Life & Work with Courtney Denmon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Denmon.

Hi Courtney, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I always wanted to have my own brand or business. It’s funny though because I never imagined a candle business. I was actually inspired by another black-owned candle company on Instagram. They had posted a dessert candle and I remember watching and thinking “I can do that!” I began watching YouTube tutorials on all of the methods I wanted to try, different waxes, prices of supplies, and so much more. Since I was a child, I’ve always had a knack for creating so I figured I could take my creative skills and my newly found passion for candle making and put them together to create A Scents of Peace Candle Co. Funding my business was hard but what started out as a disaster turned out to be such a blessing in disguise. The crazy thing is that I actually wasn’t making any money at the time because when COVID hit, I had to immediately stop working when my daughter’s daycare closed. I had applied for unemployment but due to the overwhelming amount of people trying to get benefits, I wasn’t paid at all for about three months. Luckily when my payments finally came through I was able to pay off all of my bills and still had enough left to start my business. I started with 50 lbs of wax and about 25 candle jars, now here I am today selling out every month.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Any challenges that I have been up against I prayed through. It definitely takes time to perfect your candle-making skills. Test burns, spilled wax, scent throw being off, bad wicks, vendor supplies running out, it’s all a part of the business. You live and you learn and you get better.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
What sets my candle company apart from others is the fact that I also provide a skincare line and a home decor line. I make custom trays, coasters, ashtrays, wall art, trinket boxes, and so much more. I work with epoxy resin which is a fluid hardener that you can add embellishments to. Our skincare line includes body oils, sugar scrubs, soap bars, body washes, and more. All of our products are natural and come in such desirable fragrances.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Just keep going! There will be days when you want to pull your hair out, give up, and say I quit. Don’t give up on yourself. It’s extremely hard to run your own company because you have to play every role yourself. When you start out, there are no employees to help you with all of the work that has to be done. Just remember why you started and don’t quit!

Pricing:

• Candles $20-30
• Resin projects $35-100
• Resin Art $150-$500
• Skincare $15-30

Contact Info:

• Website: Ascentsofpeacecandleco.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/ascentsofpeacecandleco