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Today we’d like to introduce you to Brynlee and Degan Sullivan.
Hi Brynlee and Degan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I started Samantha Cade Collection when I was 15 to save money for my first car. We started with candles and slowly added other products like bath salts and incense over time. My mom helped build a website for online sales, we sold at local vendor shows and even had a few wholesale customers that sold our candles in their stores. After two years of hard work, I was able to purchase my first car. My younger brother is 15 now and he has started to make our candles to save money for HIS first car!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We have had a few struggles along the way! Our first was the testing process. We knew we wanted to have a candle that burned clean AND burned safely. Finding the right combination of clean burning wax, wicks, and fragrance oils in the perfect vessel took MONTHS. Our next obstacle was when Covid hit because we not only lost our ability to do in-person vendor fairs, but it created a glass shortage and we weren’t able to get more glass jars to pour our candles in. We had to order all new vessels and begin our testing all over again! Lastly, as with any job when you’re a teenager, it can be difficult to juggle work with school work, but there was added difficulty when you’re trying to be a business owner too!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We specialize in small-batch, hand-poured candles. Our wax is a blend of soy, vegetable wax, and food-grade paraffin, paired with a cotton core wick and phthalate-free fragrance oils. This helps us get a longer, cleaner burn with less soot than commercial brand candles. Our foaming bath salts are also made by hand and contain a blend of Himalayan pink salt, Dead Sea salt, and Epsom salts. You get the therapeutic benefits of the salts with a touch of bubbles!
We are most proud that our brand is a small business built by teen entrepreneurs. We’re able to learn valuable business skills while saving for our first cars. Our local delivery option (within 15 miles of Prosper) not only sets us apart from other local businesses, but we have been able to use that time to get our driving hours in for our licenses.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Resilience. Whether we faced large obstacles like Covid or smaller hurdles like failed vendor shows, each experience gave us an opportunity to learn and grow as teen business owners.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.samanthacadecollection.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/samantha_cade_collection
- Facebook: Facebook.com/samanthacadecollection
Image Credits
Brynlee and Degan Sullivan
Jamie Huffman Photography
