We recently had the chance to connect with Jamie Ferriman and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jamie, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
The inner strength it took to turn my pain into purpose. Behind every candle, every bath product, every lovingly wrapped order, there’s a story most people never see—a mother’s journey through unimaginable loss, and her fight to create something meaningful from it.
Bri Candles isn’t just a business. It’s the quiet rebuilding of my own spirit, one pour at a time. The part I’m most proud of? That I kept going when it would’ve been easier to give up. No one sees the long nights, the tears behind the labels, or the prayers whispered over each batch. But it’s all there—in the heart of this brand.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Jamie Ferriman, the founder of Bri Candles LLC, a handcrafted candle and bath essentials company built from grief, rooted in love, and made to heal. I started Bri Candles after losing my daughter, Bridgett, in 2022. What began as a personal journey through heartbreak has grown into a mission-driven brand that donates a portion of proceeds to suicide awareness and mental health organizations.
Every product I create—whether it’s a soy candle, wax melt bouquet, or a natural body product—is made with intention and meaning. My goal is to not only offer high-quality, clean products, but also to create moments of comfort, strength, and connection for others.
Right now, I’m expanding our reach through national media, live selling, and preparing for our very first brick-and-mortar store. Bri Candles is more than fragrance—it’s light for the broken, and love for the healing.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My husband. There have been times—more than I care to admit—when I seriously thought about walking away. Building a business from the ground up is not for the faint of heart. It tests your confidence, your finances, your energy… and some days, it feels like it takes more than it gives.
But through every doubt and breakdown, he’s been there—my biggest supporter, always in my corner. He’s never let me forget why I started Bri Candles or who I’m doing it for. He’s the one who reminds me, even on the hardest days, that I’m one of the strongest women he knows. That I have something special. That I can go far with this.
He’s seen strength, creativity, and purpose in me long before I ever recognized it myself. His belief never wavered—even when mine did. And sometimes, when you can’t see your own light, it takes someone who loves you deeply to shine it back at you.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The most defining wound of my life was losing my daughter, Bridgett, to suicide in 2022. There’s no manual for that kind of heartbreak. It doesn’t just break you—it unravels everything you thought you were. For a while, I didn’t know how I’d ever breathe normally again, let alone live with purpose.
Healing didn’t come quickly or neatly. It came in small, stubborn steps. In candle wax and essential oils. In late nights pouring and labeling with tears in my eyes. Bri Candles was never meant to be just a business—it became my therapy, my outlet, my way of turning something devastating into something meaningful.
I don’t think you ever “fully” heal from a loss like that, but you learn how to carry it. And in my case, I’ve turned that pain into light—for myself and for others who may be walking through their own silent battles.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes—and no. What people see on the outside is real. The passion, the drive, the mission behind Bri Candles… that’s all authentically me. I pour my heart into every product and every message I share. But what they don’t always see is the full weight I carry behind the scenes—the grief, the sleepless nights, the moments I question if I’m really strong enough to keep doing this.
I try to be as transparent as I can without putting all of my pain on display. Because at the end of the day, I want Bri Candles to be a place of healing and light—not just for me, but for everyone who comes across it.
So yes, the public version of me is real—but like most people, there’s more beneath the surface than social media or a pretty product photo could ever show.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m doing what I was born to do. No one told me to start a candle company. No one handed me a business plan and said, “Go build something from your pain.” This path wasn’t mapped out for me—it was carved from loss, lit by love, and fueled by something much deeper than obligation.
Before Bri Candles, I was doing what I thought I had to do to survive. But this? This is different. Creating products that bring comfort, peace, and even hope to others—this is my purpose. It may have started with heartbreak, but it’s become something healing. Not just for me, but for the community I’ve built around it.
This isn’t about following expectations—it’s about following my calling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bricandleshop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricandleshop/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-ferriman/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BriCandlesShop
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@bricandles
