Today we’d like to introduce you to Roseline and Roselaine.
Hi Roseline and Roselaine, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Like many family, 2020 was a hard year for us. Due to Covid-19, I was placed on furlough in March 2020 and during my leave, we unfortunately discovered in August that my father had stage 4 cancer. I was able to spend 100% of my time with him through surgery and chemo, and unfortunately, he passed away on August 16, 2021.
Between taking care of my dad and being on leave, I needed to figure out another form of income. I’ve always been a huge fan of candles (romantic side of me lol) and decided to take a candle-making course online. Throughout the course, I was fascinated about the different ways candles are made and learning about the art of candle making. From the types of waxes that are used, wicks, packaging, safety, equipment used, and even how it impacts our environment. My plan was to just start a wax melt company, and the Bien-Aime Collection evolved to a full-on candle business.
I wanted to create a brand that was beautiful, sophisticated, chic, and made in the USA. Trying to decide on how I was going to make this work, I reached out to my twin sister Roselaine BienAime-Brizzi, who has a marketing/design background and a great sense of creativity. We worked on the branding together and she became my business partner. I’ve had an opportunity to learned so much about marketing with her guidance and I don’t know what I would have done without her.
We name the company “Bien-Aime Collection” and the name Bien-Aime means beloved, darling, well-loved, and more in French, which is the perfect description of my sister and me.
We launched the company at the end of January 2021.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No way lol lol. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and I’m still learning. I think I must have lost 10 pounds by the time we launched. We originally launched 23 scents (big mistake) and eventually had to reduced it to 12. My sister warned me that it was way too much!!!
My twin is based in California and was handling all the labeling, which made it hard when I needed to make changes, or we forgot certain things we needed. We now have a better system.
We had so many wonderful friends who supported our launch and placed orders. We did not want to disappoint them, so I did end up changing my wax three times and finally found one that worked well for the brand.
The hardest part of building a company is not having the funds to help us grow. I used my own money to build the business and the marketing also has not been easy. We have done several adjustments and are pleased with where we are at currently.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Bien-Aime Collection evokes a sense of comfort, peace, and tranquility. Our hand-poured candles and wax melts are created with all-natural ingredients formulated to transform your home into a fragrant oasis with scents from around the world.
Each of our scents is tied to a destination. I love to travel, and I wanted to take our customers back to a place that brings them happy memories without leaving their home or have them discover a place that they’ve yet to travel. We use 100% soy wax that is grown in the USA. Our collection is clean, beautiful, sophisticated, and chic.
Building Bien-Aime Collection with my twin sister is what I am most proud of. We are dedicated to offering superior customer service and having fun while we are doing it.
ROSELINE BIEN-AIME – FOUNDER & CEO
For over 20 years, Roseline has been a noteworthy leader in the hospitality industry. Driven by passion, she takes pride in providing the best customer service as possible. As the Founder and CEO of Bien-Aime Collection, her goal is to offer long-lasting scents, memories, great products, and customer satisfaction. Roseline is also CEU Certified in candle making. She is a graduate of Florida International University and received her bachelor’s in Hospitality Management and minor in Restaurant Management.
ROSELAINE BIENAIME-BRIZZI – VICE PRESIDENT
With more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Roselaine has held several sales, marketing, and public relations positions in Miami and Los Angeles. Roselaine is a graduate of Florida International University and received her bachelor’s in Hospitality Management and minor in Restaurant Management. She has received many accolades and is a self-taught graphic designer and makeup artist.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters is providing great service and special products by twin sisters. Being raised in the hospitality industry, this is important to us.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@bienaimecollection.com
- Website: www.bienaimecollection.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bienaimecollection/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bienaimecollection
Image Credits
All photos by us Roseline and Roselaine Bien-Aime
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