Meet Desirée Chavis | Business Owner & Traveler

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

Hi Desirée, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Starting my own business developed after years of feeling unfulfilled at work. As a job hopper, I had amassed a lot of really valuable experience but felt like I was never getting the actual “big break” that I wanted in the industry I wanted. There were lots of mundane days and some days full of excitement, and I just wasn’t getting as much of those as I wanted. As a communications professional, I have the opportunity to shape perception and emotion with words, and I love my talent in this right, but doing it behind a desk day in and day out has not made me feel like I’m living my best life. Add on the struggles of being a minority in the workforce, and my day jobs really weren’t all that gratifying. I am so thankful for the opportunities I’ve had, but always wanted something different. After years of writing down notes for a “website” I could start, after an overseas stint in the Foreign Service and returning to the U.S., and after seeing a couple friends launch their own businesses, I decided I could too!

Here is a way I can provide something to people directly, get involved, help and impact people through something I can creatively direct and own! In fact, the mission statement of CelebrityCandleCo. and its parent company Shooting Starz Shopette is: to encourage satisfaction and delight in all things around you, from your personal style expressions to your home. Ultimately, the thought process behind starting my own business becomes more clear as time passes. I love the community I get to have with customers and fellow business owners and the more I can serve in different capacities in business, the more I am fulfilled.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art has transformed massively throughout my life, though the seeds are still there. From my first 22-page story written in elementary school, to my near decade of ballet, to picking up my first instrument (shoutout to the clarinet players), to being forced to pick up my second instrument (shoutout to the saxophone players), art has shaped every walk of my life. Since college, it felt like art started to fade from my daily life, but I realize that it’s still in how I approach and put things together. I’m a writer, and although I mainly do it professionally, it is still an art. I’m grateful that I get to use my writing more creatively in my business. I love recording on Garage Band. I love making my skin-safe candle products. I absolutely love creating, period.

Getting where I am today has not been easy, it’s been hard-earned, but I am thankful for who it made me and where I am. What sets me apart is my background, my approach, and my mission. My work and presentation are always professional, and my mission always keeps you at the center.

I encourage each of you that feels like an artist but can’t really see it in their current stretch of life to remember and honor their talents and apply them any and everywhere. And if something draws you in, but you don’t think you’re that good at it, take a class to really determine your skill level, and if you love it, keep going!

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?
I’m still waiting for a comprehensive Atlanta experience, so if you are ready to give me a tour, let me know!

As for the area I live in now (R.I.P. to the city that made me, NYC), a typical itinerary would include:

-A visit to the Old Town Alexandria waterfront, and maybe a water taxi to The Wharf in D.C.

-A stroll in picturesque Georgetown, D.C., also on the water.

-The museum and tourist sites, with emphasis on the African American History Museum, the MLK Memorial and tidal basin, the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall.

-ArtecHaus, which is only in a few cities!

-A LONG list of delicious restaurants including D.C. cultural favorites like Ben’s Chili Bowl and anywhere with mambo sauce.

-A night out on U Street.

I’m only moving south from here, so queue the spa, café, brunch, cocktail and party lists for your city and share them with me!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people, songs, books, places and experiences that deserve a shoutout in my life. It’s been a journey, MUCH harder at times than others, and my family and framily/close friends, old and new, have continuously encouraged me to choose forward when I’ve felt stuck. I’m a HUGE reader and some of my favorite authors have also shaped my imagination and mindset and have transported me while I was physically in the same place. A music lover and (former) musician, music has always been my companion (90s-early 2010s is the GOAT).

My website not only offers advice and content from some that I hold dear and have had the privilege of partnering with, but also includes read, watch and listen lists for different goals. If it has helped me, I want it to help you!

Website: CelebrityCandleCo.com OR ShopShootingStarz.com

Instagram: @ShootingStarzShopette

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shooting-starz-shopette

Twitter: _Shooting_Starz

Facebook: @ShootingStarzShopette

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/shooting-starz-shopette-woodbridge

Other: TikTok: @ShopShootingStarz

Image Credits
All images are courtesy of Brittany Oliver, BChique Photography.