Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cassie Kuenzler. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cassie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

Hello! Thank you for having me!

Yes, I’m happy to share a little bit about the story of how my candle company got started.

Last year, (around this time), I began making my own candles. Initially, I made them for my family’s household use. I wanted CLEAN candles—natural soy wax, clean fragrance oils, & clean wicks made without lead or zinc. I wanted to use American wax, jars, and wicks. I’ve always enjoyed candles and knew it would be fun to create my own recipes & make unique candles.

For a few months, our kitchen may have resembled a chemistry lab (or so my husband says, lol!) I quickly learned I enjoyed making candles as much as I loved burning them. I made combinations with some of my favorite essential oils, some of my favorite aromas. I mixed, and measured, poured, and played. While there were more than just a couple flops, with a great deal of experimenting, I made some winners. Then came the fine tuning. And then…the candles I made were my favorite candles—what?! Requests started coming in from family & friends. My husband encouraged me to start my own candle business.

At first, my initial response was thinking about how many candle companies there already are- where would I even begin? I’ve always known I’ve wanted to be part of making a positive impact in the lives of other people (hence, the reason why I am a nurse). The thought of ‘how’ felt daunting to me…how can one person create a positive difference? What I’ve found is, every impact, no matter how great or how small, creates a ripple. It was time for me to stop worrying about moving a mountain, and instead share the light in my own way! It’s not necessarily always about becoming the ‘biggest’ company or having the ‘perfect’ strategy…in today’s world, it is possible for small business owners to make a big difference in the lives of both their customers and change their own family’s financial blueprint with dedication and drive.

The world is full of abundance, and it’s about connecting a product, a solution to someone’s want, need, or desire. It takes an excellent product absolutely, but underneath it all, it’s the heart and love put into the creation, & the sharing of that same heart and love.

How did I go from idea to execution? How did creating candles in my kitchen turn into a company?

I’d had ideas in the past but got caught up in overthinking or doubting, or simply just not taking action. This time, in the simplest terms, decision and action made the difference. Once the decision to create a business was made, I put some sort of work in every single day.  Sometimes I spent the whole day researching, other days maybe I only had 45 minutes to chip away at building my website. Whatever amount of time I was able to put in, I did. It’s a daily focus, & I’m having so much fun with it!

In today’s information age, we have access to a wealth of free, easily accessible information to get the majority of our ‘how to’ questions answered, it truly is a gift.  There are so many trail blazers who share their stories and strategies, their struggles and lessons learned. Having access to this information shortens the learning curve and opens so many doors of possibility.

Organically, I had already established my product supplier (after much initial research). Through ongoing research, I learned and built step by step.  Becoming an official registered business, learning applicable laws, learning how to build my own website, learning how to facilitate shipping, learning about bookkeeping and logistics, learning about marketing (the area I have the biggest room for growth currently!) the list goes on. I learn something new every day.

While Light Reign Candle Company LLC. Is a candle business, at it’s core, it’s a message: To be the Light is to Choose It.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Yes,

I’m Cassie, my friends call me Cass. I’m a Minnesotan, born and raised. I’m a proud wife & Mom of 3 wonderful kids. We have a dog, 2 cats, and our spunky bearded dragon. My family is my world. I love nature, traveling, animals, writing (I’m in the process of writing my first book!), reading, music, yoga, and my friends poke fun at me for having so many plants in my house, & of course, I’m a candle lover! I’m an Independent RN, I am blessed to work in pediatric home care.

As this company’s founder, Light Reign Candle Company LLC is near and dear to my heart. Light Reign Candle Co. is more than a brand to my family and I; it’s a Vision: Good prevails, Freedom is Sovereign, Love Wins, & Light Reigns.

While our 10 signature candles have their own unique aromas, they all have something in common: Each has a meaning behind it, a message, an intention.

I love the light candles create & the feeling they yield–warmth, inspiration, connection. The way certain scents can pause time with inspired nostalgia & their ability to transform the ambience and overall energy of any space.

To me, lighting a candle is much more than simply lighting it; it’s the intention of creating an atmosphere of warmth, a feeling of calm, and a reminder to be here, now. A hot bath, a quiet evening, a Christmas day surrounded by loved ones…. all enhanced by the elegance of a flickering flame.

Today, we are a start-up candle company; someday, we envision partnering with other companies who are built on a foundation of integrity, where the health of people + planet, quality + ethical & responsible business practices come first, & light reigns supreme.

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

What is a lesson I chose to unlearn in order to move forward? Feeling the need to be 100% prepared. In the past, I’ve had ideas, but tripped myself up getting paralyzed in the research phase.

What changed and allowed me to start Light Reign Candle Company was to let go of trying to know absolutely everything before I took step 1. Instead of researching, researching, overthinking & researching more, I researched, acquired new knowledge, took a step forward with my new knowledge, and repeated this step over and over.

Like the old saying goes, ”The man on top of the mountain didn’t wake up there.”

Letting go of over thinking and instead taking ACTION made all the difference.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Start with Why- Simon Sinek

The Secrets of the Power of Intention -Dr. Wayne Dyer

The Power of Now- Eckhart Tolle

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lightreigncandles.com
• Instagram: @lightreigncandles
• Facebook: Light Reign Candle Co.

Image Credits
Rachel Scheff