Today we’d like to introduce you to Tierra Barber.
Hi Tierra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My background is in education and athletics. I had no idea how to start, run and maintain a business. I had always worked for other people, but I knew I wanted to work for myself. Five months after stepping away from my career, I decided to do just that.
I knew I wanted to create something that would have a positive effect on people, something that would bring them back for more. I begin to brainstorm ideas. I made a list of businesses I wanted to start. Out of about 6 ideas, creating a candle company was the most feasible for me at the time. So, I went with it.
My love for candles comes from a memory I have of growing up with my mother. As a child, my mother would always burn candles and incense in our home. I loved coming home from school and smelling whatever fragrance she was burning that day. We didn’t have much money, so it was mostly dollar-store candles and potpourri, but we didn’t care. Every birthday and Christmas, I would get my mom potpourri, or a dollar store candle and she would burn it. As I grew older, I would buy candles for myself. Always having something in my home for fragrance. It reminded me of my childhood.
I started B. Elevated Candle Co. based on faith, memory, and tradition. I wanted to give someone else those memories. I wanted to create an atmosphere of love, warmth, and luxury without breaking anyone’s pockets. I did my research. I started to create them for myself at first and when I finally made it good enough to share with friends, I knew it was time to make them for other people. I crossed all my t’s and dotted my I’s on the business end and went to work. I signed up for lots of weekend markets. I started to network at these events. I got contracts with a few stores. I was enjoying my work and it was making me enough money to keep going.
The summer was a little slow. It’s HOT in Houston so the markets slowed down a bit, but I took that opportunity to tweak my business plan. I’m currently working on opening up a storefront. I can’t wait to share the details but until then, you can follow my Instagram @b.elevated and my online store belevated.co to get your candles for this upcoming holiday season.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a lot of struggles. It has been a learning opportunity for sure. I’ve lost money signing up for markets that weren’t big hits. I’ve messed up on batches of candles and had to pour them out or just give them away. There have been events I’ve had where I couldn’t find a sitter and had to take my then 2-year-old out for hours while trying to make sales. I’ve done markets in 30-degree weather and gotten sick. I wasn’t prepared for the summer heat and how to keep the candles in good travel condition. But it’s all been a learning experience. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. A chance to grow is always a good thing and it prepares you for next time.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I own B. Elevated Candle Co. we are a luxury hand-poured candle company. Each candle is hand-poured in small quantities to ensure top quality. We chose to use matte black vessels because black is beautiful and versatile. It can blend in or stand out anywhere. These candles are made with love and good intention. At B. Elevated Candle Co., we strive to elevate your aromatic experience by providing a high-quality luxury brand for everyone. Our goal is to set an inspiring and meditative atmosphere by amplifying peace, tranquility, and opulence to your space, whether it be at home, the office or on the go. The packaging, presentation, and products we use sets us apart from other candle companies. I wanted to make something luxurious but affordable, which is hard to come by.
The candle business is very saturated. There are candlemakers everywhere. What sets us apart from most brands is our attention to detail and our packaging. Our labels are all handmade and placed on the vessels ourselves. We make in small batches to ensure we see every candle poured and can correct any defects. We have a brand that is personal. We have personalized packaging available. We take our time to create high-quality merchandise for our customers and fragrances you won’t find anywhere else.
What we want people to know about our brand and company is that we strive to be a brand for everyone. We love to feel good. We love for our home to feel and smell good. We know that scents bring back memories, we want our candles to create new memories for you. You don’t have to be “rich” to have nice things in your home. We want our candles to give our customers these same feelings and experiences. We have candles in various sizes and price points for all. Check us out on Instagram @b.elevated and belevated.co. We ship anywhere in the USA and will be opening a storefront soon.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Waking up every morning knowing that God has allowed me to breathe air into my lungs makes me happy. Knowing that my children are well taken care of makes me happy. Having a partner that fully supports my dreams and crazy ambition to do more and more makes me happy. There is so much that I’m grateful for and it all makes me so happy. Good food, good friends. Nice shoes. Traveling. Getting my hair done. Date night. Connecting with people. Sitting outside on my porch while the kids play. Reading. Knowing every day, I get to do what I love for work makes me happy. I’m the happiest woman in the world! There are so many people who don’t have the opportunity that I have. There are so many people who are not in good health. I have nothing to complain about. I have nothing to be but happy and I thank God for it every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.belevated.co
- Instagram:instagram.com/b.elevated
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/belevatedcandleco
Image Credits
Jessica Dao | @jessicadaophotography_
