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

Hi Lauren, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

How Seven Continents Was Born
It all started with Christmas presents.
In 2023, I decided to make candles as gifts for friends and family — something thoughtful and handmade. I bought way too much wax (classic me), and one of the scents I created — Crème Brûlée — was a huge hit. People genuinely loved it. They started asking if I could make more, requesting different scents, and even saying they’d pay for them.

At first, I brushed it off. I had no plans to start a new business. I was already four years into running my social media consulting company and was actually gearing up to scale it. Starting something new? No way. But as I kept experimenting with fragrances and learning the craft of candle making, I realized I was having fun.

Then one night, while brainstorming with my boyfriend, I had an idea: what if each scent was inspired by a place I’ve been? I’m a traveler through and through — it’s literally my personality — and the concept of tying fragrance to destinations just clicked. It felt like the perfect fusion of who I am and what I love.

The idea snowballed from there. There was demand. People were excited. And deep down, I knew this wasn’t just a hobby — it could be something real. Something big.

I went through rounds of brand name ideas, but none felt right. Until one day on a walk, the name Seven Continents just dropped into my head. It was simple, memorable, and aligned with the long-term vision I had. I wanted this to be a brand that could one day sit on shelves in luxury hotels or be featured in a first-class amenity kit — something globally minded and beautifully made.

Once I committed, I dove deep. I did extensive market research — pricing out other brands (I still have the spreadsheet), analyzing ingredients, studying what was missing in the home fragrance space. I knew I wanted this brand to align with European standards of quality. Having lived in Spain and traveled extensively, I’ve seen firsthand how ingredient regulations there lead to cleaner, safer products. That’s what I wanted to bring here — a cleaner, eco-conscious candle line that also happens to transport you around the world.

Travel-themed candles aren’t a new concept — but I believe how I do it is unique. I don’t just pick a trendy city and slap a scent on it. I’ve been there. I’ve walked the streets, smelled the air, and tried to capture the soul of a place through scent — or at least how we imagine it should smell. That’s the magic.

I never set out to become a candle maker. Honestly, I thought I’d be a travel blogger. I spent years trying to build that dream — and maybe in a roundabout way, this is it. I’m telling stories, sparking memories, and inspiring wanderlust… one candle at a time.

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?

Hi, I’m Lauren — founder of Seven Continents, a travel-inspired, non-toxic home fragrance brand based in Connecticut. I hand-pour every product in small batches, using clean ingredients and scents inspired by destinations around the world.

The business started unintentionally — I made candles as Christmas gifts in 2023, and people loved them so much they asked to buy more. At the time, I was running a social media consulting business, but I fell in love with the process of making candles and crafting scents. One night, my boyfriend and I had the idea to tie every scent to a location — since I’ve traveled to over 30 countries and lived abroad, it felt like the perfect way to blend storytelling, travel, and creativity.

Seven Continents now offers candles, wax melts, sprays, and diffusers — all made without synthetic dyes or harmful toxins. What sets us apart is our commitment to clean, mindful ingredients and the emotional experience each scent provides. Every product is designed to spark a memory, tell a story, or take you somewhere — even if it’s just from your living room.

I’m proud to have built something rooted in care, quality, and connection — and I’m excited to keep growing this into a global, feel-good brand.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

I foster brand loyalty by showing up consistently, creating personal connections, and offering something new to look forward to each season.

Pop-up markets have played a huge role in that. I used to think doing fewer markets would create more demand, but I’ve found that repeatedly showing up in the same cities and events builds real relationships. Customers come back, remember their favorite scents, and even wait for me to return — it’s like a ritual now. I’ve had people say, “I was hoping you’d be here!” and that kind of loyalty is priceless.

I also launch new scents seasonally, which gives people a reason to keep checking back in. Whether it’s a cozy winter scent or a fresh summer coastal vibe, there’s always something new to explore — and that keeps the brand feeling exciting and relevant.

And honestly? I think just being present and genuinely interested in my customers’ stories makes a difference. I love talking with people about where they’ve traveled, what certain scents remind them of, or helping them find a candle that feels like “home.” That kind of personal connection builds trust — and keeps them coming back.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

Yes, I manufacture everything myself — right from my small apartment in Connecticut.

It all started with a batch of 40 candles I made as Christmas gifts. Once people started asking for more, I dove headfirst into learning how to make candles properly. I didn’t have any formal training — I just became obsessed with learning. I watched hours of YouTube videos, read articles, joined candle-making groups, and soaked up every bit of knowledge I could (and still do!).

As the business grew, I started sourcing materials more strategically. I put a lot of thought into my suppliers — I look for clean ingredients, good price points, low minimums (since I still do small batches), and manageable shipping logistics. Because I’m still in year two and constantly testing new scents and products, small-batch manufacturing works best for me right now.

One big lesson I’ve learned? Shipping costs can make or break your margins. Some vendors only use certain carriers like FedEx — which gets expensive fast — and you don’t have a choice. Those shipping fees have to be factored into your cost of goods, and if you’re not careful, they’ll eat into your profits more than you expect.

I’ve learned to be scrappy, do the math, and always keep researching better options — because when you’re doing everything yourself, every detail matters.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sevencontinents.shop/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sevencontinentsshop
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sevencontinentsstore
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurencirkot/

Image Credits

photos taken by Lauren Cirkot of Seven Continents