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

Amy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

Definitely. One of the biggest reasons I started My Lotus Candles was because I wanted to create something unique from what was out there. I have worked in the music industry for over a decade, and when COVID hit and everything shut down, it gave me time to slow down and reconnect with my creativity in a different way. That’s when the idea for candles came to me. I’ve always loved them, but once I started researching what was actually in most candles, I was shocked — paraffin wax, phthalates, synthetic dyes, even benzene, which is a known carcinogen. I didn’t want that in my space, and I definitely didn’t want to be part of selling it to others.

So I became obsessed with creating something clean, safe, and intentional. It took over 100+ prototypes to get it just right — using high-quality soy wax, cotton wicks, and premium fragrance oils. No toxins, no parabens, no phthalates, no benzene — just beautiful ingredients that burn clean and smell amazing.

But more than that, I wanted the candles to feel meaningful. Every one has a message — something grounding, supportive, or uplifting — and they shimmer when they burn, which adds this magical, calming energy to the moment. You’re not just lighting a candle — you’re creating a vibe, a ritual, a moment of intention.

I also created different series to make them feel even more personal. The Angel Number Series is inspired by repeating numbers like 111, 222, all the way to 1111 — little signs of guidance and alignment. The Zodiac Series channels the energy of each sign, and the Affirmation Series includes messages like I Am Calm, I Am Enough, I’m Full of Love + Gratitude, Show Me How Good It Gets, and Everything Is Working Out for Me and more. Lighting one of those can totally shift your mindset.

One customer told me she lights her candle every morning and it’s become her little moment of peace before the chaos of the day starts. That’s exactly what I hoped for — to create something clean, intentional, and high-vibe that helps people feel good in every way.

Amy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi! I’m Amy Narodovich — I’m originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and I’ve been living in Los Angeles since 2014. I’ve worked in the music industry for over a decade, and I still do — it’s been such a big part of my life. I’ve always been passionate about creative expression and meaningful connection, and I think that shows up in everything I do.

My candle business started during a really uncertain time. I made 30 candles in small mason jars, not even sure if I’d sell one, but my friends bought them all immediately. That moment sparked something in me. There was no big business plan at first, I just wanted to follow the spark and let it grow if it was meant to.

From the beginning, I wanted the candles to feel unique. That’s why they shimmer when they burn — it adds a subtle, magical touch you don’t see everywhere. I also became obsessed with making them clean and safe. Using toxin-free, high-quality ingredients was a must. I didn’t want to create something beautiful if it came at the cost of someone’s health or energy.

My Lotus Candles is still just me — I hand-pour every candle, brand all the lids, and handle every order. It’s very involved, but I love it because it allows me to stay connected to every piece of the process. I want people to feel that care. I want them to light a candle and instantly feel comforted, inspired, or even just a little more calm in their space.

What I’m most proud of is that I’ve built this from the ground up — no shortcuts, no outside partners, no big team — just passion, persistence, and a clear vision. I’ve had people tell me my candles got them through a hard time, helped them start a daily ritual, or became part of their self-care routine. That means everything to me.

More than anything, I want people to know that My Lotus Candles was created with love and intention. I care about what I’m making and why. Whether you’re buying one for yourself or gifting it to someone you love, my hope is that it brings warmth, light, and a little magic into your life.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that I had to have everything “figured out” before I could start.

I used to think I needed the perfect plan, a big budget, a full strategy — like I had to wait until everything was perfectly lined up before I could make a move. But if I’d stuck to that, My Lotus Candles wouldn’t exist. I started with an idea, a few mason jars, and no clue what I was doing — but I followed the spark. I made mistakes, got wax everywhere, burned a few test candles way too fast or some didn’t burn at all, and just kept learning. Letting go of the idea that I had to be “ready” gave me the freedom to actually create something great.

The other big one? I used to think you could only do one thing at a time — like you had to choose a lane and stay in it forever. Nope. I still work in the music industry while running my candle business full-time along with many other hobbies and side quests. It’s chaotic at times, but it works because they feed different parts of who I am. It’s not either/or — it’s both/and. You don’t have to shrink yourself down to fit into one title. You’re allowed to be layered.

So yeah, I’ve unlearned the pressure to need everything to be perfect before starting and the myth that you can only be one thing. Now I’m just doing my thing — imperfectly, passionately, and a little glittery.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

The biggest “close call” moment that stands out was in the beginning. After the initial 30 candles sold I wanted them to look more elevated and double in size. I made hundreds of them without properly testing the wicks first. I was still figuring everything out and thought I had it under control… until I realized none of them burned right. Some tunneled, some drowned themselves because of the glitter, some barely held a flame — it was a total mess. I was pretty crushed.

I had poured so much time, money, and energy into those candles, and in that moment, it felt like everything was falling apart. I was overwhelmed, frustrated, and honestly kind of embarrassed. But instead of giving up, I got to work. I started testing everything — wax blends, wick sizes, fragrance loads — over and over again until I finally found the perfect combo. That’s where the 150+ prototypes came in.

I ended up having to re-wick every single messed-up candle by hand, which took forever — but I learned so much in the process. It forced me to slow down, pay attention, write EVERYTHING down in a notebook and really master my craft. And now, because of that chaos, I’ve perfected the burn. My candles don’t just look beautiful — they perform exactly how they’re supposed to.

So yeah, it was one of those moments where it felt like everything was going wrong… but it was actually setting me up to get it so right. I’m actually grateful it happened.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mylotuscandles.com
• Instagram: mylotuscandles
• Other: tiktok: mylotuscandles111

Image Credits

Micah Rynders