the story behind the story
You may know the story of how Antique Candle Co.® began (From Stovetop to Studio!), but what about the story behind that story?
We grabbed our list of interview questions & camera equipment to sit down with Brittany (our #bossbabe) and chat about ALL things Antique Candle Co.® 🤩 In 2021, she opened up her heart as she shared her story behind the incredible (and sometimes challenging) journey she's taken to create this AMAZING company and community of candle friends. 💕
What's your favorite candle?
During the fall season, it's Pumpkin Spice, hands down! But outside of that, Pineapple Coconut.
Can you describe your life before you started making candles?
Before I started making candles I was about 22 or 23 years old and I’d only been out of college for about a year and I accepted a job as an Assistant Store Manager for a Super Target in the Chicago area. So my husband and I packed up our bags and we moved to Chicago. I love retail, but it was 50 hours a week which is fine because I love working. But it was weekends and nights and anybody who has worked retail totally knows the life. And I actually remember a specific night when I came home from work and my husband is asleep and he works in the city. And the dirty dishes were all stacked in the sink and it was just such a sad moment that I felt like I was failing and couldn’t do it all.
A couple of months later, I remember talking with my manager and eventually actually left the job. I bought a $200 candle making kit online. And as I was applying to jobs, I kind of created this small business plan. From the very beginning I planned the business to be a certain size...making, maybe a hundred to 300 candles a day. We'd have a small team of candlemakers and we would just fulfill orders online. So it's kind of funny looking back at how my plan and my vision is so different than what God had envisioned or planned. That's just how He works though, isn't it?
Has there ever been a moment where you thought 'I can't do this anymore,' or even, 'I don't know how to do this business?'
Each season's a little bit different. But generally speaking I will say, as a business owner, an employer, there's been times where Satan can use and make me feel like trapped. There's this weird feeling that when you're an employee and you work somewhere that if things get bad or I'm not happy anymore, I could put in my two weeks. And so there's been times where I feel so trapped and where you can't put in your two weeks. It’s not possible. Luckily it doesn't happen too often just every now and then.
What was one of your proudest moments as a small business owner?
I think my proudest moment of owning Antique Candle Co.® is probably being recognized by our local community as like the Small Business of the Month in 2020. It was just really cool to have a town recognize kind of what we were doing and what we were building. All of the candlemakers and the shipping peeps and all the marketing gurus came with their spouses and their families. And there aren't very many like times where we all get together with all of our families.
Going forward…what is the goal?
Gosh, I wish I had a good answer for that. It sounds a little bit irresponsible. But I'm going to say it anyways. I am along for the ride and there has to be some planning and vision and direction, of course. And I will do my part. But the candles that we're planning on launching next year…they're gonna be good!
Are there any questions YOU would like to ask Brittany?
Send us an email at contact@antiquecandleco.com! We will get back to you ASAP! 