Meet Jess Tate | Creative and Entrepreneur

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

Hi Jess, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Starting my own business came from a place of expression. I was wanting to find a way to channel my energy and express the creative thoughts I was having. I’m a big DIY person so naturally making something myself appealed to me, and an associate of mine started making candles and I asked her to show me and I took off from there! I had so many ideas and it made me truly excited to bring these ideas to life or create a scent and get positive feedback. Initially there were some bumps in the road as to be expected with any new business, but I never gave up. I also wanted to have something to pass on to my daughter if she chose to keep the business going. I have a bachelors degree in criminal justice and a masters in forensic science to which I am still very passionate about, but I’ve been in customer service for quite sometime now and I genuinely enjoy people. I am currently still working a full-time job and have made the decision that I ultimately want to work for myself because my heart needs to be in whatever I do. I am also big on knowing your worth and doing something that makes you feel valuable and knowing that all of your hard work is not in vain. I wasn’t always able to express myself creatively, but through my candles I am able to relax, experiment, and create at my own pace.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am currently a licensed insurance agent for about four months now. Prior to that I worked for a rental car company. The successes I have had with my previous companies came from me being a diligent and quick learner. I’m very observant and once I learn something I try to perfect it so that I can teach it to someone else. What I have learned from each position I’ve held was that no matter how much effort you put into your work if the job is not for you it is not for you. Only in my last position did I realize that I was over qualified for the positions I was applying for, and every denial was a step closer to getting to my true calling of entrepreneurship! What I want the world to know about me and my brand is that hard work, dedication, and perseverance are the foundation to my business. I make each candle with joy because it is what I love to do! Despite the challenges I face daily I strive to keep pushing forward because I know the success is coming and I’m in this for the long haul!

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.
Well first we would go to The Green Gator in Las Colinas because their Pasta Monica and Oysters are EVERYTHING! During the week we would look up any happy hours and rooftops like The Statler. We are definitely going to make an appearance in Uptown and bar hop, Kung Fu Saloon, TNT, and maybe Playground. On Sunday we BRUNCH! There are several different brunch spots in DFW, a few of my faves are Viddora, STIRR, Maracas, and it’s all the way in Ft. Worth but it’s worth it Pinstripes! We would also go to Paint Jam which is a painting studio near downtown Dallas, and the aquarium and zoo!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would definitely like to shoutout my tribe of friends. I have the best support system within my friend circle to whom I view as my family. My best friends have always been supportive of everything and venturing out into entrepreneurship was no different. I most definitely have to shoutout my grandmother who has been my foundation and taught me independence and how to be an efficient hard worker. She taught me to never settle for less than I deserve and I have implemented that into my everyday life. I also would like to shoutout and thank Tay Price for recommending me and wanting to see me be just as successful as the next person. I also have to thank my daughter for being my driving force in wanting to be better and be the best version of myself for not only her, but for myself as well. Most importantly I want to shoutout God for blessing me with the talents I have and the drive and motivation to put forth the effort to use them and create my own narrative. I would also like to thank Shoutout DFW for the opportunity to share my story!

Website: www.gorjesscandleco.com

Instagram: @gorjesscandleco_

Facebook: GorJess Candle Co.

Image Credits
Jessica Tate and Daisha Tran.