Photography by Kelley Shaffer

When a casual search for a non-toxic candle for her home led to few options Kerry Thompson felt comfortable with, she made one of her own. After sharing her clean candles with friends and family, and they kept coming back for more, she knew she was on to something. We are big fans of MINOT and have been delighted to partner with Kerry on our candle MOOD and the newly released BLOOM and the limited edition BLOSSOM. We spoke with Kerry about running a small business, MINOT's seaside influence, and why her candles smell so good.

When did the idea of MINOT as a business first come to you? 

I remember I was in a hotel in London when I really started to conceptualize the idea for MINOT. My boyfriend (now husband) returned to the hotel from a day at the office and looked at me like have you left this room all day - the answer was no. I was so deep into research and brainstorming what this brand could be that I totally lost track of time. 

What makes MINOT candles special (and smell so good)?

Our clean, non-toxic candles, paired with our unique scent profiles and aesthetic, set us apart. We don't pretend to be the candle for everyone - you will never see me create a sweet scent; I will always have to balance a sweet note like vanilla with some musk or smoke, simply because I don't like sweet scents and I only want to create fragrances that are sophisticated and that I love. 

We create safe, high-quality, non-toxic products that are thoughtfully sourced. Our candles are free from parabens, phthalates, carcinogens, and hormone disruptors. We use domestically sourced soy wax and clean burn cotton wicks that are lead and zinc free. Our small batch, hand-poured production allows for meticulous craftsmanship.

BLOOM by LES Collection x OON

How does your location and community on Massachusetts' south shore influence you and your work?

Our location has had a huge influence on our brand. Our name comes from Minot Light, a lighthouse on the coast of Massachusetts. I was engaged and married with this lighthouse in the background. It's known as the most romantic and dangerous lighthouse - dangerous because of its rocky location where many shipwrecks have taken place and most romantic because its light flashes in the 1-4-3 or I Love You pattern. My love for the water and nature's pure beauty inspires the brand and our scents. I believe that water and fire have natural, powerful, calming effects. 

What have been some of the breakthroughs and challenges of running a small business?

Gaining brand awareness and inventory management have been the biggest struggles for us. I know brand awareness is even hard for larger brands, but finding creative solutions on a tight budget has been the name of the game, and that takes a lot of trial and error. For the inventory piece, we hand-make all of our candles, so inventory management isn't as simple as how many candles you have on hand of each scent - it's more granular for us at the ingredient level. I am still on the hunt for a solution that can automate this for us - we may have a new business idea on our hands! 

One of the pivotal moments for our business was being featured in Tatler magazine and then Glamour UK. Both of these features opened so many new doors for us, and I am so grateful for that. 

FRESH, INVITING, AND A NEW BEGINNING

BLOSSOM by LES Collection x OON

What's up next?

We have two new scents that we are launching this year that I cannot wait for everyone to experience! 

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