We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lymarie Jimenez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lymarie, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
My mission is simple, leave a green planet for my daughter to enjoy. I started my business when I found out I was pregnant with my IVF miracle baby Nokomis. Becoming a mom I now found myself worried about my daughter’s future. I know the damaging effects of global warming and it made me realize if I were to start a business, it couldn’t be one that would hurt the planet even more. That is why my company is a green company. And I don’t say that lightly, I strive everyday to reduce, reuse and recycle. I source sustainable ingredients, paper and wooden wicks from FSC certified forests and use biodegradable packaging. I reuse packing materials I receive from suppliers and use zero plastic in my process. I also donate money to plant trees in order to offset our carbon footprint. I want my business to do more good than harm to this planet so my daughter can grow up enjoying it instead of fixing it.
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?
My background is culinary arts, mainly pastry. It is what I have done for two decades. I’m a creative person by nature and enjoy the process of creation whether that’s a new dessert or a new fragrance. I manufacture candles and room sprays to highlight my customers homes with toxic free fragrances. I want to enhance their space without all the bad stuff that often comes with home fragrance. I’m proud of our commitment to sustainable practices and our use of clean fragrances. We are lucky to have partnered with Whole Foods Market who has recognized out commitment to being eco friendly and we are proud to have our products sold in their stores.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
At first I thought candle making would be a fun hobby. I, however, am not someone who can do something half heartedly so I spent a year making sure my candles were safe, developing my brand and researching my competition. I continued to work full time while doing shows and pop events to market my candles. Once Whole Foods Market approached me about having my candles in their stores I knew this was no longer a hobby. I quit my full time job the same month I signed my contract with Whole Foods Market. They are responsible for my current success. They allowed my business to grow and are the reason I am where I am today.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
My reputation is one of attention to detail, brand development and unique fragrances. I treat every order the same whether it’s a $20 order or a $1000 order. I try to make every customer feel appreciated and strive to make their experience wonderful. There are a lot of candle companies out there and a lot of nice candles. But its the attention to customer service that will set you apart. Admitting mistakes when you make them and resolving issues with your customers in a timely manner is essential to success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.NokomisHomeFragrance.com
- Instagram: @NokomisHomeFragrance
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lymarie-jimenez-b64520219/
- Youtube: @HowToLymarie
Image Credits
photographer – Stella Paschall