Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Reisinger.
Hi Alicia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Wax Buffalo was born at my kitchen table out of a deep obsession with nostalgia, scent, and a need for something clean and real.
Years ago, right after my first born came into the world with a cleft palate, I was burning candles constantly to make our home feel grounded, cozy, and inviting. But as I started paying closer attention to what was actually in those commercial candles like paraffin, synthetic toxins, heavy smoke and I realized the market was full of products that were bad for our homes and health. I wanted a clean, 100% American soy candle that burned beautifully, smelled incredible, and looked like a deliberate piece of design in my home rather than a mass-produced afterthought.
So, I bought some soy wax, began experimenting with custom fragrance blends, and started pouring candles by hand.
Right from the beginning, Wax Buffalo embraced the beauty of imperfection. Our signature amber and hand-poured aesthetic resonated with people immediately. We started small selling at local pop-ups, farmers markets, and community events in Lincoln, Nebraska. The response was overwhelming. People weren’t just buying a candle; they were connecting with the feeling, the memory, and the community behind it. We would have lines out the door of events waiting to get to our table. It was pretty damn great!
As demand grew, we expanded from my kitchen counter into our first studio space in Lincoln’s historic Haymarket district. What started as a small-batch candle line quickly grew into a full lifestyle brand. We expanded our collection to include pure soy wax melts, fragrance roll-ons, and home goods, all staying true to our core mission of creating non-toxic, beautifully crafted home fragrance rituals.
Over the years, Wax Buffalo has naturally evolved beyond just candles into a broader movement centered around community and gathering. We launched The Small Bar by Wax Buffalo (https://www.thesmallbarbywaxbuffalo.com/) an intimate, cozy neighborhood space—and created The Ember Society (https://www.theembersociety.com/) a community network designed to lift up and connect local entrepreneurs, women leaders, and creators. We also host the annual O Street Winter Market, (https://waxbuffalo.com/pages/winter-market-2026) which has grown into Lincoln’s premier outdoor German-style Christmas festival, bringing together over 5,000 shoppers and dozens of incredible makers every year.
Today, Wax Buffalo products are stocked in boutiques across the country and in the homes of people nationwide and we’re even in major national retailers like wholefoods and wolf and badger. But no matter how big we grow, our heart stays right here in Lincoln, Nebraska. I run this business alongside raising my four amazing kids, surrounded by a team that feels like family.
Looking back, we got to where we are today by refusing to take shortcuts, staying fiercely committed to quality, and believing that a small-batch, woman-owned brand from the Midwest could build something truly extraordinary and lasting.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh, definitely not! Anyone who tells you building a small business is a smooth road is selling you something. It’s been a wild, messy, beautiful, and at times completely exhausting ride.
In the beginning, the struggle was pure hustle and capacity. I was balancing pouring candles by hand late into the night at my kitchen counter with raising four young kids. Finding that rhythm. Honestly learning how to be fully present as a mom while simultaneously building a brand from scratch was a constant tightrope walk. There were plenty of moments of imposter syndrome and asking myself if I was crazy for trying to do both at such a high level.
As the business grew, the challenges just shifted shape. Scaling a handcrafted physical product is tough. Moving from pouring 20 candles at a time to thousands meant figuring out complex supply chain logistics, sourcing raw materials during national shortages, and managing cash flow when growth outpaced our bank account.
We’ve also had to navigate major transitions in real estate and retail the hard way, learning when to hold on tight to a space and when to pivot. Closing our brick-and-mortar storefront in the Haymarket was a huge emotional pivot point for us. But learning how to gracefully close one door so we could pour that energy into expanding our wholesale operations, growing our events like the Winter Market, and building out new community spaces in Prescott like our candle lab and small bar, was a massive lesson in resilience. One I’m still learning every day.
Every single hardship whether it was a ruined batch of wax, navigating economic shifts, or the sheer physical exhaustion of event production (woof!!!) has taught me something critical. It forced us to get creative, lean heavily into our core community, and trust our instincts. The struggles didn’t break us; they just made Wax Buffalo stronger, scrappier, and so much more intentional. We are in a really happy, place today with a team I love dearly.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What I am most proud of is twofold:
First, building a sustainable, thriving brand right here in Lincoln while raising my four amazing kids right alongside it. Seeing my children grow up inside the heartbeat of these small businesses, learning grit, creativity, and community firsthand is my proudest achievement.
Second, I’m deeply proud of the ecosystem we’ve built to lift up other small businesses. Whether it’s giving dozens of local makers a massive platform to sell out their inventory at our holiday festival and even our storefront or mentoring emerging female founders through our networking circles, creating space for others to win brings me endless joy.
What sets us apart is our absolute refusal to compromise on authenticity or clean ingredients, paired with an obsession with nostalgia.
In the fragrance world, a lot of brands lean heavily into synthetic perfection or mass production. We lean into the beautiful raw edges. Our scents aren’t just pleasant smells; they are engineered to evoke vivid core memories, a whiff of aged leather and wood smoke, fresh garden herbs, or sweet tobacco leaf that transports you straight back in time. We make zero-nonsense, non-toxic, phthalate-free products that look like an intentional piece of design in your home. That’s my favorite part. The x is so iconic, it’s like art.
Ultimately, Wax Buffalo isn’t just selling candles or hosting events we’re selling the feeling of home, connection, and a reminder to slow down and savor the cozy moments in life. And make it all look good while doing it! ha!
What matters most to you? Why?
people, balance, time, and a community that I love. even though it breaks my heart at times, I keep getting back up and promising to make this city better. it drives me. I want it for my kiddos. and they motivate my heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://waxbuffalo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waxbuffalo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waxbuffalo
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-reisinger/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WaxBuffalo
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wax-buffalo-lincoln-3
- Other: https://www.thesmallbarbywaxbuffalo.com/
