Hobbies can come to us when we need them most. This was the experience of Monique Parker, a woman who had worked in the tech sector for her entire professional career. Upon the passing of her brother in 2020, she turned to candlemaking to stay focused and use her hands, and it grew into her side gig.
“The way I live life post my brother’s death is YOLO,” says Parker. “We are so lucky to be living, and I wanted to do the things that make me happy and just go for it.”
In September 2022, Blow Candle Co. evolved into Parker’s full-fledged business. She reimagined her new warehouse suite into the ultimate spot for workshops fit for bridal showers, birthdays, and surprise dates. At Blow, you can expect to learn all of the different parts of candlemaking while creating your own custom scent.
“While the candles cure, we have everyone paint on a canvas. We’re putting them up on the wall, so it’s like our community mural,” says Parker. “It’s so crazy how, when people start painting, it really comes from somewhere.”
Parker also provides low and no-cost space to other female creatives, hosting them in their mediums. This ranges from leather-making to houseplants to metalworking. Through her collaborations, Parker has been able to develop initiatives for other women in business, which has become her overarching goal.
“I have two girls. I love that they get to see their mom doing her own thing, and I love using whatever platform I have to support other women,” says Parker. “We started with candles and now we have become this empowerment community when it comes to women and revenue."
blowcandleco.com
