Meet Jaclyn King | Owner, Old Flame Candle Co.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jaclyn King and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaclyn, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Oh wow, it feels like so many elements aided in our success, really. Early-on in my career and, then, later working on different business concepts as an entrepreneur, I found myself going in a multitude of directions, stretching myself thin between too many ideas, never honing in on one concept or skill long enough to develop it properly. It was while working as an interior designer that it finally hit me: I had a need and a passion to fuse beautiful vintage vessels with incredible. luxe scented candles. In my client’s homes, as well as my own, there were too many lovely smelling, expensive candles that I would “hide” inside beautiful containers, only to toss the original candle vessel after burning. It felt unnecessary and wasteful. I took this simple concept and added my own experience of estate shopping with my grandmother growing up, to create Old Flame Candle Co. I kept the concept of my company simple and straight-forward: Vintage Vessels. Modern Scents. Natural Wax. I finally created a candle you don’t have to throw away; salvaging and repurposing vintage and introducing sustainability to the candle industry. To truly bring Old Flame Candle Co. to the next level and make it successful, I credit the team we built to represent our company. We are a female-owned-and-operated business, comprised predominantly of working moms, and we pride ourselves on the the details and customer service that seem to be lost in today’s modern business world. Each team member adds a unique and special talent to our company, whether it be an eye for styling; clever copy for our “gals'” bios online or in our social media feed; perfect pours on each candle that is beautifully brought back to life; or keeping us organized and the train on the track, we rely on and value everyone’s unique contribution. We also have a knack for coming together and sharing responsibilities when the growth of our company has demanded it.
Ultimately, I’d say it’s the clear, unique vision of our company and the dedicated and talented team that has formed the steady foundation for Old Flame’s growth and success, allowing us to flourish when our sales grew exponentially after exposure in a Southern Living Magazine editorial feature and an invitation by Anthropologie to sell Old Flame Candle Co. candles on their website. This year’s success has been hard to fully wrap my head around, but it certainly makes me grateful and excited for what 2022 has to bring our small business!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Since it’s inception, Old Flame Candle Co. has been about beauty, affordable luxury, the “small” details, and customer service. I think this entire package, and the way we have been able to always stick to each element in all that we do, sets us apart from other businesses, even candle companies now doing the same thing as we do. We have a mantra that, no matter, the competition, always stay focused on what we do and do it BEST. It ties back to what makes us successful – in all things, keep it simple and stay focused. Over the last year and a half we have certainly faced challenges. From industry shortages on the unique blend of creamy wax that we use, to the copycat competition that has popped up all around us, and just handling the sheer magnitude of growth in our company, year-over-year, in the 2.5 years we’ve been in business, we’ve worked hard to remain on track: stay focused, don’t compromise on quality, work HARD, and take care of our customers. The incredible love, feedback, and support of customers (we call clients) has been incredibly gratifying and we are continuously grateful and proud of our team for always keeping the customer “first” in all we do.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
FAVORITES: Eat – Mot Hai Ba, Jimmies Italian Grocery, Rise, Café Izmir
Drink – La La Land (coffee), The Porch, margaritas at Jose
Visit – the horse stables at White Rock, Dolly Python, Dallas Farmers Market
Hang Out – my house!, The Truck Yard, The Dallas Arboretum, Bishop Arts District

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So much credit goes to my mom who has supported me as a female-business owner and working mom, offering understanding as I expressed guilt over struggling with mom/work balance, love as she helped with that balance by keeping my kiddos after school each day, and encouragement as I tossed out ideas and asked for advise with Old Flame in times of growth. My very first team-member, Ester, has been invaluable to Old Flame Candle Co., as well as to me personally. She is a treasure and I cannot show enough gratitude to this young woman who often exemplifies more grace, diligence, and wisdom that many woman twice her age. Her dedication and the hours she has put in with me, developing Old Flame, has played such a large role in getting us where we are today. I am so grateful to her and our partnership!
I feel lucky to have learned so much from my grandmother, G-Mom, the OG of vintage sourcing. Before Round Top ever-was, G-Mom would take me to ALL the local estate sales to find real treasures and, at her hip, she’d teach me the “who’s, what’s, and why’s” of what makes an “old” piece special and something worth love and value. She was a woman ahead of her time, when it came to sustainability, with her resale business “Two Dumb Dames”.
Lastly, I’d like to give a “shoutout” to Gen Sohr, tastemaker and entrepreneur/owner of Pencil + Paper Co. I discovered her as I was developing Old Flame Candle Co. and she was an incredible source of inspiration. Her style, though different from mine, was aspirational and absolutely stunning. She knows who she is and how to express that with her community, and she gives back to other female business owners, offering an outlet to share her knowledge and experience with them at workshops.

Website: www.oldflamecandleco.com

Instagram: @oldflamecandleco

Facebook: Old Flame Candle Co