Fashion Gxd Magazine - Escents of Hue CEO Latoya Carter
Written By: Samantha Cee
Escents of Hue is a candle company located in Tallahassee, Fl, black woman owned and operated. We use 100% soy wax, which is a vegetable wax made from the oils of the soybean) when making our candles and wax melts. We also use skin safe fragrance oils in our candles and room sprays. We pride ourselves in making eco friendly, safe products.
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok @escentsofhue
FGM: It’s an honor to sit down with you all. Tell us a little about your brand and how you've come to this vastly successful peek in your career.
Answer: Thank you so much for having me. My name is LayToya Carter, owner and CEO of Escents of Hue. Escents of Hue is a candle company based in Tallahassee, Fl that was started in my home. After praying for God to give me something to do for me, God gave me the name, concept, and the direction to start Escents (pronounced essence) of Hue, which to me translates to the scent of colors. My logo includes the color purple and the butterfly because I have Fibromyalgia and my sister has both Lupus & Fibromyalgia. I like to think of it as a tribute of strength to us both and women like us that have taken on these diseases. How did I get to where I am? I simply started! Even though everything was not “perfect” I started. I researched the different types of waxes first because that is the base of candle making. I looked at the pros and cons of the different wax options from Paraffin wax to Beeswax to Soy wax and everything in between. Growing up with asthma, I wanted to use something non-toxic and would not trigger an asthmatic reaction. Bottom line is I wanted to be eco-friendly and affordable so I decided to use Soy wax and cotton wicks. I’ve changed my packaging and branding several times until I was like “now that is it”. When I look back over everything, I can truly see the growth and the “glow up”of Escents of Hue. From its conception I knew that I wanted to offer fragrance combinations that were unique. I also wanted the names to be different, symbolic, and catchy. I did not want to use the names of the fragrance oils, but I wanted my customers to have an experience when they lit one of my candles. For example, one of my fragrances is called King of the House and when it is lit it reminds you of a strong man who is the “king” of his house. Lol, that is a favorite for women because they say it reminds them of a man getting out of the shower. Mister! is another favorite which is made with Mahogany Teakwood and I am always told that it smells like a man. To get to where I am, I have stayed true to myself, I’ve kept God first in every aspect of my business, I’ve remained humbled, I have a great village of supporters, but most importantly I continue to be a scholar of my craft and I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to wow my customers.
FGM: Who are the clients/what are the projects that you most enjoy working on?
Answer: The projects that I enjoy most are the ones that I work on in preparation for special events, seasons, or holidays. Because those items are usually limited in number, therefore the creative juices begin to flow a little differently. Now don’t get me wrong I love everything that I create, but when I come up with something different or drastic like Happy Birthday, Ladies Night, Oh So Sweet Potato (one off my Fall seasonal scents), or something special for a baby shower just to name a few I think to myself “I DID THAT” lol. Sometimes I’ve even shocked myself with the outcomes of the one of a kind fragrances that I come up with.
FGM: How do you feel you make a difference in the world?
Answer: One of my main goals in life is helping others. We can offer help in many ways. I am a single mom who did not have a lot, but I would give my last to anyone without them knowing that it was my last. I’ve been blessed in many ways, and I am thankful for it all. I want to show single mothers that it is ok to have dreams and to believe in yourself to accomplish those dreams while using them as an avenue to do even greater things. There was one time when I made my Field of Lavender and Relaxation candles for an event and had some left over. So I made a Relaxation Box containing both candles and spray and took part of the proceeds and donated towards mental health. I also support Fibromyalgia and Lupus causes. That’s how I make a difference, by doing those things that I won’t necessarily be told thank you for.
FGM: Tell us about a time when you showed determination to continue as an entrepreneur
Answer: During the height of COVID when everything started to shut down, everyone was buying the necessities opposed to items for pleasure. My products; candles, sprays, wax melts; are not a requirement to get through life. People were concerned with paying their bills and eating if I’m going to be honest. So, there were some difficult weeks, but I did not give up. Candle making looks easy on the outside, however there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes. There is a science to combining the perfect mixture of wax, fragrance oil, vessel, and wick to make sure you are offering a safe product. There are endless hours that goes into researching the perfect combination. There were shortages of supplies because a lot of candle businesses were birthed during the pandemic, but I pushed through it. Going through the recession and everything going up, candle suppliers were not immune to price increases, especially shipping costs due to the weight of the orders and some businesses did not make it. Bottom line is I did not stop, I kept pushing. Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint at heart, you must be able to persevere through it all.
FGM: Give me the three best qualities of your brand.
Answer: Affordability, Unique Fragrances, Presentation
FGM: Give me an example of when you worked irregular hours?
Answer: Working irregular hours becomes the norm, especially when starting out as an entrepreneur. I am always working, learning, creating, or enhancing something for business. I understand that this is necessary to maintain a high level of success and longevity. I know for me, when I have a large order or I’m preparing samples for giveaways I would work late into the night to get things done, especially when I was working out of my home. I remember making 500 wax melt samples for a promotion opportunity at the Atlanta's Women’s Expo back in May. In addition to making my regular products I had to fit in time to get those samples done and shipped without delay while working in my workspace at home. You can imagine how that went when considering irregular hours. Now that I have a store with a production area in the back, working irregular hours looks different. I usually go in when the shop is closed to prepare for big events and large orders.
FGM: Being an entrepreneur is a 24/7 job, how did you get ready for that?
Answer: To be honest, I did not know how much being an entrepreneur would consume me life, but I would not change it. I definitely wasn’t ready for how time consuming it is. I got what you would call on the job training. It was mind blowing, especially trying to build my brand and get it in front of the world. Prior to starting my business, I was not a social media person. Different people would tell me “you have to get on social media”. My response to that was “I don’t need to be on social media, I’ll be ok”. Boy was I wrong! I had a conversation with my cousin, Major Wright, at the time he was in the process of writing his book and he said “cuz you have to get on social media…all platforms”. I laughed at him because that was the one thing I kept hearing. Finally, I gave in since we are in the age of social media, and it truly helps with marketing yourself if it’s done right. As an entrepreneur I am always doing something for the growth of my business. It never stops. I am always thinking of the next creative idea and how to stay relevant.
FGM: How did you acquire the ability to work under pressure to beat meet deadlines as an entrepreneur?
Answer: College prepared me for meeting deadlines, because when the assignment is due, it’s due. However, working as a law enforcement dispatcher prepared me for working under pressure.
FGM: What is your favorite inspirational point, place, to develop new brand developments?
Answer: I do not have a favorite place or point of inspiration. Honestly, I find inspiration in a lot of different things or aspects. It truly depends on what I’m working on whether it is a scent, a theme, or whatever realm or opportunity Escents of Hue is involved with. I’ve created several candles for baby showers and the inspiration simply came from the decor theme being used. Sometimes the inspiration will come from the actual fragrance that I am working with. Sometimes I gain inspiration from conversations I am having with friends or family. My inspiration is truly all around me.
FGM: Which current public figure, are you inspired by or appreciate the most?
Answer: I am head over heels about Tabitha Brown. The way that she brings joy and light to anything that she does inspires and motivates me. The vibes that she releases is simply amazing. She inspires us all to be ok with who we are and to love our authentic self. The way that she lights up the space she’s in is so amazing! Tabitha’s authenticity as well as her joy and love for life is contagious, just seeing her smile makes you want to smile as well. Tabitha Brown inspires me to be a better version of myself each and every day. I live by her quote “Have yourself a good day and even if not don’t go messing up someone else’s”.
FGM: How do you handle stress?
Answer: The way I handle stress is by slowing down or at times providing myself a allotted space of time to do “nothing”. Prioritizing what is most important and dealing with that first, then working my way to what is least important at the time.
FGM: What are the three qualities you feel an entrepreneur must have?
Answer: Patience, Drive, and Discipline.
FGM: Where do you see your business in 10 years? How do you plan to get there?
Answer: In 10 years I will see Escents of Hue on store shelves and being shipped all over the word. Escents of Hue will be a household brand. I currently have a store located in Tallahassee, FL in addition to my online shop. In 10 years my goal is to have at least one more in-store location. I will offer candle making parties, kind of like sip and pour. I want people to see how creative they can be and make candles without all the costs of the actual business. In 10 years I will be working with distributors. I will have a team to assist me with different aspects of my business. To make that happen, first and foremost I will continue to stay true to myself and my brand. I will keep my faith and allow God to lead and guide my direction. I will build my social media presence, be more in the forefront, and obtain my trademark. The one thing that I have learned is to move to higher heights and deeper depths a person must be ok with being uncomfortable. I will continue to educate myself on the constant changes in the candle industry. Making candles and creating new fragrances has proven to be very therapeutic for me and if I can continue to share that with the world, my dream of me becoming a global brand will become my reality.
FGM: It was a pleasure speaking with you thank you for joining us.
Answer: It was such a pleasure speaking with you as well. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my brand across your platforms with your readers and followers. Remember to check out my products at www.escentsofhue.com. Thank you again for your time.
By Pilar Scratch in Entrepreneur cover for Fashion Gxd Magazine
32 pages, published 1/21/2023
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