A Scent-imental Journey: Crafting Candles with Slow North

Founding Slow North & Core Philosophy

• 💡 Michelle Simmons started Slow North 10 years ago, driven by a desire for clean-burning candles free from synthetic fragrances and paraffin wax after her first son's birth.
• 🧭 The brand's name, Slow North, signifies a commitment to handmade processes and using a "compass" for intentional, sustainable decisions, encouraging small, healthy lifestyle changes.
• ✨ Her vision was to create beautiful, minimalist natural candles that fit any home, addressing the lack of such options in the market a decade ago.

Entrepreneurial Journey & Growth

• 🚀 Michelle transitioned from a 12-year career in kitchen cabinet sales, applying her small business and entrepreneurship background to build Slow North.
• 🧪 She initially made candles in her garage with a hot plate, focusing on essential oils and soy wax, after an unsatisfactory experience with private label manufacturers.
• 🧩 The business expanded by acquiring a weighted eye mask and neck wrap product line, which aligned with Slow North's aromatherapy and wellness offerings.
• 📈 Growth from farmers markets to a retail shop involved overcoming challenges, including a subletting issue that unexpectedly led her to become the main leaseholder.

Business Principles & Community

• 👂 Michelle emphasizes the importance of listening to customer feedback and making data-driven decisions to evolve products, even if it means discontinuing personal favorites.
• 🤝 She advocates for investing in coaches and experts (like bookkeepers or business coaches) to gain external perspectives and accelerate growth, even in small, approachable steps.
• 🎨 Slow North fosters community connection through candle-making workshops and other creative classes, providing hands-on, off-screen experiences.
• ✅ The brand prioritizes minimalist and sustainable packaging, offering a candle refill program for local customers to reduce waste.

Lessons in Leadership & Future Vision

• ⏱️ Michelle advises entrepreneurs to act quicker on difficult decisions and separate business choices from personal feelings, learning from past experiences.
• 🧘‍♀️ She values the freedom and flexibility of entrepreneurship, especially as a mother, and is actively practicing time-blocking to be more present in all areas of her life.
• 🏢 Slow North is consolidating its production and retail operations into a single location, aiming to improve efficiency and team cohesion while offering larger workshops.
• 💡 Michelle believes in being "figure-out-able" and embracing opportunities, acknowledging that success often comes from a combination of factors and a willingness to adapt.