LibbyEverly has big plans for this Mother’s Day. Celebrate Mom. The candle company has a clear ethos: make sustainable candles. The idea sounds simple, but have you ever made your own candle? Similarly, have you poured your own wax? Bought a lead-free wick? Undoubtedly, there’s a lot more to eco-friendly candles than just the smell. Co-founded by Alejandra Guerra and her Mom Charo, Everly was born from the idea that candles can, and should be cleaner.
Raised by her mother who was an entrepreneur from the age of 15 years old in NYC, Alejandra clearly has some big shoes to fill. But with Charo jumping on board to guide and support her daughter, the future burns bright for this family biz.
RETHINK- REFILL- REUSE- REFORM- IT’S THE EVERLY WAY
I’m always fascinated by a company’s origin story. Alejandra’s idea, of disrupting an entire industry, was a slow burn. First of all, the marketing exec was coming off the heels of a failed online venture (more on that later) in addition to trying to get pregnant with her first child and working a 9-5 that was bleeding well beyond those hours. To say she was burning the candle at both ends would be an understatement.
Taking stock of her life, she embarked on a clean-living mission. And it suddenly struck her, all these little scented candles that dot her living space are also potential air polluters. The fragrance industry is pretty unregulated, and, similarly, candles infused with synthetic scents are fraught with nasty chemical additives. Alejandra knew there was a better way to enjoy the warmth and aroma, without the bad stuff.
“At the end of the day it’s a business and it has to sustain itself. It’s delicate. How do we grow a brand without feeding into the consumerism? I want to encourage people to use whatever they have, and not buy anything net new.”
Alejandra Guerra, CEO, Everly
START SMALL, DREAM BIG
While first selling candles to friends, then at pop-up marketplaces, Alejandra kept selling to repeat customers, and then it dawned on her. Why keep selling the same vessel again and again? Where did the old one end up? And that’s when Everly was born.
Alejandra had previously learned a lesson or two in running a dot.com with her sister-in-law Morgan. The two created a searchable online marketplace where people could shop based on their values. With filters for sustainability, fair trade and more, one lesson learned from this loss was that candles were top sellers.
“It needed a lot of funding, to do it sustainable – you couldn’t drop ship. I wanted a business to be sustainable, ethical and responsible, so we tabled that idea, but noted that candles sold really well. All the pieces started connecting and Everly was coming together. People don’t talk about failure, I’ve had many others before, you just have to learn from them. It’s easy to give up. It was in 2020, we just rushed, so many mistakes we made.”
Alejandra Guerra, CEO, Everly
PUT YOUR MORALS AND ETHICS FIRST
After realizing the demand in the marketplace, Charo jumped on board. She has always been her daughter’s number-one fan. And Alejandra credits her with being her biggest inspiration. When designing the details that envelop Everly, the environmental factors came first. Coconut wax blends seamlessly with non-toxic oils. Captivating scents all housed in compostable packaging. Made in Canada, then made by you.
With a partnership at Detox Market for their launchpad program, Everly is making market gains, all while donating back to environmental causes and planning for a bright future.