Introduction

In this episode of Selling Luxury, I have an opportunity to speak with Stefan Stešević, Founder and CEO of the Montenegro Luxury Association, whose bold mission is to elevate an entire country into a premier luxury travel destination. Beyond tourism, Stefan's work offers a live case study in how any luxury business can use intention, sustainability, emotional resonance, and excellence to reposition itself for the future of luxury.

Episode Summary

Throughout much of the conversation, we use Montenegro as a lens to explore how luxury is evolving everywhere.

The themes we discuss apply far beyond travel: building infrastructure before demand, uniting everyone around shared standards, and treating excellence not as a slogan but as a system.

We also unpack today's luxury buyer mindset: a shift from ownership to experience, from status to transformation, from volume to depth. Wellness, emotional connection, and identity-shaping experiences are now central drivers, whether you're selling destinations, design, hospitality, or high-end products.

Our conversation touches on the paradoxical role of technology, where digital tools and AI can support personalization, but as Stefan points out, ultra-luxury still depends on trust, privacy, and human touch. We also talk about sustainability, not as a marketing angle but as a long-term strategy to protect the environment, prevent over-tourism and preserve the very qualities that make something feel luxurious.

Key Takeaways

• Leverage Your "Hidden Gem" Status: There is real power in being the discovery.

• Design for Transformation, Not Just Enjoyment: Ask: How does this experience transform them?

• Sustainability as Long-Term Luxury Insurance: Sustainable choices—environmental, cultural, and operational—protect your long-term positioning and desirability.

• Use Technology Carefully, Protect Humanity Fiercely: Ultra-luxury still runs on privacy, discretion, and human connection. Tech should support the relationship, not replace it.

• Trust Is the Currency: In the luxury world, trust is the asset that keeps your best buyers coming back and sending others.

Spotlight Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanstesevic/

Website: https://mnelux.com/

Contact Host

Website- www.jeffreyshaw.com

Speaking- www.jeffreyshawspeaks.com

Books- www.jeffreyshaw.com/books

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyshawauthor/

Introduction

It's gifting season, but are those year-end gift boxes really doing what you think they're doing? In this episode, I speak with premium gifting strategist Kade Kimber, founder of Kimber and Oak, about transforming gifting from a December habit into a powerful, year-round luxury business strategy. From "authenticity at scale" to measuring the performance of a gift, we explore how thoughtful gifting can deepen relationships, drive revenue, and humanize luxury in a noisy world.

Episode Summary

Kade explains why December is the least strategic time to gift. Clients are overwhelmed, unavailable, and not making decisions. Instead, he advocates for off-cycle gifting. Planned touchpoints aligned with business goals and ad hoc gifting tied to meaningful life moments. Together, these create deeper emotional connection and higher impact.

We discuss why branded swag fails, how thoughtful messaging can elevate even simple gifts, and how value alignment (sustainability, community, inclusion) drives loyalty. Kade also shares how digital personalization is shaping the future of luxury gifting and why even small-budget gifts can yield extraordinary returns when treated as a true marketing asset.

Key Takeaways

• Year-end gifting is often ineffective and how off-cycle gifts perform far better.

• A gifting strategy should align with business goals, timing, and measurable outcomes.

• Surprise and personalization create the strongest emotional impact.

• Avoid promotional items; luxury gifting should feel relational, not transactional.

• Digital elements can enhance personalization and connection at scale.

Spotlight Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kadekimber/

Website: https://kimberandoak.com/

Contact Host

Website- www.jeffreyshaw.com

Speaking- www.jeffreyshawspeaks.com

Books- www.jeffreyshaw.com/books

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyshawauthor/

Introduction

In this episode of Selling Luxury, I'm joined by international luxury marketing consultant Antonio Paraíso, known for his work on emotional branding and "the art of making people dream." Together, we explore how desire, not need, drives luxury buying, and how brands can create longing through beauty, storytelling, symbolism, scarcity, and mystique.

Episode Summary

We unpack why affluent clients buy with their emotions and "need of the soul," not practicality. We discuss how luxury brands use extreme quality, aesthetics, story, and scarcity to spark desire, and how that's evolving with younger generations. Antonio shares vivid examples from Hermès and Patek Philippe to a bold move by Bottega Veneta. He also introduces a true highlight for me in our conversation— Porsche's subscription model as a powerful sign that experiences now matter more than ownership. We close with Antonio's "make them dream" formula and why resolving imperfections quickly can deepen loyalty more than perfection itself.

Key Takeaways

• Desire over need: Luxury buyers are buying happiness, emotion, and meaning, not functional products.

• Porsche Passport: Experience over ownership. Porsche's subscription model lets clients drive the dream without owning the car, reflecting a generational shift toward access and experience.

• Scarcity still matters, just differently: Exclusivity still drives desire, but queues and overexposure mostly attract aspirational buyers, not true high-net-worth clients.

• Fascination leads to desire: Magic, wonder, and myth, like the Kelly bag's origin or Marilyn Monroe's Chanel No. 5 story, create fascination that converts into desire.

• How to maintain mystery in an over-exposed world: Luxury is a constant paradox: visibility vs. mystique. Brands must be intentional about what they reveal and what they hold back to preserve allure.

Spotlight Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonioparaiso/

Website: http://antonioparaiso.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@121Paradise

Contact Host

Website- www.jeffreyshaw.com

Speaking- www.jeffreyshawspeaks.com

Books- www.jeffreyshaw.com/books

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyshawauthor/