Meet Tina Guevara | Founder and Chandler of The Zona Co.

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

Hi Tina, why did you pursue a creative career?
From a very young age, I always felt like my creativity was one of the strongest parts of me. It flourished and thrived as I was growing up in Arizona and continued to grow as I moved to Georgia. I have explored many avenues to express my creativity throughout life such as writing, singing, poetry, crafts, and anything else I could get my hands on. However, one avenue that always seemed to stick was using my hands to create. Ever since I was a little girl, I was always in the lab trying to make my own “potions” for my family and myself. I would mix and create my own shampoos, soaps, and perfumes and would absolutely have a blast inventing my own little creations and sharing them with my family to make them smile. As it turned out… I would be doing the exact same thing, just 20 years later with spunky-named, clean-ingredient candles that bring joy and smiles to faces! Too often, we get caught up in the seriousness of life, especially as an adult with a whole slew of never-ending responsibilities. Zona has been an outlet for me to remind myself and others to enjoy the little things in life. To quite literally stop and take a moment to delight your senses and manifest a brighter future.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The Zona Co. came to fruition one evening when I was shopping for candles and suddenly had the random urge to know exactly what was IN the candles I was buying. I was just starting to really pay attention to the products I was bringing into my home. My curiosity was positively peaked and to my surprise, I did not like what I read. I never knew how unhealthy and harmful candles could actually be, and the lasting effects they could have on my family, pets, home, and myself. It was then that I decided it was my new mission to create a product that my friends and family would not only feel safe to have in their homes, but a product they could be excited about and crave more of. This led to a year-long journey of grueling testing, what felt like endless research, many failed attempts, and the goal to find the cleanest and most delectable-smelling ingredients.

The Zona Co. candles are made of 100% all-natural soy wax from soybeans grown right here in the U.S. They are non-toxic, infused with essential oils, and topped with real crystal chips. To take it a step further, our products are also free of lead, zinc, phthalates, carcinogens, and reproductive toxins. The essential oils and crystals aid in various helpful benefits. Our flat-braided cotton wicks + our eco-friendly wax cause each candle to burn clean, slow, and soot-free, ultimately giving you a guilt-free burn. No harm, no foul here!

While health comes first, we strongly believe happiness is right alongside it! Our unique and spunky candle names will put a smile on your face and hopefully remind you to not always take life so seriously. Our candles serve as a sense of comedic relief and a little spark of joy to add to your everyday life… not to mention the magical glowing effect that takes you on a cozy, calming retreat with every light.

Zona is so much more than a candle company. It’s a loving community on a journey to discover their ultimate self-care routine to help cleanse their spaces and bring aid to their mental health and overall well-being. Too many of us fall into the routine of a stressful life where we struggle to find healthy ways to recharge our batteries. I wanted to create something that was not only safe to have in the home, but something that evokes pure joy with every use. This thought process has made any challenges along the way feel just a little bit easier.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
While I’ve always been somewhat of a homebody, I love having friends visit so I can show them all of my favorite spots around town. During the week, we are likely to go to both Downtown Roswell and Downtown Woodstock. I adore the vibes that downtown cities bring. It’s so peaceful to walk around the town, visit the shops, get a sweet treat, and land somewhere to eat. My all-time favorite restaurant in Downtown Roswell is called 1920 Tavern… their food is DIVINE! We would definitely make a stop there. After a week of popping around the town, I would take my visitor to my favorite weekend activity…. the farmers market! Specifically, we would go to the Roswell Farmer’s and Artisan’s Market, which is located right down the street from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Roswell and is the true hidden gem of Roswell. This market is packed with incredibly knowledgeable and friendly vendors, offering everything you can think of ranging from unique produce, beef, and eggs to clean-ingredient bath products. They have a mouth-watering food truck named Rell’s with the world’s greatest breakfast tacos, in my opinion. I love to wash that down with a delicious cold brew from Phoenix Roasters as I browse through the handmade jewelry, homegrown plants, fresh produce, paintings, sauces, pastas, and so much more! After indulging in all of the delicious market finds, we would head to my favorite local gym, Compound Fitness in East Cobb for a killer workout! I have never experienced a gym that is more welcoming and inviting than Compound.

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?
I love this question because my mind goes to so many different people! I have been so blessed by such supportive and encouraging mentors, friends, vendors, etc. While I could easily write a novel on how grateful I am for each person in my life and their role in Zona, I would really love to highlight my biggest and most fearless supporter, my husband, Juan.

A couple of years ago, I brought what I thought at the time was a “pipe dream” to my husband. I could feel my soul being sucked away by my 9-5 and knew I needed a more drastic change. I mentioned wanting to take Zona full-time and without a shred of doubt or uncertainty, Juan immediately jumped into a supportive problem-solving mode of figuring out every way we could make this happen. Flash forward and we did it! I was able to take Zona full-time and pursue my dream company. Day in and day out, Juan continues to show his endless support. I am so grateful to him for always believing in me.

Website: thezonaco.com

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