We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Heather Magee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Heather, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
I am naturally optimistic! My faith gives me that drive to always look for the good and the positive first. Which serves me with working with the public. Bringing a natural easy breezy light to someone is so important these days. For me, every single morning starts with hope. Hope is very optimistic, right? Having that optimistic foresight helps to serve my drive to accomplish things. So, in essence, I think I’m just born with it.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I own a wilderness inspired candle company, housed in the boundary waters of Northern Minnesota, in a quaint town Called Ely. I purchased the company under another identity in 2021, a few months after we moved to Ely. In January of 2022 we started our rebranding and renamed the company Five Pines Candle Co.
Once we started getting our candles out, we realized that being in the wilderness meant something. People were seeking those fragrances, often found when they are out in nature.
I started creating scents that evoked those memories and BOOM! our niche was born.
What’s so spectacular about us at this time, is that our candles are all unique. You wont find these fragrances anywhere else. I house blend most of them right in my candle lab.
Currently we are in 5 states, a few local businesses and a few Minnesota small businesses.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I joined a lot of Facebook groups to pick up candle knowledge. When I started 2 years ago, I knew absolutely nothing about candles, wicks, waxes and such. It was a little scary!
There is so much knowledge out there, it gets confusing. What works for one maker, may not work for you.
I personally found what products I wanted to work with and quickly found a group to soak up all the intel.
Candle making is not always simple. There are a lot of factors that go into making a candle. The more you practice, test and ask questions, the more you can decipher what will work for you.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
What we are always thrilled to collaborate.
As a maker and a small business owner, connecting to other small businesses is not only helpful in terms of growth, but helpful in terms of supporting another business in a community. My audience is different than someone else’s audience. I think the reach is impactful to lift each other up when you bring to businesses together!
I am always looking to support someone. I think anyone who makes or sells a product that is outdoor inspired would make a great collaboration. T-shirt company, Gear company, Cabin Decor company… etc.
Everyone always loves candles. Our candles are great, right off the shelf, or customizable to a business.
It’s hard to find a connection out there, if you know of a business that would like to collaborate with us or is looking for wilderness inspired candle decor, please contact us at Hello@fivepinescandleco.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fivepinescandleco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fivepinescandleco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fivepinescandleco
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherlmagee/
