To stand out in the saturated candle market, founder Terry Johnson drew from her personal passion for the Harlem Renaissance, inspired by her time studying in Paris. This authentic connection to a specific cultural history gave the brand a unique “soul” that resonated deeply with customers.
To bootstrap her company, the founder rented out her spare bedroom on Airbnb. This income covered her mortgage, freeing up 100% of business revenue for reinvestment. As a bonus, guests often became temporary helpers and early brand evangelists.
To sell candles online without customers smelling them, Harlem Candle Co. hired top-tier fragrance copywriters to create evocative descriptions and a high-end photographer (found via a DM slide) to produce luxury visuals, effectively bridging the sensory gap.
Founder Terry Johnson's initial market research was gifting customized candles to friends and family because she was broke. Their enthusiastic feedback confirmed product-market fit and gave her the confidence to launch her business, starting with local artisan markets.
To minimize risk, the founder initially ordered small quantities of custom packaging, resulting in a high cost of $6.31 per box. In hindsight, she advises founders to "bet on themselves" by ordering larger quantities to significantly lower cost of goods, even if it ties up capital longer.
Despite the prestige, the company scaled back partnerships with major retailers like Nordstrom. When the stores began demanding greater margin cuts and costly program participation, the relationship no longer felt like a true partnership, and the brand chose to protect its profitability and well-being.
When Harlem Candle Co. outgrew its warehouse partners due to repeated quality control failures, the founder found the "breakup" process emotionally difficult. Recognizing this wasn't her team's strength, she hired a consultant specifically to manage the professional separation, a tactic she used twice.