I always wanted to be a mystery writer following in the footsteps of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Josephine Tey, Ellis Peters, Ngaio Marsh and Elizabeth George. A love of reading caused me to pursue an undergraduate degree in English Literature, then life got in the way after I began my graduate studies, so I took a break.

A decade of managing information centers for three companies followed, then a lateral shift into market research and setting up my company, Unity Marketing, to help unite marketers with their target customers through research information. That caused me to focus on the affluent consumers who generate over 60 percent of all spending, and the luxury market, which is largely their exclusive province.