Meet Bernadette Brown | Journalist, Teacher, Chandler

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bernadette Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bernadette, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I always thought I would be a worker, not a business owner. I enjoyed my work and the company I worked for. Heck, I still do. It was my love of candles and my desire to not get sick when burning store-bought candles that really got the business started. It wasn’t until I thought of creating a product that I could enjoy without getting sick that the business was born. That was my only goal in the beginning, then after trial and lots of error, I realized, hey, this is a whole business. Let me figure out a way to let people purchase these candles from me.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Running a business is hard. Especially when you are starting from scratch and you have a full-time job that is very demanding. There is nothing easy about it. I read a lot of books, watched countless videos on creating soaps, candles, lotions, and scrubs and I got support from other makers/biz owners like myself. Our first website was, um, well, let’s just say, not so good. I had absolutely zero experience in designing a website for e-commerce and it showed. I just figured a lot of things out along the way. My mistakes have taught me so much. I am thankful for the missteps I’ve had because I believe there is no greater teacher than failure. So, I have learned a lot! One thing that I have done throughout this journey is to be very vulnerable with my audience. I wanted everyone who visited the site or saw a social media post to understand who they were buying from and why it was important to me. Our business is so much more than candles, it’s about lighting the way to wellness. We are more than the soap we sell, we are offering our customers a clean start. We want to empower our audience to clear a way to a better life experience. There are lots of companies selling what we sell. I know that what makes us special is that these products are meant to be tools for you to discover who you are. Our self-care, self-discovery, and self-love message is the foundation for our brand.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta is a treasure trove of history and culture. My husband and I visit the King Center often. You have to take in the richness of the King’s legacy while you visit Atlanta. Krog Street Market, Chattahoochee Food Works, and Municipal Markets are a must, If you come to Atlanta and don’t visit the Varsity, have you really been to Atlanta? The iconic cityscape from the Jackson St bridge is a must. The Carter Center is top of the list. Love, love, love the Alliance Theatre. I hold Park Tavern and Piedmont Park in high regard because that is where I exchanged vows with my boo. It was also one of the first places we visited when we were dating. Speaking of Parks, please go to Sweetwater Creek State Park near Lithia Springs – it is our new favorite spot for listening to the water and taking in amazing views.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate this to my FRAMILY: the friends and family who consistently champion the success of the business. To the friends who bought, shared, liked, reviewed, tested, modeled, sent ideas, and helped the business grow – THANK YOU. To my family who are the ultimate guinea pigs and loudest cheerleaders of my success. This is for you.

Website: www.baublesandbeeswax.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/baublesandbeeswax

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrsbbrown/

Twitter: twitter.com/bernadettecnn

Facebook: www.facebook.com/baublesandbeeswax

Other: TikTok: @baublesandbeeswax

Image Credits
Triple S Photography Garland Nealy Photography