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

Hi Tyleene , thanks for joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

The first retail client that I obtained was Haven Yoga Studio at the end of 2022. When I moved back home to Atlanta after living in New York building the foundation of my brand, I was determined to get my products on someone’s shelf back in my hometown. I dedicated a lot of time to reaching out and pitching the brand but continued to receive rejection after rejection. At the time it was very frustrating and disappointing, but I decided to stay positive and pivot how my brand showed up in the marketplace. I decided I wanted to host a series of candle making classes that had an emphasis on creating the candle with a specific intention. While searching for the perfect venue to host my company’s new experience, I stumbled upon this beautiful yoga studio. It was conveniently located a few miles from my new apartment, and it felt like an extension of my home the first time I experienced the space. Me and the owner instantly connected, and we both agreed the space was perfect for the vision I was trying to bring to life. I also decided that I wanted to become a member of their community and dive back into meditation practices. From there I was a student participating in class twice a week while hosting my company’s candle making experiences when the space was available to rent out. About a year and a half later, the owner reached out to me proposing that I set-up a small shop inside of the studio for people to purchase my products. My mind had completed shifted from the idea of my products being for retail out of someone else’s space. I remember the feeling reading the message. I was overjoyed and so appreciative of the opportunity. It was a reminder that what is for you will never miss you, and your community is everything. I am forever grateful for Haven’s unwavering support and belief in me and my brand,

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 Tyleene Brown. I am a Chandler, Perfumer, and Entrepreneur all in one. I was introduced to the Art of Perfumery by my mentor November Nichols. I trained under her and her company – Maison Chemin as a Master Artisan for 5 years. Perfumery was the first art form in my adult life that I really connected with. The curation of scents, the language of the notes, and the connections and community built around it are the reasons I fell in love with it. Working with November and her company helped me to realize that Entrepreneurship was my calling. From there, I decided I wanted to create my own lane and become a chandler. I started a brand back in 2020 called Metta Wellness which consisted of a small edit of candles, and a series of candle making experiences. After about 2 years of building Metta I decided that I wanted to rebrand. For the past year I have been diligently working to finalize all the things in regard to this new brand and am happy to share that the rebrand will be launching October of 2023! Our new operating name as a company is Vacello.

Vacello is a luxury candle and home decor brand committed to being a lighthouse for all while holding space for you to ignite your flame through the art of candle making and luxury home design. As a candle brand with an eye towards personalization, Vacello leans into the artistry of vessel design through thoughtfully curated candle making experiences and sustainable luxury vessel designs. We inspire others to find the light within by highlighting the parallels between our experiences, designs, and life.

I am most proud of the intention behind this brand and our new offerings. It is a beautiful union of art, design, candles, and luxury all wrapped into one. Our new offerings suite is nothing I have ever seen, and I cannot wait for the world to experience what Vacello has to offer.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest lesson I have had to unlearn as a business owner is the idea that I can do it all alone. I struggled for years because my pride would not allow me to use the resources around me. I felt like I had to figure all of it out for myself. I was working harder and not smarter and hurting myself and my brand in the process. USE YOUR RESOURCES. Alot of the hardships that come with building a brand someone has already endured and conquered, so why not save yourself some time and headache learn from their mistakes?

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After graduating college in 2021, I went into the workforce as a Respiratory Therapist and moved to New York City. I was very excited to be starting my new career and exploring a new city. My dreams suddenly came to a halt when the pandemic hit. I was a new graduate working in the trenches of the covid-19 pandemic away from all of my family and friends in a city that was completely shut down. After months of the workload only getting harder and all of the other factors weighing on my mental health, I found myself in very dark place. It was the first time I experienced depression, and it was really affecting me and the ability to do my job. My therapist at the time was trying to get me to understand that my life had been uprooted and I had experienced something traumatic. She insisted that if I did not make the necessary changes for myself. things were only going to get worse. So, I decided then that I was going to pivot my career. I had toyed with the idea to venture into entrepreneurship before I moved but did not think it was possible. Sometimes life forces us to make the right decisions. If I had not had that experience with covid in New York, I may have not decided to take a chance on myself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @vacello.co

Image Credits
Mood and Theory @moodandtheory