We recently connected with Debbielee and Richard Griffin and have shared our conversation below.

Debbielee and Richard , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. 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

We came up with the idea to start a candle business after friends and family whom we had shared our candles with wanted to purchase them to give as gifts. We researched and tested various types of wax, wicks and jars. This was a lengthy process because the size of the wick is determined by the diameter of the jar. If the wick is too small, the candle will not burn evenly and have little to no scent. If the wick is too large, the candle will burn too quick and most likely produce soot.
We wanted to make clean burning candles for our customers, which is why we use soy wax. Soy wax is biodegradable, non-toxic, and eco-friendly. Our wicks are zinc-free and made of cotton to ensure an even burn. Our fragrance oils are free of phthalates which can cause harmful health effects. Our clear glass jars have a simple design to be able to match any home aesthetic and can be repurposed.
Then came time to secure the legal side of our business. After coming up with the name Preeminent Candles, based on our Christian faith, we obtained an LLC, necessary permits and insurance.

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.

Preeminent Candles is owned and operated by a husband and wife team, Richard and Debbielee. I come from a big Jamaican family and lived in Connecticut before moving to Florida and meeting my husband. Richard comes from a big family too and is a Florida native. Together we have 5 children. In addition to making candles, we are very active in our church and enjoy traveling.

We make candles to cater to customers who like to create their own ambience no matter where they are. Our dessert candles range from cupcake candles to celebrate the perfect occasion to Strawberry Cheesecake candles to light during a dinner party, or a Cinnamon Chai latte drink candle to light on a rainy day.

Our Signature candles include energetic scents to light while cleaning such as Citrus Agave, Pink Grapefruit, and Still Waters. For the person who needs to unwind after a long day, we offer a soothing Eucalyptus scent, relaxing Lavender, and calming Black Sea scent.

We understand that not everyone wants to burn a candle but would still like their space to be scented. Preeminent Candles also offers wax melts as a way to escape the hustle and bustle that occurs daily in our lives. Wax melts are a safe alternative to lighting a candle at work, around children or pets.

In 2023, we added car diffusers to our line. Our elegant car diffusers allow you to continuously control the scent flowing throughout your vehicle.

Our goal is to “Light your space with style and grace.” Meaning the scent comes first. Our jars have a simple design made to fit in with any home decor. The scent is made to be the substance of your style rather than the look of the jar.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In 2020, when we started to attend pop-up shops and farmers’ markets, there weren’t many candle businesses in the areas we frequented. As time went by, we started to see much more candle businesses at events, which made our sales decline. But we kept our faith and trusted that God had a plan for us. Through prayer and perseverance, we remained patient and God has always provided for us. Preeminent Candles still attends pop-up shops and festivals throughout the Central Florida area. One goal for 2024 is to expand to South Florida.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

From our start until now the best source of new clients have still been word of mouth. I can’t tell you how many times someone has said to me, ‘my friend, sister/brother, mother, co-worker, spouse etc. purchased a candle from you and it smelled amazing.’ Also, we list our products on our business card and hand out as many cards as possible every chance we get.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.preeminentcandles.etsy.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/preeminentcandles
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/preeminentcandles
• Other: linktr.ee/preeminentcandles

Image Credits
snapshotsbyGabriela