Harlem Candle Firm founder Teri Johnson is celebrating one thing particular this vacation season. One in every of her many scented candles lately made the famed “Oprah’s Favourite Issues” checklist.
Johnson started making candles in 2014 and turned her love for perfume, jazz, and the colourful spirit of Harlem right into a enterprise that designs luxurious scented candles and residential perfume merchandise. Her Purple Love Luxurious Candle is one in every of this 12 months’s choices for Oprah’s Favourite Issues.
“I’m nonetheless shocked,” Johnson mentioned in an interview with the AmNews. “I’m actually excited. It’s kind of like a pinnacle in your journey as an entrepreneur and as a model to make that checklist. I really feel very honored.”
Beginning in her house kitchen, she started making candles as items for household and mates. Johnson met an area chemist who created candle perfume oils for different manufacturers. She had no intention to start out a enterprise. All of it simply occurred.
“I’ve at all times liked fragrances and candles,” she mentioned. “This was simply an extension of the entire issues I already love: jazz, candles, stunning fragrances, historical past, Black tradition, the Harlem Renaissance, [and] Josephine Baker. Individuals who know me comprehend it’s not a shock that I ended up doing this.”
Harlem Candle Firm can be a part of the Amazon Black Enterprise Accelerator, a $150 million dedication over 4 years devoted to serving to construct sustainable progress for Black-owned companies.
Johnson’s firm is increasing from candles to a fragrance model. She additionally has some design merchandise popping out subsequent 12 months and needs to proceed constructing merchandise with a Harlem Renaissance theme.
