall wellbeing. The key to this is communication. Communication is extremely important in maintaining our balance, honesty and healthy environment.
How would you describe your experience partnering with TEDxAtlanta?
As a New York born and based company it feels amazing to be welcomed by the TEDxAtlanta team to participate in such an impactful yearly event. We are truly honored and excited for the opportunity to share our love of aromatherapy and olfaction with TEDxAtlanta’s community.
Our goal is to bring wellness experiences to this community. We are a team driven company and value the opportunity to get members of our organization involved in this partnership to ensure a successful experience for everyone, particularly to deliver an engaged wellness experience such as our Aromatherapy Bar. We’re very excited to support TEDxAtlanta’s future wellness initiatives in any way we can.
Are there specific goals you would like to achieve as part of the relationship?
We are very curious to learn how guests of this year’s TEDxAtlanta receive our aromatherapy experience, to learn how familiar guests are with this modality and what types of ingredients resonate the most and why.
Join us at TEDxAtlanta 2025 and be part of the conversations shaping our collective future. This year’s event promises to amplify voices, share stories, and inspire action—aligning perfectly with the incredible work of partners like Angelle Consulting.
Final days to be part of this extraordinary experience before ticket prices increase on January 17, 2025. Buy your tickets today.
Learn more about the changemakers taking the stage at TEDxAtlanta.com.
The TEDxAtlanta conference and year-round programming is fueled by four groups of amazing individuals: speakers, volunteers, attendees and partners. In our Partner Spotlight series, we invite you to meet the businesses that lending us either their time and expertise, or their financial support in service of furthering the mission of spreading ideas that spark curiosity, civil discourse and ultimately a more cohesive community.
In conversation with Claire Angelle, founder of Angelle Consulting.
What inspired you to start Angelle Consulting?
My journey into entrepreneurship was a leap of faith, born more out of necessity than a plan.
In 2018, after years of working in communications and international relations for the French Foreign Service and for the City of Atlanta, I accepted a role with a media group in New York. Just six weeks in, life took an unexpected turn — the company faced financial collapse, and the entire team, myself included, was laid off.
I registered an LLC overnight with the simple goal of staying afloat. To my surprise, Angelle Consulting was profitable from its very first month. What began as a temporary solution quickly evolved into something much bigger. I realized that my passion for amplifying meaningful stories aligned perfectly with the needs of purpose-driven leaders and organizations.
Entrepreneurship is not easy. What were some of your greatest challenges and triumphs?
A few years ago, my family faced a series of deeply personal hardships. In the span of six months, we lost my father-in-law to Covid-19, a colleague tragically passed in violent circumstances, we welcomed a family member struggling with mental health issues into our home, and we had to say goodbye to our beloved family dog. In the middle of it all, I had just hired my first full-time employee. It was chaotic, to say the least.
But challenges often breed innovation. We established clear processes at Angelle that allowed me to step back from the day-to-day operations far earlier than I anticipated. In turn, this freed me to focus on big-picture strategy and vision for the company. Although I was forced to cancel commitments and push deadlines, clients, friends, and family all met me with a level of compassion and understanding that I could have never expected. I ended up closer to many of the people around me than I had ever been before, and my business flourished despite the odds.
Tell us about Angelle. What makes it special?
At Angelle Consulting, our core values of care and connection, growth and progress, and transparency and accountability are the foundation of everything we do. We care deeply for each other, our clients, and the world around us, building genuine relationships and respecting boundaries. We believe in always learning and growing, not just for ourselves but to help our clients make a bigger impact. And we value being transparent and accountable, showing up as our authentic selves, communicating clearly, and owning our mistakes.
Today, in addition to client work, we provide pro-bono services to organizations we care deeply about including TEDxAtlanta and the Conscious Capitalism Atlanta Chapter. This dual approach allows us to promote two key aspects of our mission: the importance of storytelling (and sharing impactful stories) and a restorative alternative to traditional capitalism.
How would you describe the TEDxAtlanta partnership experience?
Partnering with TEDxAtlanta has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s given us the chance to connect with a community of changemakers and amplify ideas that truly matter.
The collaboration has sparked new relationships and reminds us why we do what we do. It’s more than just a partnership; it’s an opportunity to be part of something bigger.
The partnership has also created the opportunity to get team members more involved. My colleague Andie Orozco, is deeply involved — she helps place content for TEDxAtlanta speakers and pitches president and licensee Jacqui Chew for opportunities to share her insights more broadly. It’s been inspiring to see Andie take the lead and use her skills to support this collaboration. Her contributions not only strengthen our partnership but also reflect our team’s shared passion for spreading ideas that matter.
Are there specific goals you would like to achieve as part of the relationship?
For us, the most meaningful outcomes of our partnership with TEDxAtlanta aren’t just numbers — they’re about impact. We value the stories we can help share, the connections we foster, and the well-deserved recognition we can bring to TEDxAtlanta as a whole. Whether it’s through successful content placements or new collaborations that come out of this work, our goal is to amplify the voices that make a difference.
Join us at TEDxAtlanta 2025 and be part of the conversations shaping our collective future. This year’s event promises to amplify voices, share stories, and inspire action—aligning perfectly with the incredible work of partners like Angelle Consulting.
Final days to be part of this extraordinary experience before ticket prices increase on January 17, 2025. Buy your tickets today.
Learn more about the changemakers taking the stage at TEDxAtlanta.com.
Founded in 1980, ATDC has played a pivotal role in shaping Atlanta and Georgia’s startup ecosystem and fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, for founders with technology-focused businesses.
Over the years, it has evolved into one of the nation’s leading technology incubators, supporting hundreds of startups across a wide range of industries, from healthcare and fintech to cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing.
Having graduated more than 200 companies since its founding, ATDC, an offering of Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, has served as a catalyst and space that allows founders to turn their passions into companies that have impact action.
Its mission is to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to embrace risk and the possibility of failure. But ATDC has created an ecosystem that supports and encourages founders to believe their ideas can change the world in meaningful ways.
Among its successes are founders who created companies that improve the standard of care for babies born prematurely who have feeding troubles and technologies that allow patients suffering from heart failure or chronic diseases to be closely monitored by their physicians without having to leave home.
Through innovative programs and initiatives, ATDC empowers entrepreneurs to create their own futures to become problem solvers and pioneers that bring solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation (Partnership), led by founding Executive Director Debra Lam, a TEDxAtlanta 2023 Atlanta conference speaker, was founded to catalyze communities and individuals into creating solutions and pursuing innovations that solve problems and maximize individual potential.
A collaboration of leading private companies across Georgia and learning institutions including Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia, the Partnership leverages its resources to advance technology and innovation in an equitable manner statewide.
As Lam said in her talk, innovation is not just about creating cutting-edge technologies or revolutionary products; it’s also about ensuring that these advancements benefit everyone in society.
Central to its mission is a philosophy that innovation and great ideas can come from anyone and anywhere. Actively promoting diversity and ensuring that all voices are heard creates a future framework for more successful outcomes because all stakeholders have the opportunity to contribute and succeed.
It’s why since its formation in 2020, the Partnership has been focused on breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances. It’s about recognizing the unique perspectives and talents that each person brings to the table and harnessing those strengths to drive collective progress.
Leveraging technology innovations and being intentional about problem solving, has led to local communities to harness artificial intelligence to improve healthcare outcomes and prevent water drownings, and use research to deploy solutions that improve air quality and address climate change.
By bringing together diverse stakeholders, promoting collaboration to harness the power of technology for social good, the Partnership has garnered international recognition for creating a model centered on driving meaningful progress toward more equitable and sustainable futures.