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Inheriting the Flame | Laura Cler's Journey with Linnea
Join us on today's goodMRKT podcast as we dive into the captivating journey of Laura Cler, the visionary CEO of Linnea. In this podcast, Laura takes us through her remarkable path to leadership, sharing her inspiring tale of inheriting the family business, Linnea's Lights, from her mother. Through heartfelt anecdotes and candid conversations, Laura paints a vivid picture of the challenges and triumphs she encountered while steering Linnea's Lights to new heights and transitioning the company to Linnea. With a focus on craftsmanship, community, and the art of candle-making. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a creative soul, or simply intrigued by family enterprises, this podcast offers a luminous exploration of one woman's dedication to preserving and illuminating the flame passed down through generations.
Welcome to Season Two of the good market podcast. I'm your host, Harry Cunningham. Each month we hear from good people with great products, supporting exceptional causes and making incredible impacts on communities around the world. Join us now as we hear another good story about impact it's happening right near you. Hello, and welcome to...I'm gonna start over he'll cut that out. Hello, and welcome to our and that indicates exactly how it's gonna be.
Laura:I love it.
Harry:Welcome to our latest issue of good market live the podcast today, a new friend of mine and one of our newest spreads that could market Laura Claire is joining me from Linnea. And so Laura, first of all, welcome to the podcast. We don't always start that way. But I'm glad that we started with the laugh.
Laura:Oh, thanks, Harry. That was fun. That was actually a great mood breaker. And I feel very comfortable to have this conversation.
Harry:Good. Good. That's perfect. We like that. So Laura, I'm let's just jump right in. I know, I know what you do. And I know you have a beautiful new product that's coming to good market. But I'd love for you to let's let's go back to the beginning. And then we'll get to ultimately what you're doing now. And I think it was back in 2009 that your mom started something. So I want to I don't want to call you a second generation entrepreneur. But I guess maybe you are. So I'm gonna maybe go back to that. And if you could tell us what the origin is. And then we'll talk a little bit more about your brand where you are today.
Laura:Absolutely, no, I'm actually honored to be called a second generation entrepreneur because it was my mother, Vicki manly, who, you know, actually before 2009 created this brand that was called lineas lights before Linnea. Back in her kitchen. It was through just life life happening and a personal story that occurred with her. My stepfather, her husband, James Manley, who was diagnosed with cancer. They ran a business together. But when they found out that he was diagnosed with cancer, once they found out he was diagnosed with cancer. My mom was kind of at a turning point and said, you know, what am I what are we going to do? He can't work or, you know, what are we going to do to pass time he needs to heal. My mom has always been a huge advocate of just like living off the earth. You know, she loves it. He loved she's since passed. She passed us in 2022. But she loved just laying in the dirt, growing things being mindful, she really had a fine appreciation for life and for travel and for fragrance and for everything. And so when Danny was diagnosed with cancer, they started you know, living in the middle of of Indiana and near cornfield and near soybean fields, fried creating these candles in her kitchen table on her kitchen table to pass time while he was recovering from his therapies and treatments. So together, they would just it was like a daily ritual, they would start their day with breakfast and coffee, and just sit outside listen to the birds and the wildlife. In the Country. It's where they lived in Northwest Indiana. And they would proceed to embark on their day and make these really beautiful candles. At that time, it was you know, a little touchy country candle line. But it's what spoke to them and what they enjoyed. And they always had great music playing and mom would always stop and make once a little meals. Point being as it was, it became a ritual for them for healing. So while he had some downtime, she was able to really enjoy time with him and they were able to enjoy time together. And then once the product was finalized, on weekends, when he was feeling up to it, they would do craft markets and fairs and vintage fairs and they would antique fairs and they would go and they would talk to people and interact and socialize and sell through their product like crazy. And that was how Linnaeus lights started.
Harry:But then, Where did the name linea come from? How was was that? Yeah, linea is actually the London Ludham dolunay is lights part of the lights? Yeah, yeah, the linea
Laura:as it is, as it exists today. I've Linnea as an homage to Swedish heritage on my mother's side. We come from five generations, hailing from Sweden, just outside of Stockholm, of strong women who did things the old fashioned way with beauty and quality ingredients having a love of the earth gardening, boiling caring for your families. So five generations of women, great grandmother, grandmother, you know on back The name linea has been in our name in one way, shape or form. So when it became when it came to my mother, it became Americanized with Lynn. So when manly, and then she gave me my name, Laura Lynn. But it was an homage that my mom whenever she created the brand, she wanted to pay tribute to the strong women who came before her. My mother was the oldest of seven children, very matriarchal family. So very strong. Focus on on women, empowerment, and just a great, great woman, loved her siblings loved her kids loved her nieces, nephews, everything else and was just, you know, again, that love the Earth that we got from our grandparents and I grew up in a multi generational family as well. Where some of my fondest memories were coming from being at my grandparents house, where, you know, the day was spent playing outside during the crickets at night, waking up to the birds singing in the morning, getting out working in the garden, picking the roses, picking the lilies of the valley, gritten rhubarbs, you know, it was just all natural, Midwestern, living. And then it would culminate at the end of the day with this wonderful meal that was hand prepared and created with love from Great Grandma, grandma, mom, and you know, everybody's together at this communal table. So kind of cool in that regard. But Renee is an homage to a strong Swedish lineage. And great, you know, the women that came before us. So that's what my mom, when she told me what she named the brand. I was like, Wow, man, it's really beautiful. And as I mentioned before, my mom passed March sixth of 2022. And we had just rebranded to Alinea. About a year prior to that. And it was really important to make your name Lenay out because it is everything that mom, you know, meant to be.
Harry:So how did it transition from her? Then over to you? Let's talk about that. That kind of phase, because there were some pretty big changes that you've made. Yeah,
Laura:yeah. Well, as my mom, she passed at an early age, she actually had to retire out of the company due to health reasons. So when it passed after Danny passed away, and then we launched it officially in 2009. You know, we grew the brand together, we were having fun going to wholesale markets, because my background was in wholesale sales, and marketing. Right for myself, took a turn for the worst, and she wasn't able to really be involved in the company. So we transitioned it over to me, I, you know, purchased it, and then with the promise that I would create a legacy, so to play an honor on what she started, but also create something, you know, continue to create something beautiful in the world. But you know, again, for me to pay homage to my mom. And that was in off 2020 13 2014. So wasn't very long after we started. Linnaeus likes that it came over to me. And then I've shepherded into Hadlen as lights for a while and then during COEs have rebranded and creative one. Yeah.
Harry:And what was the inspiration for the rebrand because I am super impressed with the rebrand. I love it. And I come from a creative background too. I have a great appreciation for what you've done. I haven't seen what it looked like before. But what was Where did your inspiration come for the creative there,
Laura:you know, for me, it was always about having the vision of creating money has lights was really beautiful. And at the time when we launched it, it really was hitting all the marks that are now just standards. So before you know we had recycled packaging, we were using craft containers, we had that hidden match back that's always been kind of a special tribute that what we always do with our products. But I think what, for me, what was most important is creating a brand transcended just channels. channels is really ritualistic. It's really beautiful that they're really they always have a special place in a home. But I wanted the brand in the fragrances that we created to have more of a lifestyle feel. So the idea of elevating and creating kind of like your quintessential classic with what you see with Lenny and now it's again paying tribute to the name, the Swedish heritage, the beauty, the classes or the classism of the brand itself, but also create an opportunity to venture outside of just candles and to create more of a fragrance experience. So whether that's through aromatic myths, which was a new watch that we had this year or Whether it's through re diffusers, or whether it's through soap and lotion for body and bath, or whether it's a different opportunity in the future, I just found it not so constricting.
Harry:So great. That's why isn't everything doesn't have to be a light. Right, exactly.
Laura:I mean, the idea. So you know, what I, what I did try to what I do still try to do with the company and one of the backbones of what we do and who we are, is that the light is always there. You know, the light is still part of Linnaeus lights, we're just Linnea. But we're still bringing the light and it's through, you know, you can be literal with, you know, a candle. But also, you know, with what we do with giving back and doing good in the world, because that's really what I want to be the legacy of the company is that we are a company that is mindful, thoughtful American made and you know, every touchpoint of what we do, that's heart and compassion, and caring at our heart and soul.
Harry:Which feels very much aligned with the with the name, and the generations as well. Yeah, obviously close to it family. And I think that there's been no good always. So let's, let's talk about that a little bit. And in the good that you're doing, you mentioned recycled packaging, and I believe you still have that. But talk to me a little bit about that. And then I'd love to talk about your partnership with Janus as well.
Laura:Yeah, everything that we do with the brand is really mindfully considered and thoughtful and design. First impression to last impression is when I when I approach product, or when I approach packaging, or when I approach a fragrance when I approach anything that has to do with a brand and somebody that's coming out from the brand, it's always with a thought of what is the first impression to the last impression, and the fact that I stand behind the product 100 person you know, and so it's not only what do you see experienced whatever, but how, what's the impact of that product that we're putting into the world. So, you know, all of our fragrances contain essential oils, or therapeutic grade, therapeutic grade, fine fragrances, so they're free valet. They are endocrine, disruptor free, they're free of carcinogens. They are pure and clean and having pure and clean since 2009 Before became a big trend. It's just something that we felt really strongly about. And so I had to work really hard with our fragrance houses and with our perfumers create those compositions that met our standards are so our wax in our candle fragrances or our candles, they are all natural soy wax from Midwest region. And we use just clean burning all natural cotton wicks. So, our candles themselves, the components are really great, and they're clean our glasses, they're meant to be recycled. So you can reuse them as container holders and you know, pens, pencils, on balls, swabs, people like to I put planting and seedlings are now. And our tubes are made from the interior. It's all craft, it's craft paper, they're round craft tubes, or they're just around with paper. So those two can be reused. And it's really sweet because a friend of mine I gave a gift of of a candle to and she returned when she came over for dinner. And she gave a beautiful little up planting a seedling of a plant and the container and I've been feeding it and watering and nurturing it. It's still really really beautiful. You know, people cook and I do encourage reuse. And some people even just choose to keep their candle inside the tube which I don't really recommend. It works. Well let me ask you a question that it's made from natural material to be recited ask you about
Harry:that soy wax because there are obviously a lot of people making candles today. First, I'd start by saying I love that your soy wax is coming from me here in the Midwest. To me, it's really is this this so much about, obviously on a bigger scale, but it's still so much about being true to who you are where you're from all of those things that you talked about earlier. When you think about the importance of soy wax versus somebody that might you know, walk to a hobby store and buy wax. Can you talk a little bit about how that burns differently because I I'm I've always been intrigued by this since I've gotten to really meet some people that are doing what you do, which is you do amazing things. Can you talk a little bit about that just for somebody that might be out there wanting to make a candle and wanting to understand the difference between the two.
Laura:Yeah, more like hobbyists versus Yeah. What? So for me, the importance of having a soy an all natural vegetable wax is that one it's sustainable, being vegetal in its composition, allows for farmers, US farmers and It's a it's a major US crops. So for us, and for me growing up in a very rural area of Indiana, it like I said it was in our backyard, cornfields and soybean fields. So it was, you know, it was the produce and the bounty of the community. So that's important to me. But second, it is. It's a renewable resource, and it's also clean burning. So, you know, there have been lots of studies in the marketplace about paraffin, which is another major candle composition. And when I look at sandal racks, like, like an artist's canvas, almost like their medium, you know, what do they choose to use in order to put their art out there? Well, we choose soy wax, because one, it's true to our heritage of who we are, where we grew up in being in the Midwest, and to it's clean burning, and it's sustainable. And that goes into our sustainability mission of trying to be mindful, and thoughtful in everything that we do, it's great. You know, there's a little bit of something for everyone, but for us as a brand and Linnea. That's our heritage. And the fact that sustainable and clean burning is even more important, because, again, you know, I want my employees, when we're making candles in our studio, I want them to come to work knowing I'm not going to a toxic environment, I'm going to work with good quality ingredients and materials. So I can then go home and still be all I can be for my family. You know, there are a lot of great options out there, it's just that's where we choose to play, because that is what we're about. That's great. A little bit, and soy is important to us. For that reason. That's great. And, and I would just be careful, you know, going back to a hobbyist, look for clean ingredients, you know, soy is, is clean. And some people say, Well, they're organic. I mean, people can claim a lot of things, just be careful with claims. Because we all know, it just takes one little sea that comes from a different crop to you know, make a field bad and but just go over it may cost a little bit more. But if they're just use your your personal judgment and know whatever you invest in whatever you bring into your home, it's not only is it going to affect you, but it's going to affect your family's group. And just try to use quality or require a
Harry:little bit and I liked one of the things I'll circle back to there is I really appreciate the that you pointed out, you want your employees to know that they're coming to work in a safe environment. So let's talk about your employees a little bit. The team was obviously tiny when it was your mom and your stepdad. And then you got involved in how many people are employed. Now tell me about that team.
Laura:Well, it went from mom and Danny, to my aunt. And then and then we laugh because then we laugh because my mom was living in Northwest Indiana and I was down here in Indianapolis and we're working in my basement. Now. And at that point in time, it was myself and my husband and then a couple of friends from from school when our kids were really small. Now so it's like we have the North Division and we have the central Indiana division. We would crack up because Steve's would be made up north and then brought down to the south Indianapolis division to be packed. And we used to laugh like can we sell these 24 candles and now we're just like, Wow, 24 candles that was gone, like gonna go. Today, you know, it's different, it's vastly different. It is now we have a little over 10,000 square feet of space. That includes our admin area includes our production facility and includes our warehousing facility, or on our fulfillment. So we do everything from getting the orders in to moving them to the back, you know, getting it produced, getting a made, and then moving them out the back door. We have about 20 to 25 employees, sometimes up to 30 Depending on the season. And it's really quite inefficient. We try to run a lean model of manufacturing and really staying true to who we are as in working mental manufacturers 85% of our businesses canvas. And we're proud of that. I'm grateful because you know when I talk about the other moms let me to work with me from school. One of them Chrissy has been with me from the very beginning in the basement, and she's now my director of operations. But no, it's like we've all grown up together. We've been through all of this. We've learned a lot along the way. And it's it's been it's been a journey but it is important for me to have a really one a safe, mean inspiring place in which to go to work every day are my employees because they are my extended family in a while. My mom has since passed, and my stepdad has passed my anThe, you know, still live up in Northwest Indiana. I mean, now this is my extension, outside of my own personal family. And so I treat my employees, like they are my family. And it's, it's really I personally enjoy it. I I love them dearly. And I think, you know, we all just, it's a it's a, I don't know, I'm biased. I'm biased. But I think I think it's a nice place to go to work every day and we get to see each other and share our life stories and I grew up together.
Harry:So it's been and then you have this partnership with Janus that I'd love for you to tell tell everybody listeners about as well. Is that something that you had started when your mom was still involved in the business? Or is that newer?
Laura:Wow. Now actually, it wasn't something that we did when mom was still involved in the business and something that happened kind of as she transitioned out and we were in a small little growth period. We've been with Janus Janus is a Janus development services, developmental services and Noblesville, Indiana is, is a really wonderful nonprofit that really focuses on life skills for people with different abilities. And we found them over a decade ago, we've been partners with them for a decade. Fantastic. So since 2013, from being have been Aardvark company, right, it's one day, and I look at them, as you know, again, they're just employees with lineage. So I would get my team and then if you think of my Janus team, you know, they're just part of who we are, as we, as a company, exactly, we're one team. But what I love about it is just the ability to give again, light alight to an organization that is doing such good in our community and it's more than just you know, contracted work or warehousing or whatever, they do a lot to support the community and with their clients in the Noblesville Hamilton County area. And I think it's it's really just been a beautiful partnership. So we've been with them like I said, for a decade and they're what we do is they have a very large space so we're able to have extra warehousing space with that as well as we do piece work with them. So we're able to get larger pallets of glassware or larger, you know, pallets of boxes and tubes from Chicago, I tried to keep everything local, whenever I do supply runs, and I do supply purchasing and it just we have so much space at our facility that it's nice that we they have extra space and so we're able to rent space from them and then in tandem, we're also able to contract work with them to create our products and our candles so they they work specifically with our candle products in glass and cleaning of the glass piecemeal and also doing the wicking and any kind of like fine motor skill work. So the little hidden matches on our tube lids or the things that are really integral to the composition of the fragrance or the candle or that are integral to the package presentation is a main part of what Janus does
Harry:great to two topics I want to dig into a little bit and I'm gonna jump into that one first which is really candle season and I heard you mentioned obviously seasonality and when you get you got might beef up the team a bit during the season. And I'm guessing that's probably more holiday when people are naturally thinking candles for what are the things I'm super pleased with is that candles are really year round now and there may be less. So there's this seasonal candle that happens but I do love the fact that candles are year round. Do you think that's like what do you think is brought that on? What do you what's your take on that? And I'm guessing you burn candles at home all year round two.
Laura:I read candles all the while honestly I have ever since my mom, my mom, gosh, I just remember part of the ritual of have dinner and special occasions and just you know having to have a moment of quiet and peace and reflection with always about lighting a candle. And I think I mean look at our society today. We've been through a pandemic we you know, the world is ever quick to change. And I think candles have a beautiful sense of ritual to them. It's lighting a candle, it's watching the flame. It's seeing the you know, it's seeing the beautiful burn that comes through the the glass that it's presented and whether it's Alinea candle or whether it's somebody else's I mean, Nando's themselves are beautiful and they're compensated their little works of art and and then on top of it the fragrance which it just it takes you to a faraway place So at least for me, and as I approach fragrance, anything that we do in linea, is something that is always about taking me to a place or a memory in your mind. That was really special. Because I'm a huge traveler, I love to travel and everything is experiential in my life. I am an experiential learner, I am an experiential human being. So being in those spaces and places and living my life, and then coming back home to my reality. Yeah, sometimes reentry is hard. Hi, nice about that, is that, you know, when I can light this candle, and I'm taken back to that space in place, and those memories, those positive memories are really good. But I think, again, in current, day and time, all listings are a little bit of escapism, and whether that's through a candle, or whether it's through a fragrant, something, you know, to take you to that time and place or to give you that memory or to give you that little sense of peace. And I think that is why I've become so important. And I'm grateful. And I'm sure everyone else in the makerspace is grateful. But it is true, though it is it is something I mean, you go to churches you go to, you go to yoga, you go to whatever I mean, there's always light light is always a positive force. And that's what a candle is meant to represent. I mean, it started off with butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. Yeah, I mean, my goodness, you can't get medicine for right, I
Harry:thought about that. It's a really great reference I love and I'll tell you that I read one of the oftentimes that we like candles at home is when we're baking, or actually cooking, and I'm like, I just need to smell something that's not grease. And I have two teenagers, like I need to smell something else. What else is it so?
Laura:Right, it's like you need something to neutralize those odor. But it's always it's in that I tell you getting, you know, that's I got collections for you on that one. It's it is it is just something that I think just gives a sense of peace and calm and just allows you to kind of disconnect for just a second. And just to be at peace, where you are in, in in your space to honor the space that you're in at that time. That's my personal opinion. That's great. But that's how I that's how I work with candles.
Harry:So I had two questions one and two. But I'm gonna go to one B, because you made me think of something else. While you were talking a little bit. You were talking about scents and scents that are evocative, love to note, like, this is something that I've always wondered about. And I don't know why I've never asked him this question. How do you get the idea for a new scent? And then are you the only one that is developing sense? In the brand in your business? Are there other people working on it? Or is it kind of a team? Like, what like, do you wake up one day and say, today, I'm gonna do a new scent, and this is what it's gonna be. You're like, how does that happen? What? How does that work?
Laura:You know, what's all inspired through. It's all inspired by reading up and being out in the world and about travel. So you know, back in the day, when mom started lending his lights, it was all about her experiences and the things I gave her memory on a dog's as I took it over. For me, it's all kind of about what inspires me what makes me yearn and longing for more. It's just like any perfume or any fragrance house that has something, you know, that they're trying to do. For me, what I'm trying to do with Lenay is to create a sense of place and purpose and time or to provide my own personal experiences and travel into a candle experience that will take someone else like I had such a visceral experience to this space and place or to this feeling or to this food or to this, you know, maybe it's even a mocktail or a cocktail, you know, just all all the flavors and all the scents and the fragrances because meaning that I want to translate it. That's what, what is for me when it comes to fragrance. And for a long time when mom transitioned out I was developing and creating all the fragrances. I will say for the past two and a half to three years. I do have my art design director who has been instrumental in a lot of the work we do. I brought her on. And we had so much fun playing because not only are we dear friends, but we also she's traveled with me and has known me for over 15 years. And she's traveled with me to some of these places to Belgium. So Belgian linen is inspired by the flax fields of Belgium. He's traveled with me, you know, various places and we just have a love of really beautiful quality ingredients and fine foods and just how nature nature and bounty and so BNI had been working with really close together recently on this past season's collections and feature collections that we're going to be unveiling. And it's been a lot of fun, because, you know, I know what I think and feel when I experience a fragrance or whenever I have an idea in mind, and I'm so moved and like, oh my gosh, wow, this would make a great fragrance. She comes from it from a different perspective and a different background as well. But together, we're able to really create something that's really just lovely and lace in our opinion. Yeah, lovely and beautiful. And my bones still stands the test of time and will just be something really special.
Harry:So speaking of collections, yeah, yeah, speaking of collections interesting when when I first saw your line, I was introduced to one of your newer collections maybe the newest that's been officially released the botanic collection and I was kind of obsessed with it right away and interesting that you talked about foods and there's one that is has a tomato said never actually read an article recently that tomato is one of those new scents that can be either a love hate people either absolutely love it or absolutely don't love it. I'm a big fan of it, but love for you to talk a little bit about Botanics where that inspiration came from and all of the cool things that go along with it that I think speak back to your heritage and your your standards as well.
Laura:Yeah, well, but Deanna panic really was Rohn quote, round out of Praveen Jagan a more literal and you know, literal than that it was grown out of a love for nature. And it was direct, directly influenced by my experiences as a child working in the gardens at my grandparents So truly, Maryland we've been making an heirloom tomato candle since before 2009 Wow. Now they're really popular and I'm not saying I'm a trendsetter or anything. Absolutely not. But I'm glad to see that other people are seeing the importance of vegetal fragrances in the home care market. It's more than just butter cookie and aches and sweet things. It's like smiles right there are so many more. I mean we have a pumpkin too but I do not approach pumpkin in a sweet way. I mean if you've smelled our pumpkin you know it is it is a Gorm it is not gourmand it it is a savory
Harry:so when you're here was meant to be I love that because when you're here I was the same way we had the cafe and the sword I said like we need a foul drink but I have we have to approach our pumpkin very differently. So we need to have your pumpkin next to our pumpkin pie latte and see how they are together because I was your what is it called? Words to my ears as I just love what you're saying here so go ahead sorry. I
Laura:you know it is true but no it's true. It's just like I am so over the sweet and I you know sugar and fusion. And I don't you know for that reason I'll never be a trend and I'm okay with that. It's just I want I want through earthen fragrances to be what our brand is about and that's really what I go for. So botanic was born out of a need and a love twofold one to pay homage to Mother Earth. Okay, Mother Earth has given us the beauty the bounty the love, you know good bad or ugly right now I think she's really angry with us. But you know you look at all the beautiful things that we have from gardening and you look at every day I am just in awe of nature around me. But botanic was was grown out of that love to pay homage to mother earth it's to you know give back and use it as a force of good with a zero waste collection. So botanic for us for the linea brand is my zero waste collection it is basically no packaging. It is a beautifully designed green glass vessel that is intended to be used as the candle vessel but also to be repurposed as a potting piece or you know something else to be used in your barware or whether in your home or or what have you the seated does however, has seeds have basil, parsley and chives and so it's meant to be replanted so it sprouts and you can you know create garden and the scents are nice and natural and vegetable there straight from the garden so crushed mid which you got those inky teenager you know smells a breeze I haven't. I mean I tell you if I have to airfryer one more chicken nugget I'm gonna die it's rushman heirloom tomato with a high note of grapefruit and you know a vase of green stem will kill those smells and
Harry:or when no matter what but soccer practice The candle going in the ground? Yeah, not recommended at Burdock? Yeah,
Laura:what you need to know what you need. It's an aromatic Miss for your car. It all, like smell those order. But it is. But again, so botanic is is that 00 Waste opportunity to say, Okay, here we go, let's pay homage to Mother Nature, let's give, let's put into the world eautiful fragrances that are clean and neutral and vegetal and just gorgeous. From the first impression to the last impression, and but then on top of it not only of zero waste, but also 15% of net proceeds go back to support one tree planted, which is really, really important to me, because again, every $1, we donate, they plant one tree. And we've been focused on planting, whenever we do the donation, we make sure that we plant them, the trees that have been, you know, through forest fires, or what have you focus on the United States, if there's something really detrimental, so like the rain forests, or something like that, we'll also say put the money to rain forests. Because again, we don't have rain forests, we're gonna really global warming is real. And we need to make sure that we can re inhabit and protect our environment and our Mother Earth as best as we can through mindful living. So that's why botanic is so important. And that was the whole idea is a homage, paying homage to mother nature, but then also breeding an opportunity to do some wine that have the the present experience of it be a beautiful one, and one that is nostalgic, but yet very purposeful. And then three have a greater good and greater claws. And that is by doing greater good and having a greater cause to have more sustainability in our future.
Harry:It's great, you know, it's
Laura:beautiful. It's a beautiful alignment with good market and what you do. So
Harry:it's perfect. And obviously that was our introduction into the line. And we'll have other parts of the line, which I think are equally beautiful. But I was absolutely taken by literally every point along the way. You've thought about it. And one of the things that you talked about in very casually was this seated dust cover, which is like nobody's doing that. And how cool that you can actually there's a reason for that. Now, it's like the second reason, yeah, it doesn't just need to be thrown away. And arguably, maybe you could even plan it back into vessel if you save it and let it grow a little bit and play and grow from there.
Laura:Exactly. Yeah. And that's what we that's what we talk about to you know, some people are, are really, you know, some people are really protective of their candle, they're like, Oh, I can't play it, you know, I can't do anything, I can't burn it. And I'm like, that's why you got it. You know, we have the two weeks for a reason, we want you to burn all the way across all the way down. So there's nothing left. So when that candle is empty, you clean up a wax, you clean out whatever we're residual wax is at the bottom, but we want you to replant that that's fine. But that's why it fits perfectly in the diameter of that vessel. So it can be repurposed. And it's important because again, you know, there are a lot of people, a lot of companies in the candle market space. And, you know, glass Yes, is recycled or recyclable. But again, it's dumb, do our part to be a little bit more mindful. And if that's the collection that allows us to have that opportunity and want I just I just I love personally, I'm a green. Green is my favorite color. Yeah. And that deep mossy green is just so special. We worked a really long time on getting that color just right. We didn't want it leg green. We didn't want it to, you know, brown it just had it took some time. And we were really happy when we finally landed on that. So great. It'll be exciting. And we see we see the botanic collection being an opportunity for more line extensions that will do more to give back as well. So the plan is right now it's just the candles, but in first quarter of 2024 It'll be every everything in the botanic collection will have that component to it because we really want to do more just like bringing the outdoors in.
Harry:Yeah, that's great. And you talked a little bit about your aromatic sprays but there are other things to the collection and you've kind of nodded to those as we've talked about. Can you tell us about the other pieces that you sell? I know there's soaps and lotions and things like that. Can you give us a little bit of background there?
Laura:Absolutely, absolutely. Well our mainstay the cornerstone of our business is you know the to wick candle but we do. We also in our best selling scents we offer a 24 ounce candle which we call the green candle. We also offer a complimentary or competing. If you want to take and you want to travel and you want to go or you have a smaller space we have our little tweaks, which I particularly love that little candle especially as I said travel all the time, I just pop it in my little dopp kit, it's like my little page here. And I usually have like a little candle that I put in there. And it's a little three ounce it's a Japanese t 10. So what's really beautiful about that is that the as as you know, T is very important in the Japanese culture in any Asian culture. And to ensure the integrity of the fragrance of the leaves, you need a tight seal. So it's a Japanese tea tin, so that can be reused after the candles done. But it infuses not only while you have the candle poured into it, it really really protects the candle, um, and the integrity of the fragrance while it you have it. And then when it's done, you wash it out real easy soap and water. And then you can put jewelry or little accoutrements or you could do whatever you want to travel with it, it's a great little accessory to go. We also introduced the aromatic mist, which is 100 milliliter. So it's TSA compliance. It's a little spritz in your spray, when you want to layer a fragrance in the bathroom, in your bedroom, on linens on in your in your living room,
Harry:my friends come over.
Laura:You got I do it all the time. I just came back from Vegas from a show there. And I was like, oh from right. We're crying everything. It's meant to be Vegas. Oh, gosh, whoo. Music is right. But we do a lot of one of the things that my brand is I'm particularly fond of and my mom started this and this is something that we it's kind of a cornerstone of our brand is that we do set layering. So we call it linear layering. And so you can start with like a foundation fragrance. So in our botanic collection, you can start with a moss fragrance. And then you want to bring in a note of a mint or a note of something that's a little bit more green or floral, you know, you can bring something in from the seasonal collection, or you can bring something in from the Classics Collection, you can create your own furmity of fragrances and your own scent profile by taking any of our candles and mixing them and blending them at the same time or by having a candle lit and maybe you have a bass a small little petite, and you go new spreads your top note of an aromatic miss, you're creating a symphony that is unique to your to your surroundings, and it's almost becoming your own bespoke fragrance. And that's just something that we do me do often I do often I'm constantly everybody comes in, they're like, What are you burning? I'm like, Well, I'm not what I am. Here's what I'm burning. But here's what you're smelling, as you're walking through and the floor up to the living room, through you know, it's a combination of all those fragrances together that create the ultimate scent. And that's why I try to approach it as you know, let's have fun with fragrance.
Harry:I love it. And I'm excited to get it in the store and introduce our community here to your brand as well. I think it's good. And I love that you're local too, which is a nice extra icing on the top. But yeah, we're excited for that. Yeah. Before we wrap up, Laura, why the questions I asked everybody that's on the podcast is, and I'll preface it a little bit. We obviously are very honored to be able to tell your story every day when customers walk in the store. And we tell the story of your brand and a little bit about the good that you're doing. But if you think about the Laura Claire story, your personal story, and you could pick anyone living dead famous, infamous, not famous, who would you tell your story? And why would you pick them?
Laura:Oh, good. I check in? That's a big one. That's a good question. You know, I think I would have one of my children. Oh, cool. And I think, and I think I would have my child, because they have seen me good and bad. And, you know, it's just like me paying homage to my mother through keeping linea alive, I would hope that my children would be able to see the humanity of who I am as person and be able to tell my story. Whether it's good or whether it's bad or whether it's, you know, it is what it is, from a human standpoint. Because I think they would be able to give the most depth and breadth to share my story.
Harry:That's great. I love that you told your mom's story very well. So if they do half as well as you did, then they're they're on they're on the right path for sure.
Unknown:I see with a special woman. That's great.
Harry:So do you think one or every day, I'm sure I am sure that's that's one of those things for sure. Do you think any of your children will carry on the business? Do you think that'll happen or any interest so far?
Laura:Oh, I don't know. I don't know. I hope one day I see where they're going right now in their lives. My oldest is 24. He's a media In marketing, and then I've got one who's setting yet they all have their different facets of what they want to do, or I hope in some way, shape or form, they come back to the family company. But it may well be on their own terms and time, just like I did with my mom, you know, before I joined forces with my mom. Yeah, I mean, I had previous careers as a buyer, as a marketing and wholesale. So every path I had, in every career that I had after college, led me to this path. So I'm just waiting to see where their pads take them. And I hope it brings them back around the lake and to the home. But not we'll see. There's always
Harry:There's always so maybe brings him around the soybean farm. Right. Well, it was a pleasure talking with you today. Thank you so much for taking the time to add Linnea to our family of brands here and look forward to catching up with you on a regular basis and getting you up here as often as we can to. Thank you so much. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the good market podcast. A new episode will drop the second Tuesday of each month. So make sure you subscribe wherever you're listening. Give us a like a follow and a share. And please leave a review so that we can reach even more people and grow even more good. Tune in next time to hear more stories from good people with great products supporting exceptional causes. We'll see you next month.
