We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amanda Cohen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Amanda thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Our mission is to provide free equipment and or training to dogs with fear and aggression cases. Many people adopted animals during the pandemic, and most dogs since the pandemic haven’t had the chance to properly socialize, and be around other dogs. This has caused a spike in dog owners returning their furry friends to the shelter, causing shelters to fill to capacity, and having to send out dogs to be put down because they can’t care for them. We provide equipment and training to tackle this issue starting at its roots.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hello! We are Pup Country, and we are an artisan candle company that creates our products using recycled wax and wicks from the wedding industry! Charleston is a huge wedding destination, and we collaborate with wedding vendors in the area who would otherwise throw out the old candle wax, and let it decompose for almost 100 years. It’s a win-win situation for everyone!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Our story is a one of many pivots, just like many other small businesses. We have to adapt to our environment and circumstances, as well as what will keep us afloat as a business. Amanda was originally a theatre director and dance teacher, as well as an animal behavioralist. When the pandemic hit she moved to Charleston and left the performing arts behind. We originally started as consignment store, selling strictly genuine vintage clothes, and accessories, but we realized it wasn’t working as well as we had hoped.

We started making candles from recycled wax in early 2023, and we saw how well people responded online and in person at markets. We had found a more sustainable and effective way to make profit for our cause, and for the environment.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Having a brand that sticks out has definitely helped us build reputation. We also pride ourselves in creating a welcoming and friendly environment when someone steps into our booth. Our cause is to help animals, and everyone loves animals!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pupcountrycandles.etsy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pup.country.thrift/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pup.country.thrift
• Other: https://linktr.ee/pupcountrythrift

Image Credits
PHOTOS BY: EMILIA DRAGO AND KYLIE CUMMINGS