We were lucky to catch up with Silvana Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Silvana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

I started *Love Your Faith Catholic* because I wanted to create a multisensory prayer experience that could help alleviate anxiety, combining prayer with soothing scents. The idea came to me when I couldn’t find healthy candles that included prayers, and I was dealing with anxiety. So, I thought, “Why not make my own?”

The next step was research. I had no idea how to make candles at that point, so my husband and I spent over a year experimenting. We tested different waxes, wicks, scents, and vessels. I was determined to use coconut soy wax and beeswax for its purity, but it wasn’t easy to get the right combination that would burn evenly and smell amazing. We experimented relentlessly, sometimes failing, but each trial brought us closer to perfection.

During this time, I also had to look into things like product safety, finding suppliers, and even getting the right vessels. I chose white vessels to represent the purity and light of God and gold lettering to signify offering our best to God.

I also set up the business structure, learning how to price products, develop a brand, and use social media to spread the word. This was a whole new world for me, but I was committed to making my vision a reality. I had to find the balance between making a beautiful, meaningful product and ensuring it was sustainable.

Once I had the candles perfect, we launched online and at local Catholic parishes. I focused on creating a unique, faith-based experience with each candle. Our first customers were so supportive, and from there, I began growing the brand through word-of-mouth, social media, and events.

Every step was a learning experience—from figuring out how to pour candles by hand to creating elegant packaging and learning how to share my story. It’s been a journey of faith, experimentation, and learning, but seeing people light our candles during their moments of prayer makes it all worth it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Silvana Johnson, the founder of *Live Your Faith Catholic*, and my journey into this business started as a personal need for peace, calm, and deeper prayer. Originally from Argentina, I came to the U.S. on a full scholarship to study fashion design, and I worked in the fashion industry for 15 years. I transitioned into creating jewelry as a hobby, which eventually blossomed into a passion for creating beautiful, meaningful pieces. However, it wasn’t until I struggled with anxiety and searched for a multisensory way to deepen my prayer life that I began hand-pouring candles as a spiritual practice. This is how *Live Your Faith Catholic* was born.

My husband and I handcraft Catholic prayer candles, beeswax candles, and faith-inspired jewelry. Our candles are unique in that they not only feature high-quality materials like beeswax and coconut soy wax but are also infused with actual Catholic prayers. We want our products to help people feel a sense of calm, faith, and peace during their prayer time, creating an atmosphere where they can focus on their relationship with God. We’re not just selling candles or jewelry—we’re offering a faith experience.

What sets us apart is the intentionality behind every item we create. From the white vessels symbolizing purity and God’s light, to the clean, elegant designs that emphasize the prayers themselves, everything is done with the purpose of elevating the customer’s spiritual practice. We also focus on quality, using premium materials like coconut soy beeswax, because we believe that when you offer something to God, it should be the best.

I’m most proud of the way our products help people connect with their faith. The feedback from customers who say that lighting one of our candles has helped them pray, or that they’ve found peace during difficult times, means the world to me. It’s a gift to be part of their spiritual journey.

What I want potential clients and followers to know about *Live Your Faith Catholic* is that we’re here to support their faith through beautiful, meaningful products. Whether it’s a candle to accompany their prayers or jewelry that reflects their love for the catholic faith and God, everything we do is crafted with love and faith at the center. We also donate a percentage of proceeds to Life Centers of Ventura County, so every purchase helps support life-affirming causes.

Our goal is to create not just products, but an experience—whether it’s through the calm that comes from lighting a candle during prayer, or the joy of wearing a handmade piece of jewelry that reminds you of faith and beauty.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

When I started *Live Your Faith Catholic*, like many entrepreneurs, I had to be resourceful to fund the initial stages. My husband and I didn’t have a huge amount of capital to invest, so we knew it would require a lot of sacrifice, hard work, and careful budgeting. One of the key ways we made it work was by working a job while also putting time into building the business.
We made the conscious decision to be patient with the process, knowing that each small investment of time and money would pay off in the long run. Working allowed me the flexibility to grow the business organically without taking on significant debt, but it also meant long days and late nights spent experimenting with materials, designing our products, and setting up the business infrastructure.

We started small, investing what we could into the initial supplies—wax, vessels, wicks, and fragrances. I also leveraged my background in fashion design and creativity to keep costs down, from handcrafting the products to creating our branding. Every dollar we made from those early sales went right back into the business to fund the next round of production.

There were certainly moments where we had to stretch our finances, especially when it came to purchasing larger quantities of supplies to scale the business. I remember setting a goal to save up for each next phase—whether it was upgrading our wax melters or getting custom labels made—and slowly but surely, we reached each milestone.

Although it was challenging, working part-time to fund the business allowed me to maintain full control and focus on quality without rushing into debt or investors. I’m proud of how far we’ve come with patience, faith, and the support of our customers. Now, with every candle or piece of jewelry sold, we’re able to reinvest in the business and take it to new heights, including launching new products like diffusers and room sprays in the future.

This journey taught me that it’s okay to start small, as long as you stay committed to your vision. Each step forward, no matter how small, brings you closer to success.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

Yes, we manufacture all of our products ourselves. When we started *Live Your Faith Catholic*, I had very little experience in candle-making, so the process was a journey of learning, experimenting, and refining. My husband and I were determined to handcraft everything, from the candles to the designs, because we wanted every aspect of our products to be personal and intentional.

We spent over a year experimenting with different waxes, wicks, and fragrances to find the perfect combination. Our goal was to create candles that not only burned cleanly and smelled amazing but also carried deep spiritual meaning. We were set on using coconut soy wax and beeswax because of its purity and significance, but it took a lot of trial and error to get the formula just right. We tested countless materials and techniques until we felt confident that our candles were of the highest quality.

As we worked on perfecting the candles, I knew I also needed a strong visual brand to go with them. Luckily, a close friend of mine is a talented graphic designer, and he played a key role in taking our label and logo to the next level. He helped create the clean, elegant aesthetic that represents the purity of our faith and product. This collaboration was a huge blessing, as he truly understood the vision and heart behind *Live Your Faith Catholic*.

Beyond that, I had to learn several new skills to keep things moving forward. Photography, for instance, became essential. I wanted to showcase the candles and jewelry in a way that captured their beauty and meaning, so I took classes to improve my product photography. Every image had to tell the story of our faith and devotion, and learning this craft allowed me to convey that message visually.

The entire process has taught me so much about manufacturing a product. One of the biggest lessons is that patience is key. Hand-making each candle ensures we maintain the highest quality, but it also means we can’t rush the process. I’ve learned that attention to detail matters in every aspect, from the way the candles burn to the design on the label.

Another important lesson is the value of collaboration. My friend’s graphic design expertise and my husband’s support in helping with the production have been instrumental in bringing the business to life. It’s also taught me that there’s no shame in learning new skills and wearing many hats. Whether it’s candle-making, photography, or product design, I’ve embraced every step of the journey.

In the end, making everything ourselves is what makes *Live Your Faith Catholic* so special. Each candle is hand-poured with prayer and love, and every detail of the design reflects our devotion to creating a faith-filled experience for our customers. The result is a product that’s not just a candle but a meaningful tool for prayer and peace.

Contact Info:

• Website: Https://liveyourfaithcatholic.com
• Instagram: @liveyourfaithcatholic
• Facebook: @liveyourfaithcatholic

Image Credits

Clealsea Barret photography