Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Dunn.
Nicole, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
On April 15, 2025 I went to work at the J. Edgar Hoover building in Washington, DC. I was a Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI, and had celebrated 16 years of service in February of that year. Many of us were anxious with all of the unexpected changes taking place under the new leadership and morale was extremely low. I was called into my Assistant Director’s office and notified that I was being placed on leave without pay because my security clearance was being revoked. I was completely floored and in shock. They had another agent waiting to take my badge and gun, and cleared the work area of my colleagues to give me about 15 minutes to clear my desk. Those that actually knew me wanted to try and provide some level of dignity for a very undignified process.
I won’t rehash the false allegations or lack of merit. By now, we’ve heard about numerous folks unfairly released from government employment for a myriad of pretextual reasons. Suffice it say, I began fighting the decision while sitting at home without a paycheck. I began looking for employment elsewhere but was still required to report any potential employment to the FBI and receive authorization to work an outside job. You read that correctly. Although I was not being paid, I was still “on the rolls” of the FBI and required to obtain authorization to work somewhere else. Try explaining to a potential employer that you’re a 16-year veteran of the FBI, on leave without pay and denied due process, but you’re an excellent employee and totally worth hiring. By the way, if I’m successful in getting my clearance reinstated, I’ll be returning to the FBI to receive my full retirement benefits that I worked so hard for. It was not an easy sell.
While searching for my next step, a friend took me to a candle-making class in the DC area — a moment that unexpectedly sparked a new passion. I noticed the candle making experience lacked personalization, creativity, and quality, but I loved the concept! After years of seeing people on their worst days, I was motivated to find better ways to bring warmth and connection to people’s lives. I wanted to see people on their best days, happy and relaxed. I also wanted to experience some of that joy myself. So I set out to learn the craft. I visited another DIY candle shop in the area. Then I traveled to Florida and Missouri to conduct additional market research at other shops. I made contacts and relied on the kindness of strangers to teach me and help me to better formulate my business concept. July 2025 rolled around and I still had not heard a word from the new leadership at the FBI, so I accepted the fact that my career was essentially over and embraced my new future.
I decided to return home to Houston, TX, to help care for my ailing mother. I also began doing market research and discovered there were no candle bars in the Katy, TX area. Seeing this unmet need, I launched Heart Notes to offer an immersive experience of creativity, comfort, and sincere connection to my community—transforming a personal loss into a promising new beginning. I chose the name Heart Notes because it defines the overall character of a fragrance, revealing its true identity. That definition resonated with me, and others like me, forging new paths and stepping into our true identities.
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?
For the most part, it was not difficult to get up and running. I decided to start my business at the end of July 2025. I searched for locations throughout August and September using a real estate agent in the Houston area, while I was still located in the DC area. By October, we’d identified a location. I called the shops on either side of the location to get feedback – which was very positive. So I decided to take the plunge and moved to Katy, TX in early October.
The next challenge was finding a contractor and getting the space ready. I’d heard horror stories from others about the process, and multiple folks doubted I could be ready to open before Christmas. I can only say I was divinely led because I found a contractor and completed my buildout in 4 weeks. I was able to have a soft opening with friends and family in late November. The soft opening allowed me to work out kinks and get other things in place throughout December. My grand opening was on January 2, 2026 and went super smooth because I had the time to work through the small kinks. Now my challenge is creating more visibility for my business so that folks know I’m here. Marketing, marketing, marketing!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I wanted to stand out from what I’d seen at other DIY candle shops. I wanted a luxury experience and a peaceful vibe from the moment you walk in – a safe place to be yourself. So I created a space with a twist. Heart Notes offers more than 100 different fragrances and allows participants to blend up to 3 chosen fragrances at a time. Participants can also blend and create room diffusers, car diffusers, and room sprays. I also brought in an additional 24 EDP (eau de parfum) quality fragrances specifically for customized perfume and cologne making. My shop also offers special events for custom created body lotions and bubble baths. I’ve truly created an experiential retail shopping experience that anyone can enjoy over and over.
I also offer private bookings for birthdays, family or friend gatherings, bridal showers, or anything else anyone wants to celebrate!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I’m completely new to business ownership, myself, so my advice should definitely be taken with that disclaimer in mind! I would say trust your truest self and don’t allow others to discourage you. I didn’t listen when some other business owners told me my timeline for opening was too aggressive. Every experience is different. But I also had to balance when to actually listen to others to avoid making some of the simple mistakes. I had no hesitancy in calling up colleagues in the business to ask for their opinion and/or advice as I was in the buildout process and buying inventory. It’s OK to acknowledge that you don’t know certain things and ask for help.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.HeartNotesCandleBar.com
- Instagram: @HeartNotesCandleBar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580240734624
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/heart-notes-candle-bar-and-boutique-katy
Image Credits
Digital Dose Media (and)
Goldenn Hour
