Thirteen years ago, in the middle of a divorce with four young children and no child support, I had no idea how I was going to make it. I was heartbroken, exhausted, and determined to find a way to provide for my family.
Candles had always been a quiet passion of mine — something I loved creating during my marriage. So, with nothing to lose, I decided to start again from scratch, right there in my kitchen.
The First Batch (And the Big Fail)
I’ll never forget that first batch.
It was… awful.
The wax was wrong, the scent was off, and I thought maybe this was a sign to give up.
But something in me refused to stop. I spent the next six months experimenting — every night after the kids went to bed — until finally, I got it right. The wax poured smooth, the fragrance filled the house, and I felt that spark again.
The Street Fair Days
I started small — craft shows, street fairs, anywhere that would have me.
By day, I worked two full-time jobs. By night, I poured candles in the kitchen until the sun came up.
Every weekend, I packed up my candles and hit the fairs.
For months, I did that nonstop — rain or shine. One weekend, it poured all day, both days, and I remember driving home soaked, tired, and thinking, “This sucks. There has to be a better way.”
The Chance That Changed Everything
Soon after, I took my candles — with their terrible homemade labels — to a big shop called Sunsations in Belmar.
I asked the girl at the counter if she’d consider selling them on consignment.
What I didn’t know was that Sherry, the owner, was watching from upstairs.
She came down and said,
“Let me see what you’ve got. What’s your story?”
I told her everything — the divorce, the kids, the late nights, the fairs, the dream.
She smiled and said,
“The labels suck. But I’ll take them. Give me 100 on consignment.”
Three Stores, One Crockpot
After Sunsations, I drove straight to Bungalow Road — they took another 100 candles and actually paid me on the spot.
Then I went to Mueller’s Florist in Manasquan, and they took 100 more.
I suddenly had 300 candles to make overnight — with one crockpot.
So I stayed up all night pouring wax, labeling jars, and praying they’d sell.
From that night forward, the business began to grow. My kitchen turned into a factory — candles covered every inch of the counters and tables.
The kids ate dinner on the porch in the middle of winter because there was simply no room inside.
From Kitchen to Garage
Eventually, I outgrew the kitchen and found a small garage space.
I was terrified — I didn’t know how I’d pay the rent. But I said yes anyway.
Then came an opportunity to do a trade show that cost $10,000 to participate in.
At the time, that number felt like a million dollars.
But I believed in what I was building, so I took the risk.
The $10,000 Trade Show
I thought the show was going to be at the Jacob Javits Center, but when I got there, it was actually out on the pier — with just the new vendors.
I panicked, thinking no one would come.
But somehow, I did okay. I made a few sales and got great feedback.
As I was packing up to leave, a well-dressed woman stopped by my booth. She smelled the Ocean Breeze Candle, loved it, and asked if she could take one to her team.
I handed it to her for free and didn’t think much more of it.
At the time, I had about 10 crockpots and made everything by hand, shipping orders in old wine crates I built myself. I thought I had “made it” — until every single candle I sent from that show arrived broken because I hadn’t taped the boxes shut properly.
I remade every single one.
The Call That Changed Everything
A few weeks later — September 17th, my daughter’s birthday — I was driving to pick up the kids from school when my phone rang.
It was the well-dressed woman from the trade show.
She said her team loved the Ocean Breeze Candle, and asked:
“If I send over a purchase order today, can you fill it by November 1st?”
I didn’t even hesitate.
“Of course!” I said — even though I had no customers, no inventory, and no idea how I’d pull it off.
When the PO came through, it was for 35,000 candles.
I was thrilled. I called my mom, overjoyed, saying,
“You won’t believe this — I got a PO for 35,000 candles!”
It was the moment everything changed.
Where We Are Now
What started as a dream in a kitchen — with one crockpot, cardboard boxes, and a lot of heart — has grown into a thriving business loved by thousands.
Every candle still carries that same spirit of hope, resilience, and love that started it all.
Because Surf’s Up Candle has always been more than just a business.
It’s a reminder that even in life’s hardest moments, you can still create light.
Curious about how good our candles are? click to shop now!