Where are you located:
Youngsville, LA
What do you make:
I make all things that make your house and car smell yummy: small batch soy candles, wax melts, incense (when the weather cooperates), room sprays, and car diffusers.
It all started with a pink cat candle I made with my mom in 1986. From there, my vision and love for candles continued to grow. In 2012, I started making candles and selling them at the Pasadena Rose Bowl while living in California. In 2015, I moved back to my hometown of Youngsville, Louisiana and continued making and selling candles. Two years later, my company, “La Petite Bougie d'Acadiana” was born.
Part time or full:
Part Time that pushes Full-Time, depending on the season.
6 words to describe your work:
Magical, Smelly (in a good way), Fun, Personable, Nostalgic, GROWING
A typical day in your life:
Do you have a minute… lol ok, so I live on a farm with 293720983 animals so my mornings are HAIRY… literally. I start my morning off with feeding the zoo… which includes: 6 dogs, at least 20 barn cats, 4 horses and a sassy mini horse! Then I can feed myself and head to the candle cottage… which is a SUPER long walk across my yard. I like to make candles, listen to loud music, and drink coffee. Life is good.
Your favorite color:
Amethyst Purple… but like that super deep amethyst color that’s so purple it’s almost black.
The best compliment you ever received:
“You make the best candles!” That’s literally music to my little candle making ears.
Business that inspires you:
Amy’s Country Candles. She started off in New Orleans and got her first major sale to the Ritz Carlton with her beautiful Bradford Vase Candles. They burn them to this day in their lobby. She now has stores across Louisiana and Texas. It just shows that anyone can make it if they have a dream and a drive.
Values you bring to your work:
Love is the secret ingredient to all things in life.
How you continue to learn/grow:
My BEST resource has been talking and brainstorming with other makers! We all have experienced different things on our journeys and have talked with so many other artists. I think some of the best advice that I have ever gotten that actually helped my business grow was from Hannah Gumbo when it comes to social media marketing. I also plan on taking an online marketing course this year to help further my goal of conquering online sales.
The best part of what you do:
I love that it allows me the freedom to be creative as I want. There are literally thousands of ways you can make a candle different and I want to do ALL of them!
The most challenging part of what you do:
Getting people to purchase something that they can’t smell online. If it is a returning customer, then it isn’t as bad because they more than likely have sampled most of my products, but new customers struggle with trusting what the scent is. Online has been a challenge but through COVID I have had to step up my game and take some crash courses from other small business owners on online sales.
Where can we buy from you?
On Etsy or come shop in person at the Candle Cottage on my property in Youngsville. I also have products sold at Boho, Absolutely!, Bayou Art Co-op, & Chloe Rose Boutique.
