When I was first opening our shop CREAM I came across these candles and was immediately obsessed! Named after Rock n Roll songs and Tarot cards these candles immediately spoke to me! Not to mention they were hand poured in Grey Highlands, Ontario by a women led business, it was love at first sight!
Imagine my surprise when I opened my first order and there was a hand written note from the little sister (Danielle) of an old elementary/high school friend from my small hometown of Kitimat! She was working for Julie at Shy Wolf! Obviously it was meant to be!
Fast forward two years later and I finally had the balls to reach out to the owner Julie and ask if she would like to do a custom CREAM candle.....well my wildest dreams were answered when she said yes! I feel so honoured to carry these very special candles from Shy Wolf and forge friendships with these badass business babes!
So without further yammering on here is our Q & A session with Julie of Shy Wolf Candles!
What are your 3 big signs? (Sun, Moon, Rising)
I’m a Libra Sun, Aquarius Moon and Virgo Rising :)
Where did you grow up?
I grew upon Lynn Valley, North Vancouver; a beautiful forested area nestled in the mountains, surrounded by lush rainforest, flowing rivers and the Pacific Ocean. I left BC when I was eighteen for New Brunswick, and hopped a bit around Ontario in my early twenties before settling down in the small town of 500 people where I live now, Flesherton (what an awful name), a beautiful area in the Beaver Valley surrounded by lush forest, waterfalls and apple orchards.
What were you like as a child?
I was very shy, yet very curious. I always wanted to help people (I was the founder and president of the short-lived save the world club when I was six), and I was always finding new ventures to keep me busy. Without even knowing what entrepreneurship or business was, I loved starting projects - I really enjoyed running lemonade stands at the end of my driveway and when I was nine I started a pet sitting business where I had the absolute honour of getting paid $5 a day to cuddle up with dogs and keep kitties fed.
What did you do before making the coolest, best smelling candles?
You’re too kind! I’ve had side hustles in e-commerce for over half my life - I started selling thrifted goods on eBay in 2007 when I was 14 - but my main work was in mental health and addictions. Before shy wolf, I worked as a residential youth counsellor for teenagers, as a crisis counsellor in a women’s shelter and a frontline crisis worker for my community mental health organization.
Why candles?
I love how candles have a subtle ability to set a tone, transform a mood, or transport someone to a memory - whether that memory is one held close or one that was thought long forgotten. I love how unique fragrance is to each individual; how five people can smell the same candle and smell different fragrance notes and be reminded of different things. I love the small, accessible ritual that comes with choosing the scent you want to infuse your space with, striking a match, setting the wick aflame, and slowly watching the wax melt create a pool.
What is your favourite scent to work with?
I love working with notes of bourbon, smoke, leather, clove, anise, cinnamon, vetiver, oud and tonka anything smoky and/or spicy. That’s always been my vibe, and those are the candles I almost always choose to burn myself.
What has been the biggest struggle in owning your own business?
Oh man. Asking for help for sure - I’m stubborn as can be. And learning when to delegate as we scaled. Honestly, it would be quicker to answer what hasn’t been a struggle! But there’s nothing else I’d rather do, and no other team I’d rather do it with. Without Danielle, Trisha (our lead candle maker) and the rest of our team, I truly believe I would have given up on shy wolf long ago.
When you aren’t creating badass candles where can we find you?
I’m a volunteer firefighter in my community (and so is my right and woman and shy wolf’s biggest asset, Danielle), so you can often find me in the fire hall, on a fire truck, or staying fit in the gym. I also love taking long hikes with my dog, lying in my hammock with my journal, or traveling - something I try to do as often as possible.
What is on your nightstand?
A half-full cup of water, some palo Santo, a smoky quartz crystal, my journal, an ever-changing assortment of books, a Himalayan salt lamp and a Strength candle.
Who are your favorite bands/musicians/songs?
The Ramones are my all time #1 favourite - I even went behind my parents back and got a Ramones tattoo when I was sixteen. But in rotation you can find me listening to all sorts of music - lately it’s been a lot of Aerosmith, Noah Kahan, Bring Me the Horizon, Fleetwood Mac, 90s country music and whatever my Apple Music custom station throws my way.
Want to know what Shy Wolf candle is perfect for you?
