Today we’d like to introduce you to Robin DeRosa.
Hi Robin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Much like many others, the pandemic got me thinking about my life, what I wanted to do with it, what brought me joy, and what could hopefully pay the bills. I saw a candle on my nightstand, and I thought, “hmmm, I think I can learn to make one of these,” so I bought some really crappy supplies on Amazon and have been making them for two years. Well, with better supplies now, thankfully.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have been on the bumpiest road since I began in 2020. Through the mistakes, trials, and tribulations, I learned how best to manage my business, how best to make unique candles, and how to run a successful operation. At first, I made terrible candles, so bad that I am ashamed of myself for even selling them. But through that, I learned how to get better and better. It’s one thing to have my own opinion but another to get feedback from folks who will challenge you to grow and do better. So, in hindsight, I’m glad I failed so publicly. In another unfortunate event, I suffered a car accident in 2021 that left me with four herniated disks and a traumatic brain injury. After that, I had to cut down on work, and even a year and a half later, I am still unable to get back to the scale of production I was at. I had major surgery and was out for three months. While recovering, my entire inventory was shattered and destroyed because my shelving gave way. I couldn’t recover fully from that. I don’t let it bug me too much because I can still run my business; I just have to learn to adapt. I taught myself how to make candles while seated, ensuring I got a rolling chair, and I made smaller batches than before. I’m very fortunate to be able to continue my work despite all the heartbreak and trauma.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Milk. Provisions Company?
We’ve got one goal, and that’s to provide you with socially responsible provisions to meet your everyday needs.
Milk. Provisions are 99% plastic free, sustainable, eco-friendly, and just downright awesome. We carry soy wax candles and all-natural soaps; in addition to these handmade products, we also offer bamboo and hemp household items and accessories. From toothbrushes to backpacks, we carry some cool stuff. Our goal is to get families to slowly change the way they shop. We only offer products that will meet the needs of our communities. If we could get families to switch to bamboo toothbrushes, we could eliminate massive plastic waste. Toothbrushes get thrown out so often that plastic will never break down. Together, we can start changing that. We are 100% online only. We offer free shipping on orders over $48.00.
In addition to meeting the needs of our communities by offering sustainable products, we decided to start helping our local nonprofits as well. This year we will be supporting Yaqui Animal Rescue! We put together the 2023 Dad Bod Calendar, which promotes positive masculinity. Men from all walks come together to show off their “Dad Bod.” This supports body positivity and the idea that men do not need to be rough and aggressive in nature to be “real” men. Most importantly, these men will help raise money for important causes in our community.
12 Local Small Businesses have each adopted a Dad Bod to Sponsor. We sincerely appreciate their participation in this effort. Our sponsors allow everyone to be paid for their time without digging into the funds raised from calendar sales. We want to donate as much as possible to our local nonprofit of choice.
Pre-Order for Calendars start on October 1st and end on October 31st, 2022.
What are your plans for the future?
I think I will still run the candle business in the future, but I may have to pass the production reigns to a team supervised by someone else. My body cannot take all the work that goes into making candles, and I see myself teaching someone to carry on my candle recipes. I hope to reach a wider audience with my online brand. The further the reach, the better equipped I’ll be to do what I feel called to. I want to continue our work with nonprofits and maybe even start one ourselves. I would like love to send relief to those affected by extreme weather caused by climate change. We plan on making citronella candles for areas that get hit by hurricanes. Their functionality helps keep mosquitoes away from stagnant water and brings warmth and light when electricity is out. I hope to one day have a warehouse full of functional candles for any type of severe weather event.
Pricing:
- Candles – start at $20
- Soaps – $8
- Calendars – $20
- TShirts – $20
- Free Shipping on Orders over $48
Contact Info:
- Website: https://milkprovisions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milkprovisions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milkprovisions
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MilkProvisions
Image Credits
Baby Bird Photography
