Let's Talk About Risk
Our founder, Cassity Brown, was recently interviewed for a Shoutout LA article where she talks about risk and insights into the business.
How Cassity approaches risk-taking
Risk is extremely relative. I was once a law student, but decided to drop out because that career path didn’t align with who I am. In that case, some might of viewed it as risky to leave because I was headed in such a clear & secure direction–finish law school, take the bar, get a job. But I viewed it as more risky to stay on a career path that I hated.
When I started my business, I fought the risk of being judged by other people every single day. I knew I wanted to start my own brand. I had the vision in my head–the name, the colors, and how I wanted my candles to make people feel. In this case, risk and fear are basically interchangeable. I combatted this risk by moving as fast as I possibly could so I didn’t give myself time to give into the fear and talk myself out of launching my business.
We get to decide what’s risky and what we do with that risk–is it a motivator, or will it hold you back?
A bit on what sets St. Brown & Co. apart
St. Brown & Co. is a luxury candle brand designed to elevate your next moment with the strike of a match. With a chic, modern design, St. Brown & Co. candles disappear into the design of your home while adding a touch of luxury to your space. All of our candles are made with a natural coconut apricot vegan wax blend and non-toxic fragrance oils. Our candles stimulate the senses with design, fragrance, and even sound. Some of our candles feature a wooden wick, which emits a subtle crackle when lit.
I had the idea for my candle company on October 24, 2020 (specific, right?). Candles just popped into my head! At first, I started with a very small batch of materials and made a few candles in my kitchen to see if I even liked the process. For me, candle making is the perfect combination of creative and scientific–things like temperature, fragrance amount, or even the size of the wick all have to be precise in order to make a good candle.
After I discovered that I enjoyed making candles, I started to search for suppliers and build out my brand. It was important for me not to put too much pressure on myself–I was new at this. I was prepared for things not to be perfect.
Making larger batches of candles was my first major hurdle. I hadn’t developed a great process and my kitchen was a disaster! But I learned from that–I have developed an ability to assess a pain point and get to a solution quickly instead of wallowing in the disaster.
St. Brown & Co. comes from my heart. The brand reflects my personality, and all the behind-the-scenes things reflect my journey from student to creative business owner. St. Brown & Co. empowers me because its an exercise of putting myself out there and creating something beautiful in the process. It’s my hope that everyone who brings a St. Brown & Co. candle into their home feels a spark of empowerment because they’ve treated themselves to the gift of hand poured luxury.
Favorite Orange County spots
Roger’s Gardens in Newport Beach for a bougie lunch, a bike ride on Lido Island, coffee at The Lost Bean in Tustin, a visit to The Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach, and brunch at The Filling Station in Orange.
A couple shoutouts!
I want to thank my mom & dad for their never-ending support. For listening me talk about my business for hours, helping me lift heavy boxes and put stickers on matchbooks, giving me sound business advice, and being an emotional support during this wild ride.