Milso Owned Business: K & J Candle
I am so happy to be back with another fabulous military spouse owned business this month. Today we are showcasing Navy wife Jaclyn who is one half of K and J Candle! I am especially excited to share this business with you because of how I came to know of them. K & J Candle is owned and operated by two best friends (peaking my interest right off the bat) and I had the honor of meeting both of these fantastic women when I was a bridesmaid in my sister-in-law's wedding this fall. Jaclyn did the videography (and I am OBSESSED with the video) and her business partner, Kristen, was a bridesmaid! So a HUGE thank you to my sister-in-law for the introduction and for having such talented friends!
If you are new to the Spouse SERVE Blog, first, welcome! We believe in uplifting, supporting, and empowering military spouse owned businesses so we feature them on our blog and social channels 100% for free! If you're interested in applying to be featured, click here. Now lets learn a little bit more about Jaclyn and her business!
Jaclyn and Joe met in Summer 2017 when she was living in Baltimore and he was attending the Naval Academy. She was working full time in the city (writing that just made me hear Tina Turner's voice...anyone else?) and he was entering his final year at the Academy. In a true digital romance, they were matched on Bumble and chatted for nearly two months before he finally asked her out! Jaclyn is a far more patient woman than I am, but she must've known he was the one for her. When they went on their first date, Joe took her to a nice seafood dinner (if you've ever spent any time in the mid-atlantic you know) and at the end of the meal Joe handed over a Groupon! Thankfully for Joe, Jaclyn appreciated his frugality and their love story began.
Throughout Joe's final year in Annapolis, the love birds spend nearly every weekend together. After graduation for him in May 2018, Joe made the move to his first duty station in Norfolk, VA - a little further from Jaclyn than Annapolis had been but a doable distance. Wanting to see if their relationship would hold up to the distance and time apart, Jaclyn stayed in Baltimore. Due to their busy work schedules and a longer drive to see each other, the pair learned to rely heavily on their phone conversations to grow closer and strengthen their relationship. It must've paid off because by June 2019 Jaclyn moved to Norfolk and Joe popped the question the following fall! Joe and Jaclyn delayed their wedding until October 31st, 2020 to accommodate a 7 month deployment in 2o20.
While all of the romance was happening in one area of Jaclyn's life, another love was blooming in another area - her business! A few years back Jaclyn was chatting with her best friend, Kristen, about how much they both despised their day jobs. As the conversation progressed, they learned that they both desired to use their creative sides and being their own bosses would be icing on the cake! At one point as they brainstormed what might be the perfect fit for them Kristen tossed out the idea of making candles and the idea just clicked for each of them. Thats when the work started. The pair dove head first into research and videos of how to make candles and enrolled in candle making courses to give them a strong foundation to build off from. At the time, Kristen lived in Arlington, VA (about 3 hours from Jaclyn) so they prioritized time to get together and practice making candles, testing scents, and building the groundwork for their business.
In the last two years Kristen and Jaclyn have perfected their candles, decided on a theme (hello gorgeous national parks and fresh natural scents), built a simply elegant brand, and launch their line of 100% soy wax candles! As nature lovers, it was important to both of them that their candles burn clean and keep their customers from breathing in harsh chemicals. Their line has six parks to choose from along with 11 scent options and all have wood wicks, which provide the most amazing flame and a cozy crackle sound as they burn. Each candle is also available in black or white. Shoppers are able to completely customize their candle by selecting the park, scent, and color to fit their needs! Who doesn't love to make their perfect candle?!?!
Currently K&J Candle operates exclusively through social media with customers placing order via direct message. You can find Kristen and Jaclyn's candles on facebook and instagram so hop on over and give them some love and check out what they have in their shop!
JULIA