Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Monique Battle. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Monique thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

To be successful, starts with your mindset. Sure it takes hard work, long hours and dedication, however once your state of mind is to be successful, you can roll with the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

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 name is Monique Battle “Moe B” and I am the CEO/ Owner of B-Mo Natural Inc. I am a candle fanatic. I would visit various candle stores and practically go broke just to stock up on candles. I’m talking about, I would burn candles until they practically extinguish themselves, lol. One day I was watching YouTube attempting to learn how to make beaded bracelets. At some point I fell asleep and woke up to candle making. I have no clue how making bracelets and candle making relate, I’m guessing it’s the whole DIY experience. I thought to myself, hmmm, I could probably save myself so much money if I made them myself.

I began researching and experimenting. I learned that not all candle wax is created equal. Some contain petroleum, preservatives, chemicals, and other harmful irritants. I am asthmatic and had no clue of the potential damage that I could cause to my lungs. I was determined to find the most natural products and process to create a natural candle. That’s how I came up with the name B-Mo Natural. I am an African American female, born and raised in Baltimore “B-More”, and my goal is to “be more natural”. Once I created the candle, I wanted to bring a luxury look and feel to my natural coconut-soy candles and provide my products for others. That is pretty much how I got started in the candle business. Being asthmatic and having super sensitive skin has placed me on a journey to create natural products. I also inform my customers how to properly burn a candle by including a candle care card with every candle purchase. My products are made by hand and created with love. Some of my products include natural coconut-soy luxury candles, natural whipped body butters, and natural soaps.

One of my late friends battled with breast cancer. She had been through the most, including multiple chemo treatments, but she still managed to smile, stay positive, and inspire others, particularly those newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Her experiences inspired me to partner with Susan G. Komen (R) and donate a portion of sales through my “Feel the Real Campaign”. My Feel the Real campaign will to continue to help promote breast cancer awareness and support Susan G. Komen’s mission to find a cure. Sleep peacefully my friend.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Funding my business started from extra money that I had from my full-time job. It started as a hobby, but quickly became my passion and an added expense. That is why I said starting a business starts with your mindset. When times

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I am very personable. I like to handwrite on packing slips and add a small token of my appreciation with each order. I email my customers regularly with promotions and event information. I also ask them to provide their birthdays, so that I can send them a special personalized promotion.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.b-monatural.com
• Instagram: b_mo_natural
• Facebook: b_mo_natural
• Other: TikTok @bmonatural