We recently connected with Bonny Tillman and have shared our conversation below.

Bonny, appreciate you joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

My generation was raised to stick with a company your entire career. I worked for 20 years in the restaurant industry before I had the courage to make a change to more creative pursuits. Due to my love of travel I became a travel agent before starting a family in my late thirties. As our daughter got older I worked in a wine shop for several years. My love and knowledge of wine expanded and it was a “light-bulb” moment that candle making became a career. I saw an existing product that could be improved. I hope my legacy will be to show our daughter and women of any age, that you are never too old to dream, take a chance and try something new.

Bonny, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I worked at a cute little shop in historic, downtown Acworth, Georgia, that sold wine, gifts and gourmet food. I saw an opportunity to combine two things that I loved, wine and candles. What a perfect use for the empty wine bottles! The tricky part was educating ourselves on cutting techniques, and my husband James was up for the challenge, breaking hundreds of bottles in the early days, but perfecting the craft. We wanted the cleanest burning candle possible, so spent months researching, testing wax, wicks and fragrances. In 2010 Vino-Eco Candle Co. was born. Wine bottles destined for a land-fill are reborn into Recycled Wine Bottle Candles. We’ll soon be celebrating our 13th year in business and I’m proud of the journey the business has taken. We wholesaled to over 60 stores in our prime, but have scaled back and transitioned into retail sales on Etsy and the most exciting part, custom orders. We love the celebratory part of wine drinking. Wine shared on so many occasions, holidays, weddings, girl’s trip, all moments to be remembered. We can turn that special bottle into a keep-sake candle, to be refilled again and again.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Covid changed things for business owners. The wholesale side dropped as boutique shops closed. On-line shopping increased which was amazing, but with people at home, creativity surged and Etsy became flooded with crafters selling a sub-par product. The wine-bottle candle search is filled with poor quality. On any given day, there are over 200,000 listings for container candles and over 6000 for wine-bottle candles. Supplies have doubled and well as shipping costs.
We have remained resilient due to the loyalty of our long-time customers, boutique shop owners and wineries. Many have stuck with us during this crazy time. Word-of-mouth about the “custom order” part of our business is amazing.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Our reputation is built on the quality of our candles. The bottles are cut and sanded smoothly, the fragrance is premium grade, Phthalate free and the soy wax is clean-burning. Our prices are competitive and the candles burn from 95 hours to 120. We wouldn’t be successful without a passion for service. We are a Star Seller on Etsy, ship quickly and maintain a 5-star rating.

Our prices are competitive, ranging from $25 to $30, and the candles burn, etc

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.vinoecocandles.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vino-Eco-Candle-Company
• Other: Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/vinoecocandles