Allow us to introduce ourselves!

A reintroduction of Soy Much Brighter, myself, the team, the candles and how we got started

Hello! I'm Katie, the creator of Soy Much Brighter and the head candle maker. I am also the one who manages the website, ships your orders, and writes you these emails! So when you hear first person dialogue here, that's me.

I started SMB in late 2014 from my very small kitchen in Natick, Ma. At that time I was super bored and tired of working in the corporate/cubicle setting. I had always dreamed of owning my own business. I also had a separate dream of making art. But I wouldn't have considered myself an artist. So, I started thinking more seriously about what I could do with my hands that incorporated art in some way. I can't explain it, but for some reason, candles just popped into my head from out of nowhere. From what I could tell, it was an expressive way to create art in the form of scent AND container design. So I got to work! I spent every free moment researching how to run a small business and how to make candles.

After launching, I realized most other small businesses like mine were selling their goods at events around town. I jumped right on that train and signed up for every cool-looking event in Boston and the surrounding towns.

Six months later, I was able to quit my office job and sell candles full time at events and online. It was around this time that I landed my first couple of wholesale accounts as well.

Since that first year, 8 years ago, SMB has grown into a 4-person team, a brick-and-mortar, and a 1,000 sq ft workshop. The candles have seen the shelves of over 300 retail shops in the US and other countries. 

It's hard to believe that this is the longest job I've ever had. I've worked as a babysitter, nanny, weight-loss counselor, restaurant hostess, server, bartender, jewelry sales person, 6th grade teacher, and a customer service agent. Making candles for you with my team is the best job ever and I hope I get to do it for as long as I can!

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THE TEAM

Our team consists of a total of 4 very rad people:

Katie (she/her) - head scent creator and wearer of many hats

Travis (they/them) - candle maker extraordinaire and resident sagittarius 

Ashlee (she/her) - shop manager, shop keeper, idea-maker

Jody (they/them) - shop keeper, magical tarot reader, product sorcerer

Soy Much Brighter would be nowhere without this team of folks!

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THE MISSION

The goal of Soy Much Brighter is to make great smelling fragrances that lift moods and create memories. Our mission is to illicit joy, peace, comfort, and nostalgia while keeping sustainability and affordability at the top of the priority list.

We lead with transparency and a strong value system. We want to offer the community a great smelling product that doesn’t come at the expense of animals, people, or the environment. Our candles are made with intention, a little bit of magic and tons of love. 

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THE CANDLES

Our candles are made with 100% soy wax made in the US. Everything is manufactured in our Beverly, Ma workshop with vegan & cruelty-free ingredients. Our glass containers are made from recycled materials and can be recycled again (ask about our recycling program!) Our fragrances are blends of fragrance oils and essential oils. They are phthalate-free, paraben-free, and nontoxic to all living beings.

Speaking of fragrance: we blend our very own fragrances in-house! That means that the scents you find in our shop can't be found anywhere else. 

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Looking forward to making candles for you!

XOXOX Katie