the Founder and CEO of Doctor Aromas
the Founder and CEO of Doctor Aromas
As a young entrepreneur in Argentina, Marcelo Zelicovich found success in the scent business. He and his father created diffuser and spray technology that allowed stinky areas in public places — bathrooms, grocery stores, areas where the air conditioner let in outside air — to smell good. He loved working with his father, keeping a 1994 picture of them posing with a company prototype in his office.
But in 2000, during Argentina’s Great Depression, their business lost everything. Soon after, his father died. Zelicovich left his country for a new life in Miami, Florida. He arrived with $650 in his pocket, a history of success in the fragrance business and hope for something bigger in his new home.
“I knew I had something different than what was on the market at that time,” Zelicovich says. “What made it different is the quality of the fragrances, the way that we disperse it and the size of the microdroplets.”
In 2007, Zelicovich and a business partner founded Doctor Aromas, a company selling scents, diffusers and air conditioning scenting systems. For years, Zelicovich worked on the creative side of the business — R&D, production and innovation — while his business partner served as CEO, handling sales and operations.
Doctor Aromas was small but successful, especially in the Florida market. However, in 2021, Zelicovich and his business partner suffered a painful breakup. After securing a buyout loan, Zelicovich became the CEO of Doctor Aromas.
Immediately, the focus of his job morphed. Zelicovich went from focusing on creating new products to managing more than 30 employees, a production plant and multiple operations departments — while still responsible for innovating. He didn’t know where to start, and he didn’t have anyone to guide him.
“I had no expertise in being a CEO,” Zelicovich says. “I was an immigrant, which means that I have no friends from high school, from college, no friends in any political positions.”
An advisor with Doctor Aromas suggested that Zelicovich join a Vistage group. There, Zelicovich could learn more about running a business by meeting with successful CEOs and entrepreneurs on their own leadership journeys.
After joining Vistage in 2023, Zelicovich was awed by the revenue of the companies represented in his group. Soon he realized that his company might be able to grow far bigger than he had ever imagined.
In Zelicovich’s second Vistage meeting, Erick Kish, an author and Vistage speaker, said there are three different kinds of companies: retail, customer service and technology. For as long as he’d been in business, Zelicovich had assumed that Doctor Aromas was a retail company, selling directly to consumers. But Vistage Florida Chair Georganne Goldblum challenged his thinking, encouraging Zelicovich to think of Doctor Aromas as a technology business.
After all, Zelicovich invented new products and held their patents. The problem was that its patents were only being used on products made by Doctor Aromas.
“She asked why I didn’t license my patents to somebody else 100 or 1,000 times bigger than me,” Zelicovich says.
The question opened Zelicovich’s mind. He had always assumed Doctor Aromas was a sub-$10 million revenue business, max. But now, he wondered if it had the potential to generate far more revenue.
Zelicovich’s focus changed. His Vistage group helped him secure a deal through the U.S. Small Business Administration to pay off the buyout lender and access more working capital. He also put his COO in control of Doctor Aromas’ day-to-day operations and added his wife as a board member. For his part, Zelicovich focused on Everspray, a patented technology that shoots a mist of scented spray upward into the air in a unique way.
SHE ASKED WHY I DIDN’T LICENSE MY PATENTS TO SOMEBODY ELSE 100 OR 1,000 TIMES BIGGER THAN ME.
MARCELO ZELICOVICH
In July 2024, Zelicovich issued a press release and video demonstration of Everspray. Within a week, the three biggest companies in the aerosol industry called to ask about how they could license the technology.
While a deal has not yet been made, Zelicovich is negotiating with multiple companies to license Everspray technology. “When I started at Vistage, I thought my limit would be a $10 million company,” Zelicovich says. “Now I have a $100 million opportunity.”
Still new to leading a business, Zelicovich has felt excited and afraid when meeting with these large companies. But Zelicovich’s Vistage group and Chair have talked him through the emotions as well as the logistics of licensing a product and meeting with corporate leaders.
For other CEOs with unique backgrounds, Zelicovich suggests surrounding yourself with executives willing to be honest and generously share their feedback.
“Joining Vistage is by far the best decision that I made for my company,” Zelicovich says. “My technology is starting to get interest from companies all over the world. Success will take a couple of years, but now the ceiling for my company has exploded.”
With Georganne Goldblum, Zelicovich’s Vistage Chair
With the support of his Vistage peer group, Marcelo learned how to operate in the U.S. market and that he could handle new opportunities without them taking him off track. He’s 100% open to our coaching and support.
Marcelo was new to being a CEO, but he addressed his deficiencies on the job. He put in new programs and marketing while learning from his mistakes. This past year, his company was on track to offset any initial losses, and he was still profitable.
Our group members discuss their one- and three-year business and personal goals. We check in with them monthly to see how they’re doing. It’s about identifying and creating a plan, staying focused and being held accountable.
