We were lucky to catch up with Julia “Jewelz” Amponsah-Gilder recently and have shared our conversation below.
Julia “Jewelz”, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
To be honest, I always had aspirations of creating something that would unite people, but I never thought this would be the direction of the movement. My parents were entrepreneurs, so it was only inevitable that I would follow in their footsteps. The question was … What would that path look like and how would I get there?
I have been fascinated with fragrances since childhood! I remember I would always beg for scratch-n-sniff stickers and scented markers. It is similar to a love story, falling in love with anything fragrant bringing you sweet nostalgia. Think of all the things that have a scent like soap, laundry detergent, perfume, lotion, cosmetics, cleaning products, etc. When shopping for these products, I NEVER choose the “original” scent. I always look for a fresh scent, floral scent, fruity scent, … anything that brought pleasure to my senses, but it could never be “regular.” And then there were candles … Something I could purchase with any fragrance I adored lingering in the air in the comfort of my home.
We have all experienced purchasing a candle that smelled amazing in the store, but as soon as we get home to burn it, the scent disappeared. This was the beginning of my candle love story! The year was 2006 when my husband and I decided to make our own candles. Social media was not “popular” back then, so “word of mouth” was our sales platform. As our lives got busy, the business was set aside until January 2019 when a friend of mine persuaded me to rekindle my candle-making passion. This led me to create my own candle line “Couture Candlez by Jewelz.”
In 2020, I had to go through the research and development stage again so, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to join many candle groups on Facebook to expand my knowledge of new products. This was the year Ahmad Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, Jr. were murdered. Many of the candle makers of color in these candle groups wanted to discuss the recent events and create candles in memory of these victims. However, many of these candle groups shut us down by stating “their group” was not the platform for “politics.” You can only imagine how disheartening this was, but it fueled my passion to create my own candle group where candle makers of color could talk about these current issues and show off their creative products. On August 17, 2020, the Black Candle Maker’s Club (BCMC) was born, and in February 2022, I created BCMC University.
The goal of the BCMC is to promote diversity and inclusion in the candle-making industry by providing knowledge and resources to a small but growing demographic. We welcome allies of all ethnicities who support our mission of learning and growing in the art of candle-making. It was important to me to highlight members’ innovative products, promote their small businesses, provide them with feedback, host segments with prominent candle industry experts, and uplift them through their journey of candle-making. When I started the BCMC Facebook group in August 2020, there were under 100 members, and currently, the group has grown to nearly 12,500 members!
Julia “Jewelz”, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Outside of the candle world, I work as a director in the largest school district in Texas. I have worked in education for nearly 22 years, and I am currently in graduate school to obtain my doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. I am a mother of four beautiful children and have been married for almost 21 years. The knowledge I have gained from my professional background led to the urge to create the BCMC University platform. Being a go-getter who loves to try new things, drives me to prove others wrong when they doubt the possibility to make things happen. I am most proud of having the chance to complete my candle curriculum & candle safety training under the former president of the National Candle Association, Kathy LaVanier, in December 2020.
I have been criticized by many for creating a candle group and sharing my knowledge of candle-making. They often ask me why I am helping my competition. My answer is and will always be – “My passion is to uplift others who have the same passion as I do!” There are approximately 8 billion people in the world and over 330 million people in the United States alone. There is plenty of room for EVERYONE to win! That is what makes me who I am. Not only do I make phenomenal candle products, but I also want to provide the knowledge behind being in the candle business industry!
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
In August 2020, I asked one of my most active BCMC group members, Nicole Mosby, if she would like to be an admin for the group and she kindly accepted. As we talked about the concept for the group, I told her that I wanted it to be different from the other candle groups. We needed to ensure that the BCMC group was used as a learning platform for people of color and like minds. So, I reached out to all of the heavy hitters in the candle industry to ask if they would present various topics that would help our BCMC members in their entrepreneurial journey as chandlers. We took a risk, and we were fortunate to have them all say yes! I believe this is what led to the reputation we built within our market. Educating our members was different and they appreciated that.
Around December 2021, a couple of friends in the candle industry brought up the idea of expanding the group to create a university. That was another pivotal moment where our reputation within the market caused that idea to be successful. We always wanted to do something more for our BCMC members that would take them to the next level. In today’s world, especially with what happened with schools during the pandemic, e-learning is everything! We needed an e-learning platform laser-focused on providing frequent, and meaningful, workshops in a variety of areas, including but not limited to candle-making tutorials, entrepreneurship, marketing, social media, business insurance, forming business entities, and more. So, that is how BCMC University was birthed in February 2022.
Our university students have access to an exclusive candle industry content-based video library, live interactive courses with industry expert content coaches, course completion certificates to highlight success, a student Q & A support lounge, various chandler templates & resources, discounted BCMC merchandise, consultations/office hours with for one-on-one support, and a candle-making mentorship program for members to partner up with other candle makers. This is just the beginning of what BCMC University has to offer! The unrivaled support and benefits that our members gain is simply unparalleled in the candle-making industry.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
The BCMC team we built has been GOD-SENT. We are truly like a family so there really is no need to manage. Everyone plays an intricate part in the team and takes their role seriously. We all focus on the main goal of ensuring we make this movement work for the betterment of our members.
In late 2020, after following Nikkie Davis, CEO of Bubble Babez Bath Company, via YouTube, we reached out to Nikkie and asked if she would be interested in being a BCMC coach. In early 2021, we decided to seek out moderators for the BCMC group to help with posts and questions. After many submissions and interviews, we were blessed to bring on Shontelle Flowers and December Miller. In 2022, we wanted to dive into creating events and work on more group projects so, we brought on Aaron Anthony Means, Latrice Johnson, and LaShon Collier.
In life, there are always obstacles that get in the way, but it is how you manage those obstacles that make you stronger. In 2021, Nicole and I faced some major challenges where we both nearly lost our lives, and my fear was that the group dynamics would change because we both were not as visible as before. But God always orders your steps which is why I believe he gave us the vision of adding a moderator team right before those obstacles made headway. Our BCMC group moderators held it down during that time and God moved those obstacles out of the way which caused us to be greater than before.
I like to refer to the team as the “BCMC Dream Team” because of the special bond we share. The mindset we share is not focused on monetary gain, but more on growing and learning together in order for us to all succeed through the true love of BCMC. This team has taught me that although we each have our own individual businesses and lives, it takes time and dedication to build an empire. We are all committed to the power this movement will bring as a collective. I would like to take time out to introduce each BCMC Dream Team member:
Julia “Jewelz” Amponsah-Gilder, BCMC Founder & President
CEO of Couture Candlez by Jewelz
• Website: https://couturecandlez.com/
• IG: @candlezbyjewelz
• Contact Info: [email protected]
Jewelz started the Black Candle Makers Club (BCMC) in August 2020 with just under 100 members and has grown the platform to over 12,000 members in less than three years. She and her husband started making candles in 2006. Jewelz is now the owner of Couture Candlez by Jewelz. In December 2020, Jewelz completed a candle curriculum & candle safety training course under the former president of the National Candle Association, Kathy LaVanier. Along with being an entrepreneur, Jewelz is a wife, mother of four, Director of Assessment at Houston ISD, and an Educational Leadership doctoral student at Lamar University. Being an educator for nearly 22 years led Jewelz into creating the BCMC University to equip her members with the knowledge to be successful candle business owners, practice candle safety protocols, and provide access to candle industry leaders who can share their expertise on various candle-making topics.
Nicole Mosby, BCMC Vice-President
CEO of Lambs & Wolves
• Website: https://www.lambsandwolves.co/
• IG: @lambs.wolves
• Contact Info: [email protected]
Nicole is a multi-talented artist and creative with a passion for candle-making – from research, testing, and helping other candle makers! She has an impressive academic background which includes a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, and an MBA. Nicole has excelled in the utility industry where she has spent over 13 years focusing on employee development and training. She has been honing her craft in candle-making since 2017 and has become an expert in coconut wax-based candles, cold press soap, body butter, sugar scrubs, and bath bombs. In spring 2022, Nicole took a bold step and launched her own company, Lambs & Wolves, shortly after getting married and welcoming a beautiful baby boy into her life. Her dedication to her craft and exceptional creativity has resulted in a unique product line that showcases her talent and expertise. Lambs & Wolves offers a wide range of products that are not only beautiful but also of the highest quality.
Nikkie Davis, BCMC Public Relations Director
CEO of Bubble Babez Bath Company & University
• Website: https://bubblebabez.com/
• IG: @bubblebabezuniversity
• Contact Info: [email protected]
Nikkie Davis is a maker, teacher, and entrepreneur who started Bubble Babez Bath Company in 2010 while searching for a natural solution for her son’s eczema. This led to her developing an entire line of natural body care products. When she started her journey, she quickly realized that the community was very tight-lipped about sharing information so she created Bubble Babez University (BBU) in 2021. BBU is a safe space for makers to learn and grow at any stage in their business. It’s a supportive community of like-minded women who lift one another up to encourage, inspire, and empower.
Shontelle Flowers, BCMC Administrative Director
CEO of FlowEsScents
• Website: https://www.flowesscents.com/
• IG: @flowesscents
• Contact Info: [email protected]
Shontelle Flowers is an enthusiastic businesswoman, Ph.D. scholar, and advocate for equity & social justice. Her passion for understanding what motivates people and how that frames their lives and experiences led her to pursue a scholastic journey in Sociology. Shontelle’s devotion and love for her community inspired her to create FlowEsScents, a wellness company that promotes self-care and healing through home and body care products all carefully made for stress relief and relaxation. FlowEsScents was founded on the belief that black women have unique experiences in this world and should have permission to create the best versions of themselves, their spaces, and their communities.
December Miller, BCMC Client Services Director
CEO of Wick 926 Company
• Website: https://www.wick926.com/
• IG: @wick926co
• Contact Info: [email protected]
December is a mother and wife who was born and raised in Central Texas. She started making candles during the 2020 pandemic to nurture her mental health & take back control of some of the things her family was exposed to. This led to the creation of her company, Wick 926, named for the date she married the love of her life (September 26). Her company uses high-quality ingredients to handcraft candles, wax melts, car fresheners, and body butter. Wick 926’s carefully selected scents & cheeky candle names make for a sensory experience that is unmatched.
Aaron Means, BCMC Creative Director
CEO of the Aaron Anthony Collection and Design
• Website: https://www.shopaaronanthony.com/
• IG: @shopaaronanthony
• Contact Info: [email protected]
Aaron Anthony Means is a true creator at heart. Growing up, he wrote music, poetry, and short stories and created websites as early as 12 years old. In his adult life, his creative passion transitioned into creating candles, digital content, logos, and brand designs. For Aaron, the art of candle-making has been a beautiful introduction to creativity with an intent to inspire and empower. The power of fragrance attracted Aaron to candle-making. As a result, the Aaron Anthony Collection was born. A collection of handcrafted novelties influenced by a variety of cultures intertwined with art. It is Aaron’s true belief that everyone is a part of the culture. As he states, “I believe culture shapes values and values determine our future!” As Creative Director of The Black Candle Makers Club, Aaron serves as the creator of all things visual from brand design and web page creation to brand apparel and merchandise.
Latrice Johnson, BCMC Member Services Director
CEO of Heartbeat Candle Company, LLC
• Website: https://www.heartbeatcandleatl.com/
• IG: @heartbeatcandleatl
• Contact Info: [email protected]
Heartbeat Candle Company came from a vision of God. Having a business degree in marketing and an accounting background, Latrice had been unemployed for a year, not knowing what she was going to do next. After a lengthy time span of continuous prayer, God spoke to her and showed her a sign which led to creating her own candles! Latrice purchased her first candle starter kit, conducted her research, and started her own company. While pondering about what to name her company, she could hear her heartbeat getting louder and louder. Having two daughters who are her heartbeats and God as the reason for it all … Heartbeat Candle Company was born. Being a Lupus survivor and having a niece with Chron’s disease played an intricate part in Latrice creating hand-poured soy candle products that would not be toxic to herself, her family, and her customers.
LaShon Collier, BCMC Project & Events Director
CEO of 1st of All Consulting, LLC
• IG: @1stofallconsulting
• Contact Info: [email protected]
LaShon “Shon” Collier has 25 years of experience in sales, customer service, and vision consulting. Her company, 1st of All Consulting, offers concierge services, project management, vision maturation, and more. Her company specializes in educating brands in a variety of areas including but not limited to honing their sales and customer service techniques. Having previously worked with various companies such as Beachbody, Verizon, Anthem, and more, 1st of All Consulting also provides a multi-level service platform that advises and aids in growing businesses with a focus on helping clients forge more valuable, long-lasting relationships by being an advocate, liaison, and bridge to a bigger and brighter bottom line!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theblackcandlemakersclub.com | www.bcmcuniversity.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackcandlemakersclub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1bcmc