CAPSTONEPROJECT
ProjectByMichelleGoldman&YuchenYu
Facts: mentalhealth&theraphyrevievedglobally
NUMBEROFPEOPLEPEOPLELIVING WITHAMENTALDISORDER
ASOF2023ANDGROWING
INHIGHINCOMECOUNTRIES
1IN3 PEOPLE
RECIEVEFORMALCARE
71% of people with psychosis globally do not receive mental health services, highlightingasignificanttreatmentgap.
WE ARE LIVING IN AN OVERSTIMULATED, EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTED WORLD — AND SOFT RITUALS ARE BECOMING ESSENTIAL.
Emotionalwell-beinghasbecomeadailypriority,notaluxury. 1in8peopleworldwidelivewithmentalhealthchallenges—andmanygo untreated.
Traditionalwellnesstoolsareeithertooclinical,toovisible,ornotfastenoughto meetmodernemotionalneeds.
Peopletodayseekdiscreet,sensory-drivenritualstheycanuseinrealtime— anywhere,anytime.
SOURCE SOURCE
PASSIVE ENGAGEMENT
EXTERNAL SUPPORT
SEEKING
SOCIAL NAVIGATOR ESCAPIST COMFORT SEEKER
SELF LOVER
CONSCIOUS ENGAGEMENT
INTERNAL
PROCESSING
PASSIVE ENGAGEMENT
SOCIAL NAVIGATOR ESCAPIST
COMFORT SEEKER
SELF LOVER
CONSCIOUS ENGAGEMENT
Escapistsareindividuals whodon’talwaysconfront stresshead-on.Instead, theylookformicromomentsofmental refuge—softwaysto detach,recalibrate,and protecttheiremotional core. Theymaynotalwayslabel whatthey’refeelingas "stress"—instead,they cravesomethinggentleto returnto,somethingthat feelssafe,familiar,and emotionallychargedina quietway.
Ratherthancompetewithproductslikeessentialoilrollersorhome diffusersthatfocusonaromatherapyforclinicalstressrelief,wewantto createaproductthatispositionedasapersonalescapedevice— discreet,tactile,portable.Notatreatment.
Theideaistocraftatoolforeverydayemotionalrituals:awaytoregain controlofyourspaceandyoursensesinsituationsthatfeelforeignor overwhelming.
OuraimistocreateaproductfortheEscapistbecausewebelievethere ispowerinsteppingout—andevenmoreinreturningtowhatmakesyou feellikeyourself.
WEIGHTED BLANKETS
FIDJET TOYS
OUR OPPORTUNITY
Wellnesstoolstendtobeclinical, performative,orpassive.
AROMATHERAPY DIFFUSERS
THERAPY JOURNALS
ESSENTIAL OIL ROLLERS
MEDITATION APPS
MOOD TRACKING APPS
Emotionalregulationoftenmeans: "breathe,""focus,""trackyourmood"— butwhere’stheescape?
Noexistingtoolbridgesscent,memory, andtactileritualinadiscreet,portable form.
Scentsignalsbypassthethalamus(thebrain’s usualrelaystation)andgodirectlytothelimbic system,especiallytheamygdala(emotion) andhippocampus(memory).
Thiscreatesinstant,involuntaryrecall—people oftenrememberspecificmoments,places,or feelingsalmostimmediatelyaftersmellinga familiarscent.
Researchshowsscentcantriggeremotionalmemorieswithin0.15seconds,fasterthansightorsound. Inonestudy,participantsexposedtoascentassociatedwithapastexperiencereportedmorevividand emotionalrecallthanwhenshownavisualorhearingarelatedword.
Thisisoftencalledthe“Proustianeffect,”basedonMarcelProust’sfamousmadeleinescene—ascentor tasteunlockingacascadeofmemory.
Discreet diffuser blending scent, memory, and fidget interaction
Anchors emotional memories through scent
Built for the Escapist
Theglobalwellnesseconomywasvaluedat$4.4trillionin2020 andisexpectedtogrowto$7.5trillionby2025.
Mentalwellnessandpersonalcarearemajorcontributors,reflectingthe growingdemandforemotionalandphysicalwell-being.
GlobalWellnessEconomyMonitor2023ReportSOURCE
GlobalWellnessEconomyMonitor2023ReportSOURCE
KeyDrivers:Thegrowthisdrivenbyincreasingconsumerpreferencefor naturalandholisticwellnesssolutions,withapplicationsinstressrelief, moodenhancement,andsleepimprovement.
ProductSegmentation:Themarketincludesessentialoils,blends,and carrieroils,withtheconsumablessegmentholdingasignificantshare.
SOURCE
VerifiedMarketResearch MarketInsights
ConsumerDemographics:Whileinitiallypopularamong children,fidgettoolsarenowwidelyusedbyadultsseeking stressreliefandimprovedconcentration.
Elegantdesign,strongbrandinwellness
Clinicallybacked,effectivestress calmingdevice
Portablesize,ritual-drivenstressrelief
Home-bound(noportability),no memoryorpersonalconnection
Discreet,portable,memorydrivenemotionalritual
Feelsmedical,lacksemotional warmthorstorytelling
Emotion-firstdesignfocused onnostalgia,notanxiety
Requiresvisibleself-application (skin),lessdiscreet
Novisibleactionneeded—discreet pressactivation
Strongemotionalstorytelling aroundmemory&place
Passive(candlesonly),home use,nopersonalization
Active,personalscentrituals customizedtousermemories
SCENTERED
–Ablendof"hush"(quiet)and"zen"(peaceful).
Forpeopleaged18–45whofeelemotionallyoverwhelmed,disconnected,orstuckin uncomfortablesituations,
Weprovideapress-activatedaromadiffuserdesignedtoinstantlytransportthemtoa familiar,nostalgicmoment—likethecomfortofachildhoodhome,thepresenceofa lovedone,orthememoryofapeacefultrip.
Unliketraditionalaromatherapyrollersordiffusertoolsthatfocusontreatingstress clinicallyorrequirevisibleself-application, Wedeliveradiscreet,fidget-friendlydevicethatactivatesmemory-linkedscent experiences,helpingusersmentallyescape,feelgrounded,andreclaimemotionalsafety.
Itwasextremelyimportant thatusersconnectandfeel thatthescentisreallyfor them.
Hushenisn’tjustemotionalsupport—it’saritualcue.Asubtlesensory remindertopause,shift,andchoosethemoodyouwanttobein.
Whetherit’sgroundingbeforesocialsituations,calmingafter overstimulation,orre-centeringbetweenworktasks,Hushenhelpsusers trainemotionalelasticity—askillbuiltovertimethroughscent-based memorylinks.
Fragrancehouses(for scentproduction)
Manufacturingpartners (device+packaging)
Wellnessretailersand boutiques(distribution partners)
Emotionalwellness communities (partnershipsfor visibility)
Influencersinthe mindfulness/wellness space
Productdesignandscent development
Manufacturingandqualitycontrol
Managingscentpersonalization quizplatform
Marketingandbrandstorytelling
E-commerceoperationsand fulfillment
Customerexperienceand communitybuilding
Intellectualproperty:scent formulations,productdesign
Manufacturingrelationships (device+scents)
Brandidentityandemotional storytelling
E-commerceplatformwithscent customizationquiz
Emotionalwellnessresearchand archetypeinsights
Productdevelopmentandprototyping(device+scents)
Manufacturing(smallbatchproductioncosts)
Adiscreet,portable emotionalritual—nota clinicalsolution.
Personalization:Scent anchoredtomemory,not justmood.
Empoweringemotional self-regulationwithout stigma.
Seamlessintegrationinto dailylifethroughtactile rituals.
Asensorial,nostalgic experienceuserscan discreetlyactivate anywhere.
Websitedevelopmentandmaintenance(includingpersonalizationplatform)
Marketingandstorytellingcontentcreation
Packagingandfulfillmentlogistics
Researchandscentexpansioncosts
Personalization:Throughthescentmatchingquiz
EmotionalConnection:Positioning
Hushenasasupportivecompanion
CommunityEngagement:Storytelling aroundemotionalritualsandmemory
CustomerService:Supportforscent patchsubscriptionsandcustomizations
Youngadultsand professionalsaged18–45
Individualsexperiencing occasionaloverwhelmor emotionalstress
Wellness-conscious consumersseekingnonclinicalself-caretools
Sensory-focusedconsumers interestedinemotionalrituals
Direct-to-consumerwebsite(primary)
Socialmedia(Instagram,TikTok, Pinterest)foremotionalstorytelling
Pop-upshops/eventsatwellnessspaces anddesignfairs
Influencerpartnershipsintheemotional wellnessandself-carespaces
Amazon
DirectsalesofHushenstarterkits(device+scent)
Refillscentpatches(one-timepurchases)
Subscriptionmodelformonthlyemotionalscentcollections
Limited-editionseasonalscentlaunches
Potentialfuturecollaborations(co-brandedemotionalritualsets)
Goal:
TolaunchHushenasalimitedproductionrunwithcustomizablescentoptions,validateuser demand,andpositionthebrandforalargerseedroundorretailpartnerships.
Early-stageangel investors
Funding
Stream
Designincubators
Grants
Crowdfunding (option)
RefillableScentPatches: $15–$20per2-pack
StarterKit:Hushendevice
+2scentpatches → ~$60 retailprice
Hushendevice:$50
StarterKit:Hushendevice+2scentpatches
→ ~$60retailprice
RefillableScentPatches:$15–$20per2-pack
SubscriptionModel:$18-$20/monthfor curatedmonthlyscentpatchdelivery
LimitedEditions:Seasonalnostalgiascents (e.g.,SummerLimonata,WinterHearth)
Crowdfunding
LaunchaKickstartercampaigntopre-sellStarterKitsand createearlyemotionalbrandcommunity.
SeedInvestment
Approachwellness/consumer-focusedangelinvestorspostcrowdfundingsuccess
Goal:Break-evenafterselling~1,500starterkits +initialsubscriptions.
Grants
BootstrappingPhase
Applyforgrantsrelatedtowellnessinnovation mentalhealth tech,anddesigninnovation(eg.,WellnessInnovationAwards).
Minimalfixedcosts;foundershandlemarketing fulfillment and communitymanagementinitially.
ProductFinalization(device,scentpatchsystem,accessorydesigns)
ScentFormulation&StarterCollection(5–6emotionalscents)
Manufacturing(starterkits+accessories,firstsmallbatch~1,500 units)
SubscriptionPlatform)
content,firstads)
Year1:PilotLaunch&EmotionalEcosystemBuild
Year2:ExpandScents+Partnerships
StarterKitsSold 1,200units
AccessoriesSold(withkits)
600–700units(50–60% attachrate)
SubscriptionConversion ~20%(240users)
Year1RevenueEstimate ~$120,000–$140,000
Year1Focus
Launchecosystem:Starter Kit+Accessories+ SubscriptionLoyalty
SubscriptionUsers 600–700users
Year2RevenueEstimate ~$250,000–$300,000
Year2Focus Deepenpersonalization: expandscentquizzes, seasonalcollections, partnershipswithemotional wellnessbrands
Phase1—Buildingthe MVP(Months1–3)
FinalizeHushendevicedesign withoptimizedtactileand scent-releasemechanics
Developandtestfirstcurated scentpatchcollection groundedinemotional memoryresearch
Buildfunctionale-commerce websitewithintegrated personalizationquizplatform
Conductsmall-batchpilot manufacturingforstarterkits andaccessories
PrepareKickstarterand Direct-to-Consumer(DTC)
soft-launchstrategyfocused onearlyemotionaladopters
Phase2—ProjectLaunch& ActiveMaintenance (Months4–6)
Launchinitialsalesthrough Kickstarterand/ordirectonline platformwithlimitededitionscent bundles
Establishfulfillment,packaging,and customersupportinfrastructureto ensureseamlessbrandexperience
Implementreal-timefeedbackloop withearlyadopterstorefinescent collectionsandusagescenarios
Beginstorytelling-drivenbrand campaignsfocusedonmemory, emotion,andpersonalrituals
Introducewearableaccessories (necklaces,clips)toenhancedaily integration
Phase3—Evolvingthe Project(Months7–9)
Phase4—Scale&Diversify (Months10–12)
Expandscentcatalogwith seasonal,archetype-basedscent drops(e.g.,Oasis,Hearth, Limonata)
LaunchHushenSubscription Service:MonthlyEmotionalRitual Kitswithcuratednewscents
Deepenpersonalizationengine (adaptivequizandmemorybasedscentsuggestions)
Strengthenbrandcommunity throughuser-generatedmemory stories,socialcampaigns,and limitedcollaborations
Optimizedigitalplatformfor scalablesubscription managementandretention strategies
Diversifyproductofferingswith newaccessories,scentsets,and limitededitioncollaborations
Formalizeretailpartnershipswith boutiquewellnessretailersand conceptstores
Expandbrandpresencethrough curatedpop-upsandemotional wellnessexperiences
Buildoperationalinfrastructure (scalablesupplychain, manufacturingresilience)to supportbroaderreach
Beginearly-stageexplorationof internationalexpansionmarkets (Canada,UK,Europe,South America)
Hushen is more than a product it’s an emotional ritual, a sensory doorway back to safety, memory, and self.
In a world that often demands resilience, Hushen offers refuge. It reminds us that emotional well-being doesn't always require fixing sometimes, it just needs a place to rest.
Email:yuchen.yu.1002@gmail.com
Email:mdxgoldman@gmail.com