We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Justin Ruff. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Justin below.
Justin , appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
I’m a big scent guy! I love cologne, candles, wax melts…etc. The idea to create a candle collection came to me while I was in the studio working on my latest EP, entitled “Sessions Vol. 1”. I usually light candles when I’m recording or writing, so there’s a real connection between the two for me. My goal was to bring everyone into my world and create an immersive listening experience.
You can think of my style as R&B with a concentration in Jazz and a minor in HipHop. My musical influences range from Ella Fitzgerald to Jhene Aiko, Maxwell, and Kendrick Lamar. Flipping fully produced classics to intimate acoustic bops has always been my thing so I figured I’d explore that side of my own sound with this EP. Whether you’re looking to unwind after a long day or create a soothing atmosphere for self-care, my music and scent blends are sure to set the perfect mood. Get ready to light a candle and discover your new favorite song at the same time!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Justin Ruff and I’m an Atlanta-based R&B singer. I recently released an EP called “Sessions Vol. 1” and I created my own candle line to accompany the tunes!
You can think of my style as R&B with a concentration in Jazz and a minor in HipHop. My musical influences range from Ella Fitzgerald to Jhene Aiko, Maxwell, and Kendrick Lamar. Flipping fully produced classics to intimate acoustic bops has always been my thing so I figured I’d explore that side of my own sound with this project.
The idea to create a candle collection came to me while I was in the studio working on the EP. I usually light candles when I’m recording or writing, so there’s a real connection between the two for me. My goal was to bring everyone into my world and create an immersive listening experience. Whether you’re looking to unwind after a long day or create a soothing atmosphere for self-care, my music and scent blends are sure to set the perfect mood. Introducing – Justin Ruff Candle Co. Get ready to light a candle and discover your new favorite song at the same time!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Ensuring that people can see and hear the connection between my music and the candles has been really important for me. One of the strategies I’ve implemented is having candles readily available at my live shows. Doing vendor shows has given me the opportunity to not only introduce people to Justin Ruff Candle Co, but also expose them to my music. Whether I’m playing music on a speaker at my booth or locking in an opportunity to provide entertainment during the event, I want to make sure anyone I come in contact with sees the connection between my candles and music.
Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?
A LOT of testing! I create and hand pour all my candle products. I started by taking some time to study and really understand the science behind candle making. There’s a level of quality I approach my music with, and I wanted that to translate in the creation of my candle line. I spent time researching the candle-making process and doing extensive testing before releasing the collection. These candles are pretty dope if I do say so myself! Lol. I also connected with successful black owned candle brands for knowledge and best practices before I launched. I’m grateful for all the support they provided!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.justinruffcandles.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/justinruffcandles
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/justinruffcandleco
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/justinruffmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@justinruffmusic/
- Other: For music, www.justinruffmusic.com