We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Demetria Fitzgerald. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Demetria below.
Demetria, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
I was making candles for a while before I settled on what the brand would be. I knew that I wanted to start a candle business, but at that time, I wasn’t sure what would make mine stand out. In order for the business to be successful, I didn’t think it would be enough to just make candles that smelled good. My branding needed to be special. So for a while, I put my supplies to the side and waited. I waited for an idea`that resonated with me. Early one Saturday morning, it came to me! I would make candles that fused two things that I love, scents and Black culture. Candles 4 the Culture was born and the rest is history.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I come from a family of natural makers. I’ve always enjoyed creating things. Food is actually my first love. One of my favorite things to do is to prepare delicious meals for people. The feeling I get when I put my heart into something and have people love and appreciate it is undescribable. For me, making candles comes from that same place.
Black women are major contributors to the growing candle industry. It’s not uncommon for me to walk into any local Bath & Body Works and see a number of women who look like me stocking up on their candles. My sisters are looking for candles that smell great. I want to meet that need and more. While I am proud to offer candles that smell amazing, what separates Candles 4 the Culture from others is that our candles actually make people feel good. When you light a candle 4 the culture, you reminisce about good times while enjoying the fragrance. Invoking a sense of nostalgia can help to combat feelings of lonliness and anxiety. This makes Candles 4 the Culture the perfect complement to any self-care routine.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Candles 4 the Culture is not my first business. While living in Virginia, I owned a chocolate shop. I started by selling chocolate dipped strawberries to family, friends, and colleagues. After experiencing success on a small scale, I opened Dipped Chocolate Cafe in a brick and mortar location. We were open for less than a year before we had to close. That was a very difficult time in my life. I could have very easily decided to abandon my dreams of entreprenuership. If I had done that, there would be no Candles 4 the Culture. I am proud to say that we’ve now been in operation for over 3 years, 2 years in a brick and mortar. I draw from that same resilience when I experience difficulty today. There are periods of time where I lack inspiration or creativity. There are other times when sales are slow, causing me to question if my efforts will be worthwhile. I have had moments when I’ve had to dig deep to find the motivation to continue on this journey. What I’ve learned is that difficult times don’t last. As long as I keep moving forward, better days will always be ahead. There is no way that God had brought me this far to leave me. Philippians 1:6
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
We keep in touch with our customers through sms marketing. When customers sign up for our VIP text list, they are notified first when new products drop. They also receive exclusive offers and discounts. To join, text “C4C” to 844-707-3726.
We also have a loyalty program. Customers receive rewards points for every purchase, as well as for other actions like following us on Facebook or referring their friends. Once they have accrued a specified number of points, customers redeem them for discounts on future purchases. Sign up for our rewards program by visiting www.candles4theculture.com and clicking “Earn Rewards”.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.candles4theculture.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candles4theculture
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candles4theculture
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/candles-4-the-culture-mableton
- Other: 1400 Veterans Memorial Hwy, SE Suite 146 Mableton, GA 30126 (404)228-4054
Image Credits
S. Marchè Photography; Justyn Nichole