Military Wives “All Fired Up” Over Candle-Making
all fired up, business, candle-making, growth, hand-poured custom candles, military, roxanne reed,
Talk with Roxanne Reed‚ founder and CEO of All Fired Up Candle Co.‚ and it’s easy to understand the name of her business.
Reed speaks with intensity and enthusiasm about the company she has shaped‚ in part‚ to meet the business and professional needs of military wives.
As the wife of a marine‚ Reed was looking for a business that would tap her background in marketing when she launched the candle company with friend Jess Hodges in 2000.
Reed knew the business needed to be portable to accommodate the demands of a military family‚ and that it should offer a valuable distraction.
“We’ve been through three war deployments since I started All Fired Up‚” she says.
Today‚ All Fired Up sells custom candles hand-poured by military wives. The candles are sold on three major military bases‚ through retail locations in Jacksonville and Twentynine Palms‚ Calif.‚ and via the Internet.
“I have my own formula‚” says Reed of the candles her company manu factures and sells. “One of the main goals was to create a candle that was soot-free and affordable to the military family and also had specialty themes.”
The handmade candles come in patriotic colors with military and patriotic themes. The company sells other collections‚ including scented spa candles‚ seasonal blends‚ a votive and pillar line‚ and customized candles.
As her business has grown‚ Reed has worked to help other military wives explore their own business endeavors. The two All Fired Up storefronts also serve as retail incubators.
“Our company is the pioneering company for military wives‚” Reed says. “I have proven to the world that military wives can have businesses of their own.”
Story by Sue Lenthe
Photo by Antony Boshier
