Today we’d like to introduce you to Autumn Matthews.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Yes! I surely can and I would like to first thank you all at VoyageATL for featuring me! This is so cool! 🙂 — So it all started out from me just loving candles and the vibes they bring to a room. Back in 2020 when we were all sitting still due to COVID, I figured I’d use being home to my advantage and do a lot of research on candle making. YouTube University! LOL. (I had also previously taken a few candle classes as well.) I took notes on the heating, mixing, and pouring temperatures, I took note of the pros and cons of different waxes, and so much more. After that, I came up with my name. “ZENEVA” is a combination of both of my grandmothers, Azena and Geneva. My brand is in honor of them. They were both born and raised in Louisiana and I actually have a special candle in my line dedicated to them! It’s called “Nolia Shorty”.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Initially, as a new business owner it took time and money to get my scents perfected to my liking. I’ve grown to be very particular about the candles I want to put out. This caused me to experience a lot of trial and error early on finding out that some scents absolutely do not work well together. Another struggle I encounter lies in the fact that I am a one-woman show with my business but I also have a 9 to 5 as well so it can get tiring sometimes. Some days I hop straight from my desk on over to my kitchen to start whipping up my candles. I put a lot of work into my brand but it’s all worth it in the end.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Absolutely. My brand is very special and the products are hand made with love from start to finish. ZENEVA will eventually expand to all types of home fragrances and I’m so excited about the ideas that I have in store. As for my candles, I use coco apricot creme wax which is vegan, non-toxic, and eco-friendly. The wooden wicks that I use give my candles that extra spark because they crackle when they burn and it sounds like a little fireplace. Also, part of the fun is giving my candles their quirky names that people can relate to. I’m very proud of the direction that my brand is going in and extremely thankful for the positive response I’ve been receiving from my customers since I launched in May. I have so much more in store for Zeneva so stay tuned!! 🙂
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I find myself the happiest when I’m with my family and closest friends laughing, hanging out, and just enjoying life. I have great, genuine, motivating, and loving people around me. Second to that is accomplishing my goals. I’m so proud of myself because all the goals I set for 2022, I have already crushed them! I’ve had some of the happiest moments in my life this year and ZENEVA is plays a huge part of that. ZENEVA is my baby. I put a lot into this so seeing it grow the way it has thus far brings me so much joy. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/zenevaco
- Instagram: @zeneva.co
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083570610281
