With the rise of more and more black women breaking away from traditional 9-5s to become their own bosses, the CEO is getting a revamp as the SHEeo. CEOs are forging their own paths, blazing their own trails, and turning their passion into a profit. Curious to know how she does it? In the Meet The SHEeo series, we talk to melanated mavens leveling up and glowing up, all while redefining what it means to be a boss.
Since childhood, Tay Watts had a love for candles and even took up candle making as a hobby in later years. So when a trip to Target failed to result in finding inspiring candles to purchase, Watts decided to start a candle brand of her own— except this one would cater to women who were the boss of their lives. Her motivational Boss Lady candles were the first to hit the market and the scented soy candles were a hit, thanks in part to the featured messages inspiring women to be their authentic selves through catchy phrases and statements that encourage a positive mindset and promote self-love.
With notable features in BuzzFeed, Revolt, Voyage LA, and xoNecole, and brand collaborations with Facebook, Shopify, and the American Cancer Society, Posh Candle Co. is fulfilling its mission of helping women to stay lit.
In this week's feature, meet Tay Watts of Posh Candle Co.
Courtesy of Tay Watts/Posh Candle Co.
The Stats
Title: Founder & CEO of Posh Candle Co.
Location: Los Angeles
Year Founded: 2016
# of Employee(s): 1
30-Second Pitch: Posh Candle Co. is a one-woman-owned small business built from the ground up on my passion for craft, design, entrepreneurship, and desire to create a life I love. My mission is to inspire women to be their authentic selves by using catchy phrases and statements that encourage a positive mindset, promote self-love, spark laughter, and offer an on-trend approach to the relaxing flicker of a candle flame. The result is a collection, handcrafted with 100% soy wax, hand-poured in small batches using the best fragrance and popping colors, that is carefree, fun, and edgy.
The Details
What inspired you to start your brand?
Since childhood, I've loved candles and took up candle making as a hobby in later years. With a little pressure from an unplanned pregnancy and inspiration from not finding candles I liked while shopping, I decided I would start a candle brand that was unlike anything you would find in retail stores.
What was your a-ha moment that brought your idea into reality?
The a-ha moment was standing in the middle of the candle aisle in Target for the second day in a row and failing to find a candle I felt compelled to purchase. I began thinking about the moments that I decide to light up a candle and how much I love having words of encouragement around me. That day I went home and drew up plans for my first four scents which included our Boss Lady candle; a fragrant tribute to women being the boss of their lives.
Who is your ideal customer?
My ideal customer is a woman who loves candles but can rarely find candles that are exciting. She's looking for candles that are not only treats for herself but candles that people would love to receive as thoughtful gifts.
What makes your business different?
We're not just a candle company but we sell other items like incense, smudges and palo santo. Our branding and marketing is also unlike what you typically see with candle companies. I'm not scared to play around with ideas and I infuse a lot of my own personality into the process.
What obstacles did you have to overcome while launching and growing your brand? How were you able to overcome them?
As a solopreneur, there's challenges when you're navigating new experiences or even handling large orders so I'm diligent about planning and time management to make sure I can complete whatever comes my way. This year, my biggest obstacle has been scaling and bringing people onboard. xoNecole ElevateHer Crawl has provided the perfect opportunity for me to step outside of my fear of hiring by bringing on event assistants.
"As a solopreneur, there's challenges when you're navigating new experiences or even handling large orders so I'm diligent about planning and time management to make sure I can complete whatever comes my way."
What was the defining moment in your entrepreneurial journey?
The defining moment in my entrepreneurial journey was feedback I received from a customer. She said, "If you ever feel like quitting, I want you to remember how your candles taught me how to love myself again and I want you to think about me gifting your candles to my friend who was just diagnosed with cancer. They give her hope." That moment not only helped me realize the potential of Posh Candle Co., but it is something I continue to keep in mind when it gets tough to help keep me going.
Where do you see your company in 5-10 years?
I see Posh Candle Co. with a headquarters, several employees and shipping all over the world. I want Posh Candle Co. fully systematized so it runs without me and I see us competing with larger brands in the industry.
Where have you seen the biggest return on investment? (i.e. marketing, ads, vending, social media)
Vending has helped tremendously when it comes to building relationships with customers, develop sales skills and network. I've also learned that face-to-face communication builds the most memorable brand awareness and community.
"Vending has helped tremendously when it comes to building relationships with customers, develop sales skills and network."
Do you have a mentor? If so, who?
I don't have a designated mentor, but I do have a community of badass boss women at various stages of business who have my back and whose support and motivation are overflowing. It doesn't matter if I'm celebrating a win or discussing a difficult time, I'm supported by so many women.
Biggest lesson you’ve learned in business?
All money is not good money. Take time away from your excitement about working with people to make sure your business is protected. There are times where I've pulled back from working with people who could have brought my business growth but because they didn't want to sign a contract for the arrangement, that was a huge red flag for me. I'm okay with passing up opportunities just for peace of mind and I always operate in faith that something bigger and better is coming my way.
"I'm okay with passing up opportunities just for peace of mind and I always operate in faith that something bigger and better is coming my way."
Anything else you would like for people to know, or take away from your entrepreneurial story?
If there's anything I would like for you to take away from my story is that you're capable of so much more than you think. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and apply every lesson you've learned from your perceived failures. How we start is not how we end.
For more of Tay and her candles, follow her on Instagram. And shop her candles on her website: Posh Candle Co.
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- Boss Up: Tay Watts Posh Candle Co. - xoNecole ›
- Posh Candle Co. - Posts | Facebook ›
- Run The World: 10 Women-owned businesses to support, shop and ... ›
- Posh Candle Co. - About | Facebook ›
- From the Ground Up: Tay Watts Sparks Life Through Posh Candle Co. ›
- TWMBABW: Tay Watts of Posh Candle Co. - The Reclaimed ›
- The Black Owned Business Highlight: Posh Candle Co. - YouTube ›
- ABOUT US – Posh Candle Co. ›
- Meet Tay Watts of Posh Candle Co. - Voyage LA Magazine | LA City ... ›
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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Using the same material from the interior of the Volvo EX90, Hudson crafted a wool-blend car coat and waistbelt that combine the vehicle’s Scandinavian design with his signature tailoring and intention. The exclusive collection launched on October 20, and each piece is made-to-order by Sergio Hudson Collections.
Courtesy
In October, I traveled to Charleston with a group of journalists to get a firsthand look at Hudson and Volvo’s location. During a fitting, Hudson said his goal is to make “great work that can stand the test of time.”
“People can look back on and say, ‘I remember when Sergio did that collaboration with Volvo,’” he continued. “Thinking about aligning yourself with classic brands that speak to where you want to go. And I think that's what this collaboration kind of means to me and my business.”
Hudson pinpoints his mom as the biggest influence for his designs. This collaboration was no different.
“This particular coat reminded me of the swing coats that my mom used to wear in the early 90s. You know, diva girls in the early 90s had Sandra suits,” he said, referring to Jackée Harry’s character in 227. “My mom wore those and she would have these matching swing coats to go over them. And that's where the initial idea came. This would be around the same time that we had our Volvo. So she would put on her suit, her swing coat, get in that red Volvo, and go to church.”
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With this capsule and beyond, Hudson wants to see more staples rotating in and out of closets this fall. He advises fashionistas to build her closet out with essentials to mix and match that aren’t just stylish but also sustainable.
“It's just those special pieces,” he said. “You can wear the same shirt and pants every day and nobody will notice. But if you have a special boot, a special coat, a special bill, a special bag, that kind of speaks to everything that your style stands about, that is something you should focus on.”
These are the same kind of staple pieces that return to our Pinterest boards and TikTok feeds season after season. Fast fashion has never been Hudson’s aim. “I'm trying to create a special pieces that can stand the test of time,” he said in his warm, Southern accent. “I'm only creating those kind of pieces from here on out.”
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For Hudson, this collaboration is revolutionary. It’s his first time working with a car company and experimenting outside of his wheelhouse in this way.
“This is a Scandinavian brand, and, you know, it's 70 years old. I'm an African-American boy from South Carolina that has had a brand for 10 years. So I think bridging those two worlds and seeing the similarities was the beauty of this project,” he explained.
Though Hudson and his partner and CEO of Sergio Hudson Collections Inga Beckham have made massive strides in just 10 years, Hudson said the industry is far from where he wants to see it when it comes to Black representation. He pointed to how few Black designers were at this year’s Met Gala despite the theme being Black dandyism.
“The fact that I dressed 18 people speaks to how many of us weren't there,” he said. He implored more of industries, fashion and beyond, to collaborate with Black designers often.
“Allow mentorship. Allow funding. Allow great design to shine through,” he implored. “When it comes to being a designer of African descent, when you can't get the funding that your counterparts have, you can't compete. When you get opportunities like doing a collaboration with Volvo, or you get opportunities to be at the Met Gala, that's putting us on the equal playing field, but really the funding behind it is what we need to take it to that desk level.”
Featured image courtesy