Hey Makers, It's Charlotte with The Wooden Wick Co.
Today I am so excited to announce to you our Next Top Maker Winner for 2021.
This contest has been an amazing experience for us and our community,
we loved seeing your inspiring stories come through. Thank you for being vulnerable,
putting yourself out there, and sharing with us all of the incredible things that you make.
We've had so much fun doing this contest and getting to know and connect with each of you.
So other than announcing who the winner is, I have a very exciting announcement
for you guys we've added over a thousand dollars in prizes and launched three runner-ups to also
win $300 each in credit to woodenwick.com and one of our classic makers tees. Those three
runner-up candidates are...drum roll please, The best start-up brand: This award goes to a candidate
that had an incredible and inspiring story about why they started their business.
I'm angel and this is Blow Me Candle Co. We're a little candle company based out
of Santa Monica, California. I say we but I really mean I, it's a one woman show here. We
make soy candles with wood wicks they're handmade, vegan, sustainable, pet friendly and always funny.
Another runner-up position is for the best Brand Video: This is somebody who showed their createful
spirit and really put a lot of effort and time into showing us an inspiring and well done video.
I think about what it really means to take care of the mind how the loneliness of this pandemic
is affecting mental health for everyone how my generation is constantly competing comparing,
in the midst of it all and how we're all just looking for a reminder of peace joy and self-love.
Hi my name is Kandace Florence and I am the creator of Glo Through It.
Packaged by hand with love.
Lastly but certainly not least, is the Most Createful Brand Vision: This candidate has a unique
quality to their brand that we know is going to set their brand into the marketplace and make them
super successful. Emmy Essentials the candle brand inspired by asian flavors our journey began in
2020 a few months into the coca-19 pandemic it was our first year living in New York City away from
our families in the bay area and we had no idea when it would be safe enough to see them again we
missed the feeling of home our heritage and being able to connect to our culture as Asian Americans
but we realized the scents that we grew up with weren't represented in the home for this industry
that's why we set out to create Emme Essentials, a full collection of candles dedicated to Asian
flavors done in an elevated way with clean ingredients as our way of sharing our culture
with the rest of the world. So, another fun two facts for you guys before i get to what you're
all waiting for which is, 40% of you make between 0-100 products per year
who entered this contest if you were feeling like maybe your brand was on the smaller side
or you weren't sure if you should enter i just want to take this moment to encourage you guys
and let you know that you have a huge community surrounding you of other makers who are getting
started out or running their own small brands, second you told us that you wanted more finance
and marketing content this was an area that you voiced you needed help with in your business.
This feedback is so valuable to us because we're going to be curating more finance and marketing-business content for you guys well without further-do our Next Top Maker winner is...
Alexis: "Shut your mouth right now"
Charlotte: "Congratulations"
Alexis: "Thank you"
Boo! I am the owner and creator and everything else in between for Vibes Candles. So I started
Vibes Candles in 2017. My mother unexpectedly passed away during that time, my niece was 18
months old and she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. It was the hardest time in my entire life,
we honestly believe that my mother's life was taken in order for my niece's life to continue on.
So, I'm happy to say today actually is my niece's fifth birthday we are extremely excited about
that and so happy that she is healthy right now and doing so well it is my passion every single
day to do what I do. Charlotte: "We're really excited to help you take the brand to the next level and hearing
your passion and drive for it and this is what you want to do every day like everyday yes we want to
make that like the best reality ever."
Alexis: "I am so pumped you don't even know like this is like my jam, Vibes Candles, is like it. And without you guys I literally wouldn't be anywhere so I'm so excited
Thank you guys so much for participating in our contest this year.
We can't wait to see what you guys come up with next year. Happy Making!