Small Business Spotlight | AW Home Candle Co

Tell us about you and your company.

Hey there! I’m Ana! I was born and raised in Brazil and moved to Michigan in 2013 where I married my husband and had two beautiful and very active boys.

AW HOME candle co is a company that carries handcrafted candles, soaps and wax melts. All of those are handmade by me with much love in my home studio.

What inspired you to start your business and what drives your passion for it?

I’ve been a fragrance admirer (home and body) for a long time and after becoming a mother, I started caring more about what kind of products I brought home. It turns out most of the candles and soaps we buy in stores are not the best for us. With some more research and lots of practice, I started having fun making my own candles at home and gifting them to friends and family. From there on, people started asking for more and I realized this could lead to something.  It was soon after I decided to start my own company.

What makes your business unique and sets it apart from competitors?

AW HOME candle co has unique concrete candles that are also a piece of art that will make any room of your house look luxurious and with the sustainability that we all love. After the candle is burned all the way through, you can repurpose the vessel and use it as a planter, pen holder, etc.

All of our candles are made with a rich and creamy coconut wax that burns clean and has a strong scent throw. The fragrances are also all non-toxic and phthalate-free.

What inspires your selection of candle scents and do you have a favorite?

I usually select my scents according to the season. My favorite ones are definitely the fall/winter/holiday ones! There’s something special about lighting a candle during this season, right?! lol

What is your biggest lesson learned as a small business owner?

Having a niche makes things a lot easier. I get sidetracked constantly and want to expand my line and do other kinds of products. I just have to remind myself I can’t do everything all at once. 

Can you share testimonials or success stories from satisfied customers?

Of course! It makes me SO HAPPY when I have amazing customers come to my booth in a market saying they drove all that way because they saw I was going to be there. My heart does a happy dance every single time!

What is on the horizon for AW Home candle co?

Lots of markets during this fall/winter and hopefully some new (secret… shhh!) products coming out in the new year!

What is your definition of self-care? What do you do for self-care?

I love a clean house. So, after the kids are in bed and the house is picked up from dinner, I light a candle (lately I have the Harvest Fig one going on) and pour myself a glass of wine, put my feet up on the couch and watch a show! That’s ME TIME! The best for mental health!

How can people get to know more about what you’re doing and where can they find you?

The best way to find me is through Instagram. My handle is @awhomecandleco. I’m constantly sharing the latest product releases and market dates over there. You can also see a little bit of the production process!