Meet The Maker: Jimmy Jackson, Owner of Flame Candle Co.

We’re back for our third feature in our Meet The Maker series. This time, we’re talking with Jimmy Jackson, the co-owner of Flame Candle Co.—which is an Austin-local company. We love their candles—which are in constant use in home and office. Of course, their candles are available in our shop (restock +new arrivals coming soon because they’re awesome!).

As you already know, we have similar backgrounds when it comes to launching our own business. Can you share how and why you got started?

Flame Candle Co. has always been something I was interested in creating because my true passion has always been aromatherapy. I also knew I wanted to use as many locally and ethically sourced materials as part of this mission. These two things combined led me to create Flame Candle Co..

Also, being an avid candle burner, I was aware most candles contain plastics, chemicals, and harsh products. That's when it was decided we needed to make candles with all the "good," without all the "bad." This led to researching high-quality fragrance and essential oils, as well as, different natural wax products.

After some experimentation and feedback, it was decided to use jars locally-sourced from Manor, TX, and organic soy wax. Then, Flame Candle Co. was introduced to the world for the first time at Manor Market, and haven’t looked back.

What was your inspiration for the Flame Candle Co. brand?

The brand was inspired by apothecaries of the past, with an upscale touch of industrialism. I wanted it to be clean, not gender-specific, and something that I hadn’t seen at other markets, or retail spaces.  

There’s a misconception that all candles are the same. What are the benefits of buying hand-poured candles? What did you have to keep in mind when you started making your own candles?  

Yes, this is actually a very big misconception. There are several benefits of buying hand-poured, small-batch candles. The quality and care of a hand-poured candle is top-notch. Many larger candle companies add plastics, chemicals, and other toxic materials to cut costs. 

Our candles ingredients are plain and simple...natural oils, wick, and soy wax.  Mass-produced candles are usually made in factories that wreck the environment, and do not adhere to strict compliance measures they should. One part of our mission from the very beginning was to create an all-natural, high-quality product that showcased as many local materials as possible.

When you buy from a local maker, you are supporting a small business that was created out of a passion for making, not just to make a buck.

So you’ve been in business for about a year now, right? You’ve gone from launching with 4 scents to offering 14. What has that growth been like?

Yes, we began last July, so one year next month.  Wow, that flew by...haha. We have been very fortunate to have such a warm welcome from the Austin community. When we started, we were thinking we would be happy to sell a couple of candles. Then, what we found was that people really enjoyed our products, which led to me mixing more scents.

We have learned that people have specific scent palettes, and so I wanted to create a line of candles that would appeal to someone no matter their palette.  Also, many fragrances are seasonal, so we have had a lot of fun experimenting with these scents, as well. The growth has been somewhat fast and furious, but also really exciting.

You launched a 4-part Instagram live series featuring palo santo, sage bundles, and wax melts. Will you be expanding your product line soon?

Great question!  You can now find our White Sage and Palo Santo bundles on our site. I’m still experimenting with wax melts, but as soon as I can feel confident about the blends and packaging, you will probably see them online at some point. Recently, I’ve also been creating some scented hand sanitizer using sanitizer from a local distillery and considering our current situation—that might be something we add to the line.

With 14 scents, and some possible new products on the way—what’s your favorite Flame Candle Co. product so far?

That’s such a hard question. Without sounding cliche, I truly love all our products.  Each of them are wonderful considering my mood, or the intention I want to create in my space. I will say my go-to most recently has been our Palo Santo and Sweetgrass Basil Patchouli candle. However, you can never go wrong with our Eucalyptus Rosemary Sage, as you know...haha (Editor's Note: This is my favorite candle of theirs haha).  

You’ve been pretty active on Instagram. You recently launched a quick candle tutorial video and we also mentioned your live-series. What is it about that platform that you think works so well for Flame Candle Co.?   

It has taken me some time to utilize Instagram as much as I do today. I find it to be a great platform to share product information, tutorials, and just connect with customers in a much more personal way. Since we are not currently attending markets, it allows for a similar type of interaction, but virtually. I miss live markets terribly because they allowed us to get to know our Flame Fam, but Instagram is the easiest way I’ve found to stay connected. 

You’ve seen success amid the drastic changes makers have experienced due to the pandemic. Can you share some of the ways you’ve had to pivot how you’re doing business this year?

To be honest, we were pretty apprehensive to launch a website when we first started. We wanted to remain a product only found in markets and certain local retailers. Also, e-commerce seemed intimidating, and something we weren’t sure we could handle.

However, right before the pandemic hit, we launched our site, and it has been the best decision we could have made. We’ve been able to continue supplying products to our customer base during this time of physical distancing. I also implemented free local hand delivery around the Austin area, which allowed us to get candles in people’s hands safely and efficiently without them paying for delivery. We’ve had a very positive response to this, and will continue this indefinitely.  

Do you have any favorite makers?

My favorite question! Yes, I have too many to list here, but I can share a few: 

• The Periapt Shop: @theperiaptshop
  
  
• Soy Society Wellness: @soysocietywellness
  
  
• Oso Art: @oso.art
  
  
• Garzig Design: @garzigdesign
  
  
• Dosi Blends: @dosiblends
  
  
• Brave Ceramics: @braveceramics
  
  
• Rory E. Foster: @roryefoster
  
  
• Social Justice Jewelry: @socialjusticejewelry
  
  
• Flor Botanica: @flor.botanica
  
  
• The Little Gay Shop: @thelittlegayshop
  
  
• Amanda Reid Designs: @amandareiddesigns
  
  
• Semisweet Somethings: @semisweetsomethings
  
  
• Topo Turnt: @topoturnt

What do you love most about Flame Candle Co.? What’s your vision for Flame Candle Co. 5 years from now?

The thing I love most about Flame Candle Co. is the idea that I make people happy by sharing my passion. There’s really no way to describe that feeling. When people smile, or get excited, about something you’ve made it’s the best thing ever! I’ve met so many amazing people on this journey and I'm excited to keep it going. Five years from now, I hope Flame Candle Co. products continue to burn in people’s homes all over the country and give people a sense of joy and self-care.

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Follow Flame Candle Co. on Instagram

See their full line of products: flamecandlecompanytx.com