Hidden Gems: Meet Allison Gustafson McGrane of Applewood Candle Co.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Gustafson McGrane.

Hi Allison, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Applewood originated after finding out our golden retriever, Magnolia, had severe allergies to the candles I was purchasing and burning in our home. After finding this out, I went on a mission to find a pup-safe candle, but just couldn’t trust any of the candles I was finding. I spent months researching ingredients and then finally got to work creating my own candles that I could feel comfortable burning in our home. After coming up with (what I believe to be) the perfect combination of clean, nontoxic materials, I thought that others could also be searching for the same clean, pet-safe candle that I searched for and couldn’t find. And with that, Applewood Candle Co. was born! This was back in 2019, and we happily celebrated our 5 year business anniversary this past November!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We’ve had our fair share of challenges, particularly in sourcing truly clean ingredients. Something that I learned was that a lot of candle ingredients (particularly fragrance) can be labeled as non-toxic, because their usage rate is so low (only 6-12% of the candle, on average). But, used at a higher percentage, they can be considered toxic. We’re proud to use only ingredients that are non-toxic at any usage rate – this is so important to our brand, as transparency of our materials is so important, and we know that our clients trust us and we would never disobey that trust! I also hand-pour each and every candle (with the help of family members during busy seasons!), and would never be comfortable handling harmful ingredients myself (or letting my family do so, either).
There are so many ingredients we can’t use, because of our high standards, but that is a trade-off we’d make again and again, as we’d always rather be limited in materials versus using ingredients we don’t fully believe in!

As you know, we’re big fans of Applewood Candle Co.. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Applewood Candle Co. is a clean home fragrance collection that invites indulgence, without sacrificing wellness. We believe you should never have to choose between beauty & quality, especially when it comes to the comforts of home. Free from toxins found in traditional candles, our artfully-inspired scents transform raw ingredients into refined elegance. Experience pure, luxury fragrance – sustainably sourced & consciously crafted from wax to wick.

Applewood Candles are hand-poured in small batches in our studio in Metamora, MI.

What sets us apart from others is our dedication to providing clean, safe home fragrance while also creating a beautiful product that fits in with your home style and aesthetic – we believe in beautiful candles that are also safe to burn around the entire family, pets included! This is also what we are most proud of, because we know that there are so many toxins that often are used in candles to make them smell stronger, or even to just produce a scent at a lower cost, whereas we are proud to use only the best, high-quality, clean ingredients, even if it does mean our candles might have a lighter throw than that of big-box brands.

While we have an entire website of our Timeless Collection (everyday collection) favorites, as well as new seasonal launches, we also have a quarterly candle subscription which we call our Candle Club, as well as curated gift boxes for over 40 occasions, from happy moments such as weddings and birthdays, to everyday thank-yous, as well as sad moments such as sympathy or miscarriage boxes. We also create custom candles for businesses to use as client or referral gifts, as well as create custom candles for weddings and event favors!

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Something that works well for me is showing up to networking events in my community without the expectation of making sales, and instead truly just getting to know the community – this has helped me to show up authentically and has created more meaningful relationships with other small business owners

Pricing:

• Our candles range from $20.50 – $48.50
• Gift boxes start at $38.50 and go up to $98.50
• Our Candle Club subscription is $84.50 / quarter
• Custom Candles start at $14 each

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ApplewoodCandleCo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/applewoodcandleco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/applewoodcandleco/