We recently connected with Nina Burke and have shared our conversation below.
Nina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
In 2007 my eldest sister Digna passed away from colon cancer, she loved candles. I was basically looking for an outlet to channel my focus. I had recently gone through a bad breakup, my sister passed away, I lost my 6-figure a year job and I was dealing with a health concern – I needed something. So I started researching candle making, however I want a pure organic process. I researched everything from wicks to oils and created a product that is clean for the environment and pure for the senses. Chayil is so pure that you can put it in a room unlit and it will still permeated the room.
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?
I am a AfroLatina, born in Panamá and I lived in NY for more than 40 years before moving west. I started as a model in my teens and have worked in almost every industry from advertising to magazine publishing to governmental affairs. I still struggle with creative marketing. I can create scents and beautiful packaging but have not mastered posting videos on social media.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
At the beginning of 2024, I got the worse case of the flu ever. During that time I decided that at the end of the year, after 16 years of making a go at this I would close Chayil. After COVID it became difficult to acquire glass and oils – I was over it and decided to throw in the towel. I also do a lot of other things such as fashion. I was cleaning out my closet, giving things away and sent a social media influencer a top. In the package I included one of my candles. When she received the box, she contacted me to thank me for the top but wanted to discuss the candle. In that conversation she said, “you are walking in your calling.” That one sentence totally threw me and had me rethinking everything! LOL I don’t know what God has planned but it definitely fueled me to keep going.
Have you ever had to pivot?
During COVID for sure. I could not get glass or oils. Businesses I’d sourced and used for years closed and decided not to reopen. Candles are a luxury during a time when people are trying to get food and keep a roof over their heads. I closed the web store and shifted to making other things for family mainly. Tonics, pepper sauce, extracts, things of that nature. Anything to keep my hands moving during that time and well keep my sanity. Creatives have to create.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theluxeconsortium.com
- Instagram: ChayilCandles
- Facebook: Chayil Candles
- Twitter: ChayilCandles
Image Credits
Nina Burke
All photos