From a powerful idea and passion to a tangible, clean business, illuminate B. Candles garners attention

Briana Stout’s eco-friendly candle business has created striking success, becoming a sought-after brand in the self-care market.

It may take years for a few professionals to build their businesses or create more success, while a handful of professionals may find success earlier in their careers. What could be the factors that determine a brand’s early success, you wonder? Well, Briana Stout, who created her candle business “illuminate B. Candles” just before the pandemic struck, believes that in the end, what matters is how passionate founders are, how driven and committed they are, and how dedicated they are to their brand’s visions to offer their target demographic unique products/services.

In just a few short years, illuminate B. Candles has done wonders in the home décor and self-care market online and even offline as a black woman-owned business, which has sent waves of inspiration among many other up-and-comers, especially women from across the world. Briana’s dedication, passion, tenacity, and solid vision have led her brand reach thus far in the ever-evolving candle business. “When you create clean products that do good to the environment, and at the same time, create products that people feel relevant or that somehow impact their lives positively, you are bound to succeed,” says the young founder.

She, however, also mentions that reaching thus far wasn’t a walk in the park for her, and she, too, had to go through several challenges on her path. Starting a brand just before the pandemic struck in 2019 became a massive challenge for her. The combined challenges of the pandemic and a viral social media moment allowed her to hone her skills quickly and effectively responding to change. But, she highlights how, amidst several moments of despair and feelings of giving up, her customers reminded her why she started and motivated her to keep persevering.

In 2023, she opened her first retail space in the Painted Tree in Gastonia, North Carolina. Her booth can be found in H16. She has so far vended at many large conferences, including the FBF Body conference and Invest Fest in Atlanta, Georgia, and encountered many celebrities complimenting her brand, including reality TV star Safaree. Not just that, she has also been approached by Shark Discoveries with Kevin Harrington, the original shark from Shark Tank, and other media agency groups to do potential collaborations with well-known celebrities.

Today, illuminate B. candles (@illuminatebcandles_) elevates people’s living spaces and self-care routines with the luxurious and calming presence of handmade and luxury soy candles.