Rising Stars: Meet Rob Woloszyn of Willis, TX

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Woloszyn.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
THE FOUNDER’S JOURNEY: FROM FBI AGENT TO ARTISAN ENTREPRENEUR

THE PIVOT: A MISSION OF FAMILY AND SERVICE — The decision to retire in 2019, following a 24-year career in the FBI and six years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, was a strategic pivot driven by a commitment to my family. I chose to step away from my career at its peak to help navigate my son’s path, ensuring he had the support needed to become a successful, productive member of society. This remains the single best decision I have ever made; today, he is a thriving professional handling purchasing and sales for KulKoni, Inc., where he has been an asset for over six years. Following that transition, I embraced the role of a full-time “house husband” to support my wife’s high-stakes career as an FBI Intelligence Analyst and the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) Coordinator for FBI SWAT. My life revolved around a disciplined routine: managing our 1.29-acre property in Willis, handling laundry on Tuesdays and Fridays, grocery shopping on Mondays, and ensuring the home was spotless so my wife could focus on her grueling 120-mile daily commute.

THE MOTIVATION: LOYALTY OVER LUCRATIVE OFFERS — As I looked toward a second career in 2024, I earned several high-level credentials, including my Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certifications, as well as completing a postgraduate program in Data Science and Business Analytics at UT Austin. Despite receiving job offers in the $150,000 to $200,000 range, I couldn’t justify the three-hour daily commute. The deciding factor was my senior dog, a feisty 15-year-old mini-Dachshund mix we’d rescued as a six-week-old puppy. While we suspect his other half was Rottweiler or Doberman given his spirited personality, he had grown accustomed to me being home for five years. When a recruiter asked if I was truly turning down a lucrative career because of my dog, my answer was a firm “Yes, 100% I am”. Along with our three other dogs—an 8-year-old and two white labs we rescued after they were abandoned on our doorstep—my priority was clearly at home.

THE EARLY DAYS: THE “LABORATORY” IN THE GARAGE — I founded Willis Candle Shop (https://williscandleshop.com/) in January 2024, acquiring the domain name first to ensure brand consistency before filing my LLC with the Texas Secretary of State. My first batch was a “kitchen disaster” where I spilled wax across the counters and floor, forcing me to rethink my entire setup. I moved the operation to the garage, but even then, the logistics were a challenge. I often had to move gym equipment and back my golf cart out of the bays just to set up multiple crockpots for different scent batches. I spent eight months as a “student of the craft,” watching over 100 hours of instructional content and producing nearly 500 test candles. I refused to use paraffin wax because I wanted a cleaner product free of petroleum byproducts like toluene and benzene. After ten iterations, I perfected a signature eco-friendly blend of coconut, soy, and beeswax that met my standards for quality and sustainability—a process I’ve detailed on our “What Sets Us Apart” page (https://williscandleshop.com/pages/candle-brands-what-sets-us-apart).

THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF QUALITY AND SOLITUDE — By August 2024, the business outgrew the garage, and I built a dedicated 17×32-foot metal building on my property. I personally installed the electrical wiring, lighting, and fans, even digging the trench for the conduit to ensure I had dedicated outlets for my 16-amp professional machinery. This shop is more than a factory; it is a place of solitude where I can turn on my music, set the vibe, and work in peace just 30 feet from my back door. While I utilize specialized equipment to maintain consistency, the process remains deeply labor-intensive. It takes roughly 60 minutes just to hand-wick and label 40 containers. When you factor in the four-hour wax heating time and the precision required for scent formulation, it is a disciplined production process that balances efficiency with artisanal care.

TURNING POINTS: MARKET-LEADING VALUE AND GROWTH — The real turning point was merging my investigative background with digital strategy and market analysis. I realized that making the best candle in the world doesn’t matter if no one can find you, so I aggressively pursued an SEO strategy involving over 1,720 indexed pages, quality backlinks, an aggressive internal linking strategy, and structured keyword placement. This technical precision, combined with a pricing model roughly 35% below the industry average, has driven our custom candle business to surge. While many competitors require a 100-candle minimum and charge upwards of $35 per unit, I’ve established a more accessible 50-candle minimum. For a recent client in White Plains, New York, we delivered a premium experience—frosted glass, professional branding, wooden wicks, bamboo lids, and burlap bags—all for less than $23 per candle, including shipping. This commitment to value has fostered professional relationships through custom candle orders with:

— PATTEN PROPERTIES: A leading real estate investment and development authority that prioritizes creating land ownership opportunities for Veterans through initiatives like Camp Hope and Helping A Hero.

— BEDEMCO, INC.: A global importer specializing in high-quality dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and oils with a strict commitment to food safety and CTPAT security standards.

— DESIGN TECH HOMES: A custom homebuilder that integrates 25 years of craftsmanship with cutting-edge VisionBuilt™ virtual reality technology to help families design and build their “forever homes”.

— ALAN MURPHY SALON: A luxury Houston-based salon in Vintage Park, recognized by Elle and Salon Today for its award-winning education program and commitment to style and elegance.

LOOKING AHEAD — As I look toward the future, the mission for Willis Candle Shop is one of measured, intentional growth. My objective is to scale toward selling 2,400 candles monthly by June of 2027. Success lies in the data and the effort; even if I only “halfway” meet those targets, the venture remains a highly lucrative investment of my time and grit. Building this authority from the ground up—transforming 500 pine trees into a backdrop for a thriving e-commerce brand—is its own reward. I am doing this on my own terms, providing a quality product that brightens someone’s day without compromising my values or the home I’ve built here in Willis.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
OBSTACLES AND CHALLENGES: BEYOND THE SURFACE

THE LEARNING CURVE OF ARTISAN PRODUCTION — It has certainly not been a smooth road; the transition from federal investigations to candle chemistry required a complete mental recalibration. The first major struggle was the “kitchen disaster” phase, where I realized that passion does not substitute for precision in wax formulation. Spilling wax across my home and navigating the extreme Houston heat in a garage while trying to stabilize a coconut-soy-beeswax blend was a grueling eight-month trial-and-error process. I produced nearly 500 “production-grade” candles that I refused to sell simply because they did not meet my standard for perfection.

THE COLLISION OF TRADITION AND TECHNOLOGY — Perhaps the most daunting obstacle was the realization that a superior product does not equal a successful business in the digital age. After launching in December 2024, I was met with “crickets” for the first few months. The struggle was not the candle; it was the “Google Wall”. I had to dive head-first into the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), learning that search engines do not care about the quality of your product if they do not yet “trust” your domain. Overcoming a Domain Rating of zero required an aggressive strategy of publishing over 1,720 indexed pages of content to prove our authority in a crowded market.

OPERATIONAL SACRIFICES AND PERSONAL TOLL — Managing a startup while maintaining a 1.29-acre property requires a high degree of discipline, especially as I serve as the primary support system for my wife’s career. By handling the daily operations of the home and the shop, I ensure she can focus on her demanding roles as an FBI Intelligence Analyst on the Public Corruption Squad and as the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) Coordinator for FBI SWAT. This partnership allows us to manage the physical demands of the business—such as digging trenches for electrical conduit or hand-prepping containers—without compromising our household standards. Most recently, I faced the profound challenge of losing my 17-year-old mini-Dachshund mix, Rico. Rico was the primary reason I chose this path over a corporate office, and while it confirms I made the right choice to be home with him, navigating that loss while managing roughly 40 hours of weekly operations and property maintenance is a hurdle no business plan can fully prepare you for.

NAVIGATING THE “MARKET NOISE” — Standing out in an industry dominated by paraffin-based, mass-produced candles is an ongoing battle. Educating consumers on why a clean-burning, eco-friendly blend is worth the investment—while simultaneously undercutting the inflated prices of boutique competitors—requires a constant balancing act. We have navigated these struggles by leaning into the following core principles:

— TECHNICAL TRANSPARENCY: Overcoming skepticism by providing deep-dive data on our wax molecular structure and the dangers of petroleum byproducts like benzene.

— VALUE LEADERSHIP: Disrupting the custom candle market by offering high-end finishes at price points 35% lower than the industry standard.

— RELENTLESS PUBLISHING: Combating the “new site” penalty by out-working larger competitors in content creation to earn “time-in-grade” with major search engines.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
ARTIST AND CREATIVE: THE SCENT OF A SECOND ACT

THE SANCTUARY IN THE FOREST — My creative journey is an intentional departure from a 24-year career in the FBI and service as a U.S. Marine. Today, my “office” is a sanctuary of aroma and peace nestled within the Sam Houston National Forest of Willis, Texas. This space is where I trade the high-stakes pressure of federal investigations for the tranquil solitude of the craft. Walking into the shop at 4:00 AM, I am often met with the lingering symphony of the previous day’s work—scents like Midnight Sugar Crush, Fresh Baked Pie, and Exotic Floral Paradise blending into a fragrance so amazing it makes you want to spend the night there. This level of serenity is a stark, welcome contrast to my past life; here, the only “risk” is a batch that doesn’t meet my standards, and as a friend recently joked, at least no one is shooting at me.

PRECISION IN EVERY POUR — While many see candle making as a simple hobby, I approach it with the same level of precision I once applied to investigative case management. I spent eight months as a student of the craft, iterating through 10 different batches and nearly 500 test candles before I was satisfied with the molecular structure of my blend. I made the artistic choice to completely avoid paraffin wax, refusing to work with oil byproducts like benzene or toluene. My commitment is simple: our label not only tells you what is in the candle, it tells you what is NOT in the candle. By blending our own coconut, soy, and beeswax in-house, I ensure a clean-burning, eco-friendly experience that is purposeful, personal, and safe.

MESSAGES FOR A FLEETING LIFE — What truly defines Willis Candle Shop is the philosophy behind the flame. Every candle I create tells a story and serves as a reminder that life is fleeting. Our labels carry unique messages designed to inspire intentional living—reminding you to “Remember Good Times” or, in the case of our Seashore Swagger candle, that “life is short and you should dance on the pier every now and then”. This venture was born from a desire to create something meaningful after five years of retirement, and it was solidified by a promise to my late mini-Dachshund mix, Rico. I turned down lucrative corporate salaries because the time spent with him in this forest was invaluable. Today, I carry that same spirit of loyalty into every jar, providing an artisan product that encourages people to embrace change and enjoy the moment while they can.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION: BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF LIGHT — The most impactful way to work with the Willis Candle Shop is through our custom candle program, which is specifically designed for businesses and organizations that value high-end, non-toxic products without the typical boutique markup. We specialize in creating private-label candles for corporate gifts, luxury client welcome packages, and professional retail partnerships. By maintaining a low 50-candle minimum, we remain accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises that want to tell their own brand story through our signature coconut-soy-beeswax blend. We have already established strong professional relationships through custom orders with local leaders such as Design Tech Homes and the Alan Murphy Salon, as well as global entities such as Bedemco, Inc.

DIGITAL ROADMAPS AND VETERAN ADVOCACY — As a veteran-owned business, I am deeply committed to supporting others navigating the transition from service to entrepreneurship. For those interested in the technical side of building a brand, I maintain a dedicated SEO Tracking Blog (https://williscandleshop.com/blogs/seo-tracking-blog) where I document my startup journey. People can collaborate with me by engaging with this resource, where I share transparent data on search engine optimization, domain authority, and e-commerce growth strategies. In this space, collaboration often means sharing resources, backlinks, and insights to help other founders avoid the common pitfalls of the “Google Wall”.

DIRECT SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION — For individuals looking to support our mission of bringing “Light and Purpose” into the home, the best way is to explore our handcrafted collections. By visiting our online store, customers can discover our Vintage Barrel, Wood Wick Barrel, and Select Barrel collections, each featuring non-toxic, clean-burning fragrances. Because our pricing is approximately 35% lower than industry averages, every purchase supports a high-quality, eco-friendly alternative to mass-market candles. Beyond business, we are proud residents of the Willis, Texas area, and we are always looking for ways to engage with and support the neighbors and veterans who make this community so resilient.

Pricing:

• ARTISAN CONTAINER AND FRAGRANCE OPTIONS — Our core collection offers a diverse range of 20 candle container options and 16 unique fragrances. These handcrafted candles are priced competitively between $18.99 and $24.99, ensuring that high-end, forest-born luxury remains accessible for everyday use.
• TRANSPARENT CUSTOM PRICING — We utilize a flat-fee production model for custom orders starting at a low 50-candle minimum. Our production fees are tiered based on volume: 50-149 units at $13/candle, 150-299 at $12/candle, 300-499 at $11/candle, and 500+ units at $10/candle. All component costs (vessels, wax, fragrance, and labels) are passed through at cost with zero markup.
• MARKET-LEADING CUSTOM VALUE — While the industry standard often requires a 100-candle minimum and a $35 starting price, we recently completed a high-end custom order for approximately $21 per candle. This provided the client with a premium coconut soy candle featuring a wood wick for a total cost significantly lower than boutique competitors.
• FREE SHIPPING INCENTIVE — To support our national customers, the Willis Candle Shop offers free shipping to all U.S. states and territories (including Guam and Puerto Rico) on all orders of four or more candles. This allows our clients to enjoy Texas-made quality across the country without the added burden of shipping costs.
• THE 35% VALUE PROPOSITION — Because of our efficient, veteran-owned production model located in Willis, Texas, our pricing is approximately 35% lower than the industry average for comparable coconut-soy-beeswax blends. We believe in providing a clean-burning, phthalate-free, and paraffin-free product that respects both the consumer’s health and their budget.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://williscandleshop.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewilliscandleshop/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillisCandleShop/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/o-robert-woloszyn/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WillisCandleShop
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/williscandleshop/