Being the owner of my own small business, I wholeheartedly support other small businesses; especially local ones.  They are crucial to our community.   They make us unique.  They add a human quality to a world that is easy to succumb to big conglomerate business.   Small business make up the backbone of this country.  Without [us] so much is lost.

I live in a fairly small town in northern Georgia.  There are many local small business that I truly love.  Traveling to the town just north of us, there’s a town square that’s filled with these awesome businesses that add to the quaintness of that particular town.   There’s a General Store, jewelers, craftsmen and women, an old time Barber Shop, as well as restaurants, candy shops, and a great little ice cream shop that our children always beg to go to.

In our town, though, one of my favorite small businesses is GA Mountain Candles.   The first time I went into their store front it was to find a gift for a friend.  I was instantly drawn to their products, because I am very picky about my candles.  I’m definitely not partial to those candles whose name rhymes with “hanky” —those really strong ones that you get at, say, the big mall, that are really over-priced.    GA Mountain candles are hand poured, soy candles, that have an even burn, and don’t smoke.  Best of all the business was the idea of two moms!

Here are a few words from one of the moms who created this wonderful product:

“When I would buy a candle I wanted the scent to overwhelm my house or at least know that it had been lit.  I wanted my money’s worth, but when I would light my candle I wouldn’t get the results I wanted.  All I wanted was a good scent, “was that to much to ask”?  Secondly, the wax would always tunnel down the middle eventually I would have to throw my candle away because I couldn’t reach the wick.   Then one day we were offered a deal from another company to wholesale their candles, but that was the same old same old “expensive candles very little scent”. I told my daughter-in-law at the time, now my partner, “lets do it,” and she was thinking the same exact thing. We were tired of bad candles that were always so expensive and “who could afford that?” So we decided lets make a candle that people would enjoy and could afford. That’s when GA Mountain Candles was born in a kitchen from two moms wanting a good deal and something we could be proud of.  It is our passion every minute of every day we are always thinking about candles and what can we do to be the best.”

I am lucky to have friends who own their own small business, too. From online toy stores, to beautiful home made baby products, to knitted wonders, to gorgeous photography, and so much more. I believe in supporting them and cultivating entrepreneurship as much as possible!