One Year of Kintsugi Candle Co.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since Kintsugi Candle Co. officially launched. So much has changed in the last year and it has been both a humbling and exciting journey both personally and professionally.

Shortly after the launch of Kintsugi Candle Co., my husband and I relocated to Israel where we lived for his basketball season (and here we are again, getting ready for our upcoming move to Italy). Not only was I learning the ropes as a new business owner, but I quickly had to adjust to managing things remotely, which proved to be a challenge and ultimately did have an impact on the company’s growth. Despite my absence, order shipments continued and we were still able to participate in pop-up shops and events, which were two of my initial goals for the company. I learned quickly that Kintsugi Candle Co. could only continue with a strong team, and I leaned on my mom (who handles all shipments while I’m away), family, friends, and a small team of independent contractors so much during this first year. There really is no separating business from personal when building a brand. Every aspect of my life, whether it has been my move(s) abroad, my pregnancy, and the birth of my baby girl, have impacted not only the growth of Kintsugi Candle Co., but also my hopes and dreams for the company’s future. 

If I’m honest, this first year of business has been a lot of trial and error as my team and I have determined what works and what doesn’t in terms of our social media accounts, products and packaging, and working with manufacturers. I’ve learned that as a new business owner, it’s important to celebrate wins and not get too hard on myself when things don’t go exactly as I hoped they would. Building a brand is a process and it takes time to fall into stride. There is a lot that I still have to learn and making myself open to suggestions and constructive criticism has been super important. While there were some struggles and bumps in the road during the first year of business, there were so many beautiful moments, like our feature in Essence magazine and partnership with the TJ Martell Foundation for brain tumor awareness month. All in all, I’m more than pleased with what Kintsugi Candle Co. was able to accomplish, not only as a business, but as a brand that seeks to build genuine connections with people who have stories to tell. 

I founded Kintsugi Candle Co. to honor the beauty in the broken and celebrate stories of courage and resilience, and my favorite part about our first year of business has been all of the beautiful stories of triumph that we have been able to share. Even if we never sell another candle, I feel fulfilled in that the brand has remained true to my initial mission. I have been so inspired by each and every woman that we have featured on our blog and social media, and I sincerely hope that our readers and followers have been as well. 

With year one behind me, I am looking forward what the future has in store for Kintsugi Candle Co. As a new mom, my life is so different than it was a year ago, and I hope to launch mommy and me scents and products in the coming months. I also hope to have an event where we can honor those who are willing to share their stories of courage and resilience in person. I would love for the company to continue to grow and for sales to increase, but more than that, I want to continue to inspire. There is so much beauty in the broken and we all have a story to tell. 

-Allison Jones, Founder and Creator, Kintsugi Candle Co.