We recently connected with Dawn Hull and have shared our conversation below.

Dawn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

My ventures, from OliverAlert and aKeKee to CandlestickCoasters, have always been driven by a desire to address a need, often arising from personal experience. Losing Oliver plunged me into the world of lost and found pets, where I encountered countless others desperately searching for their beloved companions. This fueled my desire to help, leading me to create OliverAlert. Next came aKeKee, the first vertical search engine dedicated to pets. Most recently, I’ve embarked on a more creative path with CandlestickCoasters, transforming repurposed candlesticks into unique and functional tables. I now find myself searching for the perfect pieces to add to my portfolio.

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

Driving down Whitlock Avenue near Marietta Square in Georgia, inspiration struck! I realized I could create the perfect side tables for my carport cabana from candlesticks. As a dedicated brick-and-mortar shopper, my search for ready-made tables proved fruitless. Then I remembered some unique candlesticks from a local store. Initially, I envisioned using coasters as the tabletops, but trivets turned out to be the ideal solution. That’s how CandlestickCoasters was born, igniting a passion I never knew I had.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s incredibly fulfilling to find meaning in your work, and learning to silence the inner critic while embracing constructive feedback can be a truly rewarding experience. Amelia Earhart once said, “the most effective way to do it, is to do it,” and those words have always stuck with me. As a creative person, the most satisfying part of the process is bringing something new into existence. Whether it’s OliverAlert, aKeKee, or CandlestickCoasters, each project is born from a specific need and evolves along its own unique journey. That “click” moment, when a project finally comes together or an idea falls perfectly into place, is pure magic!

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

In 2012, I embarked on a deep dive into the world of Steve Jobs. I watched every Macworld presentation ever produced and then tackled Walter Isaacson’s hefty 600+ page biography (a real feat for someone like me who rarely sits still!).
Through these experiences, I gained a profound appreciation for the importance of design. Jobs’ story about his father, a carpenter who instilled in him the value of craftsmanship even in hidden details, resonated deeply. Learning about Jobs’ calligraphy class at Reed College and how it influenced the Mac’s typography further solidified this idea.
His legacy of meticulous design, relentless work ethic, and visionary thinking serves as a constant reminder to approach my own work with a holistic and editing eye.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://candlestickcoasters.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candlestickcoasters
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnkhull

Image Credits

Portrait Photo by Literary Lens