from hobby to hustle: carpe noctem candle co
Carpe Noctem Candle Co. wasn’t born from a business plan... it was born from a decision.
More than five years ago, during a deeply personal season of clarity, she chose to stop pouring wine at night and start pouring something else: time back into herself. What began as a quiet shift in ritual — trading a glass for melted wax — became a turning point that changed everything.
Candle making started as a creative outlet, something intentionally not meant to become a business. But in the stillness of those evenings, something bigger took shape. The act of pouring wax mirrored her work as a yoga teacher and healer... shaping mood, energy, and atmosphere with intention.
Ten months after she stopped drinking, standing in her first storefront the night before opening, surrounded by vessels filled with wax, she realized something profound: this dream would not exist if she had chosen a different vessel to fill.
Carpe Noctem was born from that moment, and has since grown into a moody, unmistakable brand with two storefronts, a devoted community, and an atmosphere people don’t just buy… they step into.
From Wine to Wax
Carpe Noctem Candle Co. grew out of a deeply personal season of clarity and choosing who I wanted to become. Over five years ago, I made a conscious decision to stop pouring wine as my evening ritual — after dinner, for socializing, or simply to wind down — and instead poured that time back into myself. In that space, I reclaimed focus, creativity, and presence. Instead of pouring a glass at night, I began pouring wax.
At first, candle making was meant to be a creative outlet that wasn’t a business — something rare for me, since I tend to turn every passion into one. That plan didn’t last long. What began as a private ritual quickly revealed itself as something bigger.
Candle making became a practice that mirrored my work as a yoga teacher, traveling retreat leader, massage therapist, and healer: shaping mood, energy, and atmosphere with intention rather than decoration. Ten months after I stopped drinking, the night before opening our first store, I stood surrounded by vessels filled with wax and realized this dream would not exist if I had chosen a different vessel to fill with something to drink.
Carpe Noctem was born from that moment — a merging of artistry, ritual, and ambiance — and has grown into a brand with two storefronts, a devoted community, and a signature aesthetic that is dark, intentional, and unmistakably ours.
From Ritual to Brand
What began as a private ritual slowly started to take on a life beyond me. People weren’t just buying my candles — they were connecting to them, collecting them, getting a little obsessed, and finding their way back again and again.
At the same time, so much of the design world was moving toward lowercase fonts, pale walls, and neutral minimalism, Carpe Noctem offered something different — permission for people to lean into their darker, more curious side (or at least flirt with it) in a way that felt intentional rather than edgy for its own sake.
In watching that response, I knew this was bigger than a hobby. Opening our first physical space sealed that shift from maker to entrepreneur, allowing Carpe Noctem to move off the shelf and become an atmosphere people could step into — not just something they took home.
The World of Carpe Noctem
I make candles that are meant to be felt as much as they are seen or smelled. My work is intentionally moody, layered, and emotionally evocative, wrapped in dark, minimalist labels that deliberately move in a different direction than the neutral, light-filled aesthetic that defined — and still defines — much of the 2020 candle boom.
Every scent I create is rooted in memory, place, and feeling rather than trends. I’m inspired by the night, by travel, and by ritual — by ancient stone, hidden forests, late-night cities, and moments of sacred stillness.
I don’t design candles to smell “pretty.” I design them to slow you down, transport you, and make your space feel transformed rather than decorated.
Seize the Night
The name Carpe Noctem — “Seize the Night” — is both an invitation and a quiet rebellion. Everyone is told to seize the day, but for me, the real magic happens after the sun goes down. Night is where we slow, soften, and surrender to feeling — and where candlelight truly comes alive.
In the dark, we remember ourselves differently. We breathe deeper, listen closer, and allow space for reflection and transformation. That energy is woven into everything I create.
Carpe Noctem candles are made for people who crave mood over décor — those who want their space to feel layered, intentional, and slightly otherworldly. When our candles are lit, I hope people feel grounded yet transported, as if their room has slipped into a more intimate, luminous version of itself.
Create, Don’t Chase
If you want to build something lasting, don’t chase trends — create a world only you could imagine, and master your craft before you monetize it.
Decide early whether this is a hobby or a business. If it’s a business, learn retail pricing, margins, and industry standards and respect them. Candles aren’t proprietary — no one owns wax or wicks — so our strength comes from elevating the craft together, not racing to the bottom.
Underpricing can feel easier in the short term, but it doesn’t just devalue your work; it shifts expectations for the entire market. We want the candle boom to continue. We want to support one another. When candles are valued and in demand, we all benefit — especially when you have a strong product and a clear vision.
Stay anchored in why you started, even on the hard days — and don’t shy away from the darker, uncomfortable edges of your work. For me, that’s exactly where real creativity and depth blossom.
From Shelf to Experience
Being one of Minnesota’s first candle bars allowed us to turn retail into experience, and that philosophy sits at the heart of Carpe Noctem’s growth. Across our two locations, guests move through an olfactory journey of more than 60 fragrances, design their own blend, choose their vessel (we carry every Makesy style and color!), and pour their own candle in our regularly run, signature class experience. That act of making turns visitors into co-creators — and naturally brings them back.
From there, we’ve built multiple, interconnected revenue streams around one core idea: atmosphere and craft. Alongside our brick-and-mortar stores and online shop, we run Pour Your Own Candle experiences, create ready-to-label candles for private labeling, and partner with wholesale accounts that align with our values and aesthetic.
This model has made Carpe Noctem resilient, community-driven, and scalable while staying rooted in soul and experience.
Supported From the Start
I’ve worked with Makesy since their early days as Wooden Wick, and they’ve been part of my journey from the very beginning. Their tutorials, how-to videos, and educational resources gave me the confidence to experiment boldly while staying grounded in quality and safety.
What truly shifted my work were their fragrances. I felt like their scents carried stories — depth, mood, and intention — and that permission inspired me to go deeper in my own creations, to think less about “pretty” and more about narrative and atmosphere. Their wax has also been a constant for us; it performs beautifully and consistently, which is invaluable in both production and teaching environments.
While I use a variety of vessels across my main collections, Makesy plays a huge role in our Pour Your Own Candle experience — we carry every style of their vessels so guests can choose exactly what speaks to them in class.
Over time, Makesy has felt less like a supplier and more like a creative partner and a maker community that truly supports people building thoughtful, professional, real businesses.
“Carpe Noctem exists for people who crave mood over décor.”
