We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Schieffelin of Bottled Up Candles and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julie, what do you attribute your success to?
The two main factors in our success are research and a business plan. A solid business plan is a must and that goes hand in hand with research. We started out making candles as a hobby, but had to research where to obtain wholesale supplies, which scents our customers enjoyed most and what packaging was the most appealing. We also spent a lot of time selecting a name – we wanted our name to reflect what we did and what we represented. We were lucky enough to have dedicated studio space, which allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the candle making business. We also have found a niche – we collect glass bottles and then cut and sand them by hand to provide upcycled vessels for our 100% soy candles. We are vegan and earth friendly. Also woman owned and operated!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We are a small candle company based in Atlanta, Georgia, committed to providing you with a top quality, clean burning candle experience. Our candles are 100% soy wax, scented with high quality essential oils and hand poured into upcycled bottles, which we collect and then cut and sand by hand. Bottled Up Candles are produced in small batches with the finished artisanal product in mind. Bottled Up Candles recognizes the importance of upcycling glass, because it not only conserves the environment, but also saves energy. The process required to produce glass is quite simple as it is composed of sand, soda, lime and lots of heat. The obvious benefit of upcycling glass is to reuse and save our natural resources, but the most important benefit of upcycling is that it requires considerably less energy than needed to melt raw materials. We take our dedication to the environment very seriously. We ask that you upcycle your candle container again after you enjoy!

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I would definitely recomend a trip to the Highlander, located in Midtown Atlanta. The Highlander has been a fixture of Atlanta’s late night party scene since 1992. The Highlander is open until 2:30 pm most nights and features a full bar, great food, patio service, a full game room and the best staff in the city. They also have live music! Fot the best chesesteak in town, you have to go to The Mad Italian on Savoy Drive in Chamblee. I might be a little prejudice as I worked as a waitress there in my younger days, but the food is the best. Be sure to get the chips with creamy italian dressing on the side! Midtown Bowl is our favorite spot to go to for people watching and, yes, bowling. Midtown Bowl has been an Atlanta tradition since 1960 and is located in Midtown Atlanta. Midtown bowl has 32 lanes, great food, a full bar and a wonderful staff.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to my friends and family for the endless supply of support, ideas and empty wine bottles to upcylce. Thank you to everyone who test drove one of my candle creations and provided feedback, especially @sarah.livingston.p on IG. HUGE shoutout to my @mutinyartwrx family – @lyiness for always being there for me, @biggtruckbob for working with me on candle displays and @dangerouscoloratl for working with me on studio space. Lucky to have all of these folks in my life.

Website: https://bottledupcandles.com/
Instagram: @bottledupcandles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bottledupcandles/