We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Fiona Thomas a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Fiona, appreciate you joining us today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

I started my business as a way for me to unwind after busy 24-hour shifts as a paramedic. As I also run a nonprofit dedicated to first responder mental wellness, this was the perfect way for me to “walk the walk” – I love candles, and I love coming up with custom scent blends! My very first customer was another paramedic, my partner actually – he knew I was starting to make candles and wanted an oak whiskey tobacco blend. It was the first custom order I ever took and it rapidly became a massive bestseller at markets.

Fiona, 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?

As a candle company and as a paramedic I’m focused on healthy options. I source paraben- and phthalate-free oils for all my scent blends, which decreases the risk of migraines, and my wax is certified Kosher – so there are no unpleasant additives in it. When I say it’s pure soy, I know it’s pure soy. Each candle is handpoured by me and each scent combination was created by me, so nothing you smell from us is at all what you smell from the big box stores. It’s just my way of showing what a labor of love my business is.

I also have reusable dough bowls for my customers that come in a variety of fun shapes. Our paw print candles donate back to animal rescue, and many of our customers are working their way through our scent menu so they can enjoy everything!

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

Finding the right “thing” for a customer. It could be the right smell, the right vessel, or the right combination of all of the above.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Recognize the amount of time and effort that goes into artistic and creative work. We aren’t pricing ourselves where we are because we want to make a million bucks, but because we want to make a comfortable living. Please don’t tell us you can go and buy our item at Walmart; it won’t be made with the same love, and you won’t have the same level of customer service you get from supporting us!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fairyfirecandles.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/fairyfirecandles
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/fairyfirecandles
• Youtube: http://youtube.com/fairyfirecreations
• Other: http://tiktok.com/fairyfirecandles