Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Harris.
Hi Nicole, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Mind Your Own Beeswax is a labor of love. I started candle-making during my senior year of college as a creative outlet, but my discovery of beeswax was serendipitous. As I learned about candle-making, I discovered that beeswax candles are sustainable and ease asthma, allergy, and anxiety symptoms. The serendipitous part is that I was searching for a holistic remedy for my seasonal allergies and episodes of anxiety. After making a few batches, I loved the benefits! I could breathe better. I felt better. Moreover, the beeswax made my house smell like honey. I wanted to share my discovery with everyone. I carried boxes of candles around campus to fulfill orders from my professors and administrators. I received so much support from family, friends, and university members that I decided to expand to Etsy.
In November of 2019, I registered my small-batch kitchen operation as Mind Your Own Beeswax LLC, with the intention of selling products at weekend events and on Etsy. Due to the pandemic, in February of 2020, I was furloughed by my full-time position as a paralegal, so I decided to pivot into Mind Your Own Beeswax full-time. In July of 2020, I rebranded Mind Your Own Beeswax with an illustration of an anonymous Black woman with a natural afro making a shushing gesture with a bee adorning her index finger. The illustration is meant to illuminate the intersection of environmentalism and the Black community. Black and Brown people are affected deeply by environmental injustice and climate change as environmental issues are prevalent in urban areas. The goal of Mind Your Own Beeswax is to energize the usage of eco-friendly household goods in order to stimulate sustainability and natural holistic wellness.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
December and January of 2020 were my most lucrative and challenging months of business. Due to the pandemic, my supplies were delayed for weeks, and packages were lost in transit. Customers were angry and I almost had a mental breakdown. Now, December and January serve as a metaphor for business management. December and January taught me vital principles of life and business: 1. Don’t be so hard on yourself (Alexa, play Seal, Don’t Cry). Business owners endure unimaginable highs and lows. I learned to value my lows with reflection and compassion for myself. As a new business owner, there were things that I naturally didn’t know, and the pandemic illuminated and compounded my naivete. Inevitably, “new business owner” and “struggle” are synonymous, but I learned to take things one day at a time and push through adversity with resilience and appreciation for the journey. 2. The power of three. Always have three vendors in your arsenal in case your main vendor is out of stock. 3. Communicate expeditiously! Customer service and integrity are interconnected, thus key. 4. Breathe and be still for 30 minutes of the workday.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Mind Your Own Beeswax LLC is a small business that retails handmade, sustainable beeswax products. We’re known for our scented beeswax candles. Beeswax candles are natural air purifiers, because when burned, beeswax releases negative ions into the atmosphere, which bind to positive ions (dust, dander, and odors). Additionally, beeswax candles are known to ease asthma, allergy, and anxiety symptoms. Beeswax candles boost serotonin levels in the brain from the release of negative ions. I’m proud of my brand for the dedication to quality, sustainable ingredients and for the ways in which my products have helped people who suffer from asthma, allergies, and anxiety. The burdening truth is many leading candle brands use paraffin wax and misnomer their ingredients as “soy-blend” candles, which generally indicates that their candles are made of paraffin and soy wax. In 2009, a study by South Carolina State University concluded that paraffin wax candles emit harmful fumes (toluene and benzene), which are linked to upper respiratory issues like asthma and lung cancer. Furthermore, burning paraffin wax candles in unventilated spaces has been associated with irritation of the skin and respiratory tract. I’m proud to say that beeswax candles are a non-toxic alternative to paraffin wax and “soy-blend” candles.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Mind Your Own Beeswax is currently a bestseller on Etsy and on the shelves of stores in Miami and Atlanta. Some of the best-sellers are BLESS UP (pineapple and sage), HALLE BERRY OR HALLELUJAH (black raspberry and vanilla), BUFFALO SOLIDER (hazelnut coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla), and HONEY DIP (honeysuckle and jasmine). Visit mindyourownbeeswaxllc.com to order. Also, we plan to expand our inventory to beeswax crayons, beeswax wraps, and skincare in the near future.
Pricing:
- 4 oz. $15
- 8 oz. $29
Contact Info:
- Email: myobeeswaxllc@gmail.com
- Website: www.mindyourownbeeswaxllc.com
- Instagram: @mindyourownbeeswaxllc
- Facebook: @shopmyob
- Other: www.etsy.com/myobllc
Image Credits
IG @kimani_thekreator
