Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiara Gray- Akintunde
Hi Tiara, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Coming from someone who always prioritized my education and had goals of working for a pharmaceutical company, founding a vegan candle & self care brand was never in the cards for me, at least I don’t think it was. I founded WaxT & Co., previously WickT Candle Co., in 2021 after an abusive relationship and after dealing with the loss & grieving my still born son. My own journey was the inspiration behind it all; a clean, vegan self care brand that helps improve mental health and amplify any self care routine.
We started slow in 2021 with wax products like candles, wax melts and wax warmers. Living in Texas, by the summer of 2021, I realized that I needed to expand & took the opportunity to make clean products from Home + Car sprays, Body Oils & polishes, bath salts + more!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road and I’m sure anyone who owns a budding small business can tell you the same. So many challenges come along with it whether it be lack of sales, lack of employees or help or even just lack of resources. Some of the more recent obstacles I’ve had with WaxT & Co. involved starting & continuing my family with my husband. We found out we were married in March 2022, I lost my grandmother in July 2022, we found out we were going to be parents in September of 2022 & I started working a 9-5 again in October 2022. As you can imagine, I faced a whirwind of emotions & I was feeling like my life was moving FAST. I was facing depressive emotions while trying to grow a baby while still being exhausted from a 9-5. I took a step back from my business from July 2022- December 2023.
Now it’s 2024 & here we are. It’s been a challenge getting back into the groove of things, reformulating our product line, improving marketing efforts, and stepping in to new spaces on behalf of WaxT & Co. I feel like although that step back is what I needed for myself mentally, it was also what I needed for WaxT & Co. to blossom and grow.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
WaxT & Co. is my baby. I’ve put my all into it & the entire brand is dedicated to helping others find and love themselves. I want people to understand that there is a true luxury behind self care. That luxury, is the journey of finding yourself, loving yourself, fighting through your pains and depressions & pouring into yourself more than you do others. My products, the ones that I created with my 2 hands, are helping people along their journey and inspiring them to start it in the first place & I think that’s something that sets WaxT & Co. apart from others. I started the brand when I was pulling myself out of depression & on my own journey to self love, going through life’s ups and downs. That’s what WaxT & Co. does for others and that’s something that I’m most proud of.
One thing I will say is that the journey as a growing business owner has not been easy but with my determination and focus, I have been able to overcome alot of challenges in the industry. I’ve kept God first in my journey and He has always guided me & continues to help me persevere. I’ve learned so many lessons as a business owner including the fact that not all days will be sunshine and gumdrops. Some days will be hard, some days will be 18 hour days, and some days, I’ll have to put in more work than I did the day before. I don’t mind any of those lessons though because it only gives me more drive to continue doing what I do.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My only advice to those just starting out is to never give up. Never let the doubt overcome you and never let anybody tell you your dreams aren’t reachable. Believe it or not, there have been times where I wanted to give up, was actually going to give up, then something happened to help me realize that I got this & what’s for me is already mine!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.waxtandco.us
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/waxtandco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WaxTandCo
