How It started:
Candles have always held a special place for me. But as I embraced motherhood in the past (going on 8!) years, my focus has definitely shifted towards creating a more healthy and eco-conscious home for my growing family. This realization mixed with my lifelong love for DIY projects combined to create the perfect hobby: candle-making with coconut wax and wooden wicks. I would feel so warm and fuzzy enjoying my candles all over the house. This sense of joy of making handcrafted candles and burning them in my own space sparked a question: "What if I could share this feeling with everyone else?" And that's how my candle-making journey began, blossoming from kitchen experiments into a passion project for friends and family, and eventually, opening an Etsy shop.
After getting a lot of new knowledge through a business course and lots of excitement (and lot of nervousness!) I embarked on this incredible journey and decided to move towards my own website. It wasn't easy. Between testing and testing different formulations to come up with my signature collection, learning about inventory management and creating a production schedule, and creating a brand identity that felt authentic, it took countless late nights and even more determination. But with every challenge, it just seemed like my passion grew even stronger. It wasn't just about creating beautiful candles anymore; it was about building a brand that embodied the values I held dear – sustainability, well-being, and adding a little something special to each day.
How It's Going:
Ever since then, I've been on what feels like a pretty wild ride, growing the brand from super humble beginnings to partnerships with almost 50 stores (and counting!). Building an online presence alongside that has been no small feat, and navigating the world of e-commerce has definitely led to a few (costly!) learning experiences. There have even been moments where things felt stagnant, felt like they were falling apart, and throwing in the towel just seemed like the easier thing to do. But my belief in myself, this brand, and your support, has been the wind beneath my wings.
Now, at this exciting stage of my brand, I'm looking into expanding into new, non-candle products! I can't wait to share more and have been thinking of starting a waitlist to share exclusive sneak peeks into what’s happening next for Calm Joy. What do you think?
Until next time,
Simone