Melissa Cleland turned a passion into a business and a business into a global success story. As the owner of Lebanon Candle Company, she has grown her business from humble beginnings, to a manufacturing facility and showroom, with candles sold around the world. Hear her inspiring story, lessons learned along the way and whats next for the growing brand.
The Fort NOT Lost in the Woods Podcast is a production of O’Quinn Media. For information on guest or sponsorship opportunities, email tracy@oquinnmarketing.com.
This episode has been brought to you by Nexthome Team Ellis, Security Bank of Pulaski County, TK’s Pizza of St. Robert, and Sugarcreek Farms.
— Automated Transcript —
**Introduction**
Hey there, I see you have found the Fort Not Lost in the Woods podcast. We are so happy you are here. We being me, well, and my sponsors because we’re sort of all in this together hoping that you’ll love this podcast and then you’ll come back week after week and then you’ll fall in love with the sponsors and then when you need their product and service you’ll give them a shot. See that’s kind of how that’s supposed to work out.
With all that said, thanks to my sponsors. Security Bank, Next Home Team Ellis, TK’s Pizza and Sugar Creek Farm. Now, if you’re loving the podcast, please rate it on whatever app you listen to it on. And be sure to share it with friends and family on your social media. You really cannot imagine how much that helps. Okay, enough of all that, back with our guest next. Love you, bye.
**Sponsor Ad: Security Bank**
This is Mike Dunbar with Security Bank of Pulaski County. Times change, technology changes, but one thing hasn’t changed: our commitment to this area. For decades, Security Bank has been right here making decisions locally and putting people first. Because when your bank knows your name, your goals matter more. Security Bank of Pulaski County, local then, local now. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. Online at sbpcc.com.
**Sponsor Ad: TK’s Pizza**
TK’s Pizza in Saint Robert, home of the original hand-tossed King, has been throwing dough in Pulaski County for over 40 years. Although a lot has changed in that time, TK’s delicious hand-tossed pizza has not. Taste our iconic pizza, our delicious toasted subs, mouth-watering calzones, huge fresh salads, gooey cheese bread, and more. At the same little spot we’ve been throwing dough for decades. 743 Missouri Avenue in Saint Robert. Call 573-336-FAST or order online at 336fast.com. We’ll have it ready when you get here. Come on, taste the TK’s tradition.
**Introduction Continued**
Thank you for joining me for another episode of the Fort Not Lost in the Woods podcast. You might notice this sounds just a little different than it usually does because usually we are recording in our studio, but today I’m actually on location at a place that I’ve been trying to get to, well, with a person I’ve been trying to get to for a minute. The place that we’re at is actually kind of a new thing. So I I am so happy to be here at Lebanon Candle Company talking to Melissa Cleland. Thank you so much. I’ve known you for so long, right? How long?
Melissa: Oh gosh. I don’t, do we need to say that?
Host: Do we? Yeah, no kidding.
Melissa: We just we go back.
Host: We go we go back. We go way back.
Melissa: Long time, long time.
Host: I have so many questions for you. I feel like this season of the podcast has been all about interviewing just kickass women. And I haven’t done that on purpose, but it’s just happened. And I don’t know if it’s because there are so many more kickass women in business these days or what. I mean, I remember when I first started running the radio station, I was like 30. I don’t know, maybe something like that. I remember a guy walking in to sell us cleaning products or something. And him saying, “Hey, little lady, could you point me in the direction of the man that runs the place?”
Melissa: Oh my gosh.
Host: Yeah, and I just think how different, I mean, not that those people aren’t still out there. But I just think of how different things are just in that amount of time, you know?
Melissa: Oh yeah.
Host: Before we get to all of that, tell me, Melissa, where you’re from and, um, kind of how you came to the area.
Melissa: Yeah, so, uh, born and raised in the Buckhorn Lake Way area, Waynesville area. Moved up to Lebanon when I met my husband. I don’t know, 20-some years ago. Of course, we live in Sleeper, but we have a Lebanon address, but ended up up here and I just I love the area. I love the area.
Host: It is so beautiful out here. I am actually at her, I don’t know what you call this, your your manufacturing facility, your showroom now, which is exciting or or retail space as well at Lebanon Candle Company. And it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere, but not really because it doesn’t take very long at all to get here. In fact, I arrived like 25 minutes early because I thought it was going to take longer than it actually did to get here. But it’s just so beautiful out here. It’s gorgeous.
Melissa: It is. It is and it’s it’s nice and quiet.
Host: Yeah, don’t you love that? Yeah, don’t you love that?
Melissa: Well, I mean, you know, sometimes we forget to stop and look around. I mean, how many times are for me, like, I’ll be driving and I’m just like, man, it’s so beautiful. But we forget that because we see it every day.
Host: Oh my gosh, that’s so funny that you say that because I just did a um, a blog post about that a few weeks ago about how we stop seeing what’s right here around us and there are other people that travel thousands of miles just to visit it and take vacation here and we don’t even see it. So it’s yeah, that’s so funny.
Melissa: Oh yeah. Well, we travel a lot, you know, we do a lot of shows and stuff. We do a lot of estate a lot. And, uh, more people will be like, oh, is Lebanon, is that why I Naigua? I get that all the time, which is usually followed by like a pretty bad story.
Host: Oh really?
Melissa: They’ll be like, we see three girls naked on the beach. And I’m like, oh my gosh, it’s a river bank, but okay.
Host: A beach.
Melissa: It’s our people. But, uh, you know, they they will say, oh my god, it’s so beautiful out there. And I’m like, really? And then, you know, it is though. We just forget.
Host: But you forget. Yeah, that’s exactly right. So tell me about this long journey to get to I guess owner, operator, candlemaker of Lebanon Candle Company. So what did you kind of start out doing in your younger days? Not that you’re old or anything like that, but.
Melissa: Yeah, no, girl, no, no, girl. Season, baby, season.
Host: That’s right.
Melissa: So we used to own the cheese store and the restaurant at the Hartland Antique Mall, which was Missouri Cheese Outlet. We loved that. Brad did not like it. My husband did not like it as much as I did. And he just came to me and said, I don’t like it. I I don’t want to do it. I don’t like being up here this much. He’s just an honest man. You know, he he’s a very, you know, he looks at cows all day and he’s happy.
Host: Yeah.
Melissa: Cows, candles, and me. And he’s good. You know what I mean?
Host: That’s a great combination.
Melissa: It is. It is. And I mean, there was other stuff that went into that. But we loved the people, but the the whole setup was just not right. So, anyways, we, uh, prayed about it. And, uh, honestly, the next day a guy came in and was like, what would you sell this to me for? That literally happened.
Host: What?
Melissa: I swear, it literally happened. It was crazy. So, anyways, long story short, I found myself needing to do something. I just I have to be busy.
Host: You’re that kind of person, you’re driven.
Melissa: I am just I gotta be doing something. And I wanted to make candles and wax melts. I’d always had. And also, Brad had allergies, which I do now. That’s a whole different story. But at the time, Brad did. And so in researching it and learning, you know, a lot of the reason why people have headaches and they’re, you know, allergies are affected so much is the candles you burn.
Host: Mm.
Melissa: So traditional wax is paraffin wax, which is loaded with toxins. So you’re burning that. You’re burning petroleum oil essentially. That’s why you see that black smoke and that soot. So, that kind of led me into it. And I ordered an a some kit. I I don’t even know if I ordered it off Amazon now. That’s been almost 10 years ago. But I ordered it and instantly fell in love.
Host: With the making part of it, or the sense or?
Melissa: A little bit of both. Um,
Host: Because you’re a creative person.
Melissa: And I’m an odd person. And so, you know, I I the more I travel. I mean, we do a lot of odd sense. We do Cool Ranch Doritos. We do Race Fuel. And the more I travel and the more odd people I meet that like that stuff, I don’t feel so bad about myself.
Host: Right, right. You’re like, okay, I’m weird, but I’m not the only weirdo. I’m looking at a T-shirt on the wall right now that says, I have rabies. And I’m looking at a hat that just says, hot dogs. So, yeah.
Melissa: That’s That’s kind of my personality always.
Host: Yeah, we’re gonna walk through here in a little bit and kind of tell you what she’s got in the store and how you can find it and all that stuff. But I love hearing the story of how you got here because I remember kind of different things that you did, the cheese store and all that. I remember just different things. And then the next thing I know you’re making candles and I’m like, well, that’s cool. I’m fangirling over you a little bit, you know, from that point of view, it felt like the next thing I know, you’re making candles and then I see them everywhere. But it was it was quite a journey, right? To get to stores carrying them and all of that.
Melissa: It was It was. Oh yeah.
Host: I remember the first time I was at, I can’t think of what it’s the the name.
Melissa: It probably was Hy-Vee. We’re at the What was it?
Host: Was it Hy-Vee? There was someplace at the lake that I was and I saw your candles and I was like, oh my gosh. And and I really started to realize how widespread your candles were.
Melissa: Yeah. Well, you know, I started in my kitchen and, uh, I think anyone that owns a business or does this kind of has to have the outlook in their head that they’re going to be great. That’s not to be sound conceited. It’s not. But you.
Host: Well, it’s a lot of work and a lot of stress and you do have to have that confidence in yourself. Yeah.
Melissa: It is. Yes, you you really do. And so, you know, I just keep making and making and at one point I told Brad, I said, I’m making and like, there’s 100 people out the door.
Host: Yeah. That’s what I was going to ask you, so what were you doing with all of them initially?
Melissa: So, you know, we had you.
Host: How did you begin to sell them?
Melissa: Yeah, I think the first thing I ever did was I’m pretty sure we had a fundraiser with our daughter Lexie’s class over at Stoutland. I think that was one of the first things if I remember right. But we had a lot of booth locations. So, you know, going back to the cheese store, we, you know, at Hartland Antique Mall forever. So, we were like, well, let’s go ahead and put a booth in. And it first started out with more of what you see now as boutique stuff and candles. And then as it built, of course, it just went to more candles. But then it was like, oh, this place is opening. Let’s try them. And that was a new connection. And and then there was another place. And then another place. And then a friend said, hey, you should try this booth. And I think at one point, if I remember right, I’d have to ask Brad, but I want to say we were in like 25 or 30 booths.
Host: Do you have to go around like every week and rebuild those or? Oh, wow.
Melissa: Yeah. Yeah, that’s that’s a lot.
Host: What did you and you have so many cool scents. What was one of like, what was the first scent that you realized, oh, people really like this because you couldn’t keep up with it? Do you remember?
Melissa: Um, I want to say maybe apples and bourbon.
Host: Oh, that sounds nice.
Melissa: It is a good one. I have a friend Heather, which I’m sure you know Heather. She she works with Lisa. We talked about Lisa. Yeah.
Host: Oh, yeah.
Melissa: Ellis earlier, but, uh, she really loves that scent. It’s so funny because you attach scents to people.
Host: Yeah.
Melissa: And when I look at that scent, I always think of her pretty face.
Host: Isn’t that funny? And she does have a pretty face. I just talked to her yesterday as a matter of fact. What a small world.
Melissa: And she’s such a good person. But I remember that scent being one that I was like, wow, people really like this. You know what I mean? And and then it was like, man, we can really do something here. And as it went, and Brad got more involved and it got so much with the booths that Brad had to start helping stock. And of course, he’s still at that time, of course, we had cattle. I say we. He does all that. I don’t. But, you know, as time went, he had to become more involved because we couldn’t keep up, which is a blessing. I mean, but the transition of, you know, holding a full-time job and doing this at the same time because I did that for years. I would go, you know, work 40-50 hour weeks and then go home and put 40-50 hour weeks in at night and be up until midnight making candles. I did that for years and years and years. You know, which I’m so thankful for now.
Host: Right, right. It’s that hard work that helps get you where you’re at now, which is so cool.
Melissa: Yes. Yeah, and the outlook that you can get there. I think so many people stop themselves because of their negative thoughts. It’s it’s just human nature, I think to do that.
Host: I’ve done that to myself. I’ve done that to where I started, yeah, I started and and the weird thing for me is I’ve done it when I’ve started seeing success, for whatever reason got scared. Now if if I wasn’t seeing success, I was determined, I was hard-headed, I was ambitious, I was going to make it. But as soon as I started to see a little, oh, wait, wait, wait. What if I wait, no, oh, wait, wait, wait. You know, and I don’t know why. I needed to do a deep dive into some psychological stuff.
Melissa: I think that’s the devil creeping in. Yeah, yeah, I think that’s the devil creeping in.
Host: Yeah, yeah. Maybe so.
Melissa: You know, I’m a very positive person. Even when we have failures, I’m like, okay, we learn, let’s rock, move on. Brad’s not. I feel like we’re just complete opposites, which really helps us and balances things. For me, I always, you know, if something bad happens or we’re struggling, which happens a lot. I mean, it’s just life, you know.
Host: Sure. Yeah, it’s business too.
Melissa: And and Brad’ll be like, uh. That’s just his outlook. You know what I mean? And and I’m always like, man, can you imagine the blessings coming if the devil’s attacking?
Host: Oh, I love that. I love that.
Melissa: You want to hit her first. And then Brad’s like, shut up.
Host: Yeah, my husband, he’ll he’ll get up and say, oh well, I have to go to work and I’ll say, you get to go to work. And he’s like, uh.
Melissa: You’re like them annoying people that when people want to smack.
Host: I know, I know. And then God forbid, we ever have a moment when we’re down. It’s like, see, I told you life sucked.
Melissa: Oh my gosh, those times I’ll get that way and and, uh, Brad will be like, I know. And I’m like, I needed you to be positive. Not jumping in. What are you doing? He’s like, okay, you want to do it again? I’m like, yes, let’s start over.
Host: Yes. Still, yeah. Start over.
Melissa: So, okay, so about 10 years, so you’re you’re you’ve got these booths, you’ve got your candles all around. When did you stop making them in your kitchen and start when did you build your?
Melissa: Gosh, that’s been. Originally, before we were in here, I took over Brad’s shop.
Host: Oh, I bet he loved that.
Melissa: Oh my gosh.
Host: I’m sure that was wonderful.
Melissa: It was it was something else. So, it’s a three-bay shop, which only half of it I could actually use because of course, obviously, we had stuff in there.
Host: Right.
Melissa: No running water, no bathroom.
Host: Oh my gosh.
Melissa: We literally, so when I, you know, make candles, I’m using a pouring pitcher. I’m mixing it in a pouring pitcher. Some makers will wipe it out with alcohol. I actually wash mine. I just for some reason, I feel like I have to. Just works for me. So, we literally every day would just hike it from the shop to the house, wash them, hike them back, put them up. And we did that for years. I don’t know, three, four years. And then.
Host: Wow.
Melissa: Just built and built and built. We put air in there. And when I say we put air in there, it was ghetto. Like, I mean, pieces of installation, duct tape. Brad is a duct taper. If you any woman married to a farmer is gonna be going.
Host: You know about duct tape.
Melissa: It does not matter what they do. They break out the duct tape. So.
Host: That’s right. Duct tape is everything.
Melissa: Duct tape walls with installation and, I mean, it was not the prettiest, but it worked. For me, I don’t care about that stuff. It was all about the making. So, I mean.
Host: Which is so funny because you are like that. You don’t care about that. But yet, you’re so blingy. Like, looking at you right now. You have a ball cap on, but it’s so shiny. Like, I’m barely see your face. Like, you’re so blingy, but you’re so not. I love that about you. I love that.
Melissa: Yeah. Well, I mean, I’m bougie country. You know what I mean? Like.
Host: Yeah, that’s a good description.
Melissa: Right. And for me, it was just like, if I have an outlet to make, this is what it is. With that, when you’re in a limited space and you’re making and you’re in so many stores and you’re growing, growing, growing, I think before we moved over here at one point, we were in over 600 stores with with with different stores and overseas.
Host: How in the world were you keeping up with all of that?
Melissa: I have no clue actually.
Host: How did you So, how did you break into overseas? I’ve always wondered how that works when here you are right outside of Sleeper, Missouri, which if you know where that’s at, you probably don’t know where that’s at.
Melissa: Actually. Yeah.
Host: But you’re right out here kind of in the middle of nowhere. How did you make that leap to get your candles overseas?
Melissa: So, I just think it was a God thing. I really do. So, Autumn, uh, Ride Out works for us. She has for years. She does part-time for us and does a lot of stuff online. And she helped us get onto Fair. At the same time, we had set up at Dallas Marketplace, which is a wholesale dealer where people come from all over. It’s one of the biggest ones. And so, that was a new experience for us going out there. Of course, we didn’t know nothing. Oh my gosh, I look back now and.
Host: Hillbilly, Hillbilly.
Melissa: I remember telling this woman, she had said, oh, I if I could ever come to your store. And I said, oh yeah. And I said, we don’t even have a stop light where I live. And she looked at me and she said, what do you mean? And I could see it in her face. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. But, uh, I said, yeah, we don’t even have a stop light where we live. And so that was an experience. And at the same time, that gained us a lot of new retail customers because they come from all over. I remember these people from, I want to say it was like North Dakota. And they had this old pick. They were so country. And I was like, man.
Host: You loved them, didn’t you? Right off the bat.
Melissa: These are my people. You know what I mean? Yeah. So, we did that. And then, of course, got onto Fair and we just took off on Fair. I mean.
Host: What is Fair?
Melissa: Fair.com is for wholesale purchasing. So, it’s where retailers go. And we just took off. Did a lot more overseas at that time. When Trump got back in and the port fees went crazy. I had to stop shipping internationally on my website. I need to look into it again. But I had to quit doing it internationally because I was getting all these port fees that, I don’t know, I think they got mad and they were like, oh, we gonna get you America.
Host: Yeah, you’re an American. You’re gonna get it.
Melissa: So, oh, well. But it kind of blew up on that. You know, at that time, we were so limited on space, which no matter what you do, there’s never enough space. I know people say, oh, you got a big facility. No, there’s never enough space. But, you know, we had a lot of damaged product and lost product because we couldn’t see what we really had. You’re not quite at the level yet where you’re smart enough to go, we need to take five minutes and, you know, do some inventory. Cause you’re just in a constant. Oh my gosh, I gotta make. I gotta make.
Host: That’s how you know. I gotta make. That’s how you learn.
Melissa: Coming over here, now we have, of course, the front of the building, which is the store, the farm store is what we call it. You know, we have all of our stock in here. And then in the back of the house, where we do our shipping and manufacturing, we have a whole another stock back there. So now we’re able to see what we have, grasp it better. And I mean, we do put inventory into our website, but when you’re stocking 30 stores, you’re running and doing shows every month, it’s just almost impossible.
Host: I can imagine. Well, that’s what I was gonna ask you. So now that you have your own storefront, you also do a big business online. Are you still doing all of those shows? And are you still stocking all those stores? You still doing all of that?
Melissa: No, we don’t do the stores as many. Um, we have here, we have Hartland and we’re in Rusty Rooster on Commercial Street, which if you’ve never been to Rusty Rooster.
Host: I have.
Melissa: Oh my gosh, those girls.
Host: It’s adorable.
Melissa: Yeah, they’re the best. So, and then we’re in Hy-Vee stores. We’re in five Hy-Vee stores and we do stock our Hy-Vees. I say we. I don’t. Brad and Shane really take care of that. They’re they’re phenomenal.
Host: Oh, how awesome is that.
Melissa: They go. I make it, get it ready. I mean, it’s it’s a process. We it takes all of us to get it all ready, but they go stock that and, uh, man, Hy-Vee has been just world-changing for us. It just it has. I mean.
Host: Wow.
Melissa: And they’re so the guy that actually got us involved, his name’s Daniel. And he actually reached out to us and I thought it was a scammer. I was like.
Host: I would have too. Yeah.
Melissa: I was too. I was like, this fool. You know, the Lord’s like, mm-hm. But, uh, because of of, you know, I say this a lot and I think this a lot. Daniel is just such an amazing person. He is the guy’s gonna just do things that we can’t even comprehend. He’s just one of those people. But because of his one decision and and his one motion of reaching out to us, or I guess I should say action of reaching out to us, boom, opened up, opened up, opened up. And then because it opened up for me, I have other friends that I said, hey, I think you could get into Hy-Vee. Hey, Daniel, do you like this? And then another friend, boom, opened up for their family.
Host: Yeah, yeah. And then think about all of those people, now they are experiencing success, so they can hire employees, or they can donate to fundraisers, or even taxes. I mean, it all just gives more and more and more back to your community.
Melissa: Oh, well, 100%. You know, I always see I mean, kind of the same but sidetracked, but I always see people that are like, oh, support, you know, your small family business. Jay, we’re from them big box stores. You know, we all need your support. The big box stores like Hy-Vee, how much food are they putting on people’s table? How many employees are feeding their family because you shopped at a big box store? It’s it’s all around. You know what I mean? It all comes back.
Host: That’s a really good perspective. I mean, I’m a huge proponent of small business, but here’s a really good example. My niece and her husband just opened the Jersey Mike’s in Lebanon.
Melissa: Oh, how cool.
Host: And yeah, and so you see people say, well, that’s a chain. It is, but there is a young couple with a small child who has put everything they own into bringing this to Lebanon. So, yes, it’s a chain, sure. But they made the investment and they give back lots of money.
Melissa: And they’re local workers, their families are getting to eat because you purchased. It’s all around. And I’m I’m for all for small business, too. Don’t get me wrong. I am, but it’s all around. It takes everything. Because of Daniel doing that, I mean, it’s it’s not just my family, but other families are getting blessed too because it just goes down. You know, hey, your stuff would be great there and and whatnot. I just I love that. I love the circle of it all with business. I love other business owners and talking to them and getting ideas and it just manifested.
Host: I love I love their passion. It’s like, when you have a passion about something and you see somebody else has a passion about something that you know nothing about. And then you put your brains together and it is almost like you feed off of each other, you know, it’s just.
Melissa: Yes.
Host: So I have one more question for you, then we’re gonna take a break and I want you to give me a little tour of what you call the farm store. It’s pretty blingy to be a farm store, but I get it. I get it. How much does faith play into the success of your business? I mean, I’m sure you give God all the credit, right? I know you and I’m sure that you do. But on a daily basis, making decisions, overcoming obstacles and pressure and all of that stuff, how much does faith help you get through that?
Melissa: Oh my gosh, a lot.
Host: Yeah.
Melissa: So, I I do not go to church regularly. I probably should. I love Jesus.
Host: That surprises me. Well, you know why? Because you’re one of the most faithful, but not religious. So I see that. I see that actually. That makes sense.
Melissa: I don’t like religion. I love Jesus, but I I hate religion. Not that going to church is bad. We need to. It’s not that I I’m against it. I just have that relationship myself. Does that make sense?
Host: It makes well, I don’t know if it makes sense to people listening. It makes total sense to me because I’ve said many times in private conversation. I don’t know if I’ve ever talked about this on here that I’m not a huge fan of organized religion. And I have a lot of reasons for that. That would probably be a whole podcast in of itself.
Melissa: Oh, a whole podcast.
Host: I I don’t hate it. I’m not against it, but I’m not a huge fan of it. But I have such a close relationship and I’m such a spiritual person. It plays into my everyday life and a lot of people might not well, I’ve got kind of a potty mouth, so people might not really realize that.
Melissa: You and me both.
Host: But I just know you and I know that faith is a big part of it for you.
Melissa: It is. It is. And also, I just think the positive outlook, you know, I say to Brad all the time, because again, total opposites. Brad’s a stressor. I’m not. I roll with it. It and it’s just.
Host: Oh my gosh, just like my husband and I.
Melissa: I think God does that on purpose. It’s like you have to balance each other. But for me, like, even if we have a loss or something, I’ll say, big deal. It’s just money. We’re gonna make more tomorrow. We’re gonna lose it the next day. We’re gonna make more.
Host: Oh my gosh. I just got goosebumps because that is my phrase all the time. It’s just money.
Melissa: It’s just money. I say to Brad all the time. I said, babe, we’re poor. We’re always gonna be poor. It’s just a different level of poor.
Host: You know, when this is totally different, but kind of along the same route. My dad had a saying, you know, I grew up on a farm and when we would lose an animal, you know, you’re sad about it. And he would always say, well, it’s okay as long as death stays in the pasture. Wow. Yeah, which is crazy because my dad passed away three years ago and I remember thinking, you know what, death didn’t stay in the pasture this time and you were right. All those other times didn’t really matter. They didn’t, you know. But I tell myself that. Now I love my critters. So it’s easier said than done. But, you know, it’s kind of the same way, like, it’s just money. You know, as long as it’s just money and we have our health, and we have our friendship, and we have our family, and we have, you know what I mean? It’s just money.
Melissa: Yeah. I’ve said to Brad all the time. I’m like, no one has cancer.
Host: Right, right.
Melissa: No one’s dying.
Host: Right.
Melissa: We’re just still poor.
Host: I can live poor. I know how to do this.
Melissa: We’re still higher level. That’s what I say all the time.
Host: Yeah, yeah, you’re bougie poor. That’s bougie poor. Well, we’re gonna take a quick break. When we come back, Melissa’s gonna give us a a little tour. Now, I realize this is audio. So, I’ll do my best to kind of explain what I’m seeing. But I’m also gonna take some pictures and and maybe a video if she’ll let me and I’ll post it in the Fort Not Lost in the Woods Facebook group. So you can kind of check out her store there as well. So, pretty cool place, Lebanon Candle Company. It’s definitely worth a drive to come out and check it out. So, we’ll be back with a little tour of the store next.
**Sponsor Ad: Sugar Creek Farms**
Looking for real farm fresh flavor without all those extra chemicals and who knows what else? At Sugar Creek Farms your pork is locally raised, hormone-free, steroid-free and antibiotic-free. Stock up now on breakfast favorites your family will love. Savory sausage, mild or sage for just $4.99 a pound, and thick cut bacon for only $6.99 a pound. But only while supplies last. Pick up in Saint Robert. Cash and bulk discounts are available. Message Sugar Creek Farm on Facebook or text 417-531-0483. That’s 417-531-0483 today. Sugar Creek Farms, real food, raised right.
**Sponsor Ad: Next Home Team Ellis**
Around here, home means something different. It’s Friday night lights, early morning heading to post, neighbors who become family, and the comfort of knowing you belong. That’s why at Next Home Team Ellis, real estate has never been just about buying or selling houses. It’s about people. Hi, I’m Lisa Ellis, broker owner of Next Home Team Ellis, and I’ve spent nearly three decades helping families across Fort Leonard Wood, Waynesville, Saint Robert, and surrounding communities move forward with confidence. As a retired military spouse, I understand tight timelines, unexpected orders, and the importance of having someone in your corner when life changes fast. Whether you’re selling a lifetime of memories, or searching for a fresh start, you’ll have innovative marketing, expert negotiations, and honest guidance every step of the way. Because here, reputation travels faster than advertising, and trust is earned one family at a time. Call Next Home Team Ellis at 573-774-4101 or visit us at buyfortwoodhomes.com. Next Home Team Ellis, moving forward with confidence.
**Walk Through Store Tour**
Host: Melissa, so give me a tour of your store here at Lebanon Candle Company. We’re kind of starting out over by the register. I’m seeing a lot of T-shirts and and, uh, hats and things with really, really cute sayings on them. Do you come up like, for example, the I have rabies T-shirt or, uh, just the hot dog hat? Like, where do you come up with the sayings on your on your T-shirts and hats?
Melissa: Some of them we do and some we order in. And and some of them I’ll come up with and, um, you know, we’ll reach out to that person because we press and we can do all that stuff, but you just get so busy that you can’t take care of everything and our passion is the candles and stuff. So, if we’re able to pay someone else to make that and put food on their table, awesome. Let’s go. Let’s rock.
Host: Absolutely. So, I see a T-shirt that says, I hate people in bras. I love it. I love it. I see a hat that says, sorry about my husband. I love that one too. And then, you know, it’s adorable that you have funny things like that, but then you have Jesus is King hats. Sunday worship club. That’s adorable. I love it.
Melissa: Yeah. Absolutely.
Host: Yeah.
Melissa: Tattoos are trashy. That’s one of our number one shirts.
Host: Tattoos are trashy. Yeah. I love it. And every show I have someone come up to me upset about that. And I’ll be like, it’s a joke. And they’re like, oh my god, it’s great. I’m like, okay.
Host: I love it. So, you know, lots of T-shirts and hats and I mean, everything from blingy, girly to not so girly. I I forgot to mention the jewelry too.
Melissa: Oh yeah. Big blingy jewelry. This is my favorite. Trailer Park Pretty is one of my favorites. I always tell people, I’m from Missouri and my grandma’s name was Crooked. We come from a trailer park.
Host: That’s right. I can see I’m gonna break the credit card when we get done here.
Melissa: So, these are kind of all the funnies that I make and I’m most proud of these candles. I mean, I’m proud of all candles, but I get the most joy from people with these funny ones. Yeah. Does that make sense? Like, I’m proud of them all.
Host: Yeah, yeah. Read some of these to us.
Melissa: So, this is one of the best for out of events, what we hear and like our stories. But only hoes can smell this candle.
Host: I don’t smell a thing. I don’t smell anything.
Melissa: So, we’ve got Stripper poles and tattoo parlors. Smells like poor decisions and great stories. You know, this one I’ve actually said this before, being a mom is hard, but at least your kids are good looking. Like, I have said that before. Oh, at least my kids aren’t ugly.
Melissa: That’s right.
Host: These are great gift ideas. Oh my gosh.
Melissa: One of our number ones is hookers and cocaine.
Host: What do they actually smell like, though?
Melissa: So, they’re just a variety of different scents, but the actual scent is on the bottom of them.
Host: Okay, so what she’s reading is the sticker that’s on the front.
Melissa: It’s just a label.
Host: I love this one. Tears of my ex. And then I have a whole menopause line because we are at that level.
Host: Oh my gosh. Yeah, those are adorable. So, you have how many scent candle scents do you have?
Melissa: Um, we’re over 400.
Host: Oh my gosh, that’s crazy. You have So, you have candles, you have wax melts. What are all of these bottles back here?
Melissa: Yeah, so, this is new. Every time we travel, cuz we we travel a lot and do shows and I always talk to other makers. Sometimes. Sometimes they give me a vibe and I’m like, denied. But for the most part, the nice ones I talk to. So, and they’ll they’ll ask me. They’ll be like, man, how did you get this? Or cuz I blend a lot of oils. You can blend your oils and make your own scents or you can just order them in. So, like, for example, a vanilla. You can order a just a vanilla in and use that. But me, I’m just like, eccentric on everything I do and I have to add to it. It’s my personality.
Host: Maybe that’s your success though, because your candles smell I’ve said it before, I don’t know how you do it. I mean, they just smell so good. Thank you. I’ve got one burning in my office actually. Well, I start to say right now, hopefully it’s not burning right now.
Melissa: Oh, yeah.
Host: Landlord, it’s not, I promise. But no, it’s actually a wax melter. And I think it’s like, um, something rock. I can’t remember.
Melissa: 80s rock?
Host: Maybe it’s 80s rock. It’s something rock.
Melissa: That’s a good one. That’s our Oklahoma City scent. All all scents attract things for me in my head. And Oklahoma City loves that scent. But.
Host: Oh, that’s so funny.
Melissa: So, long story short, I went to Brad and I said, hey, maybe we should just start doing our own fragrances and selling it to other makers.
Host: Oh, wow.
Melissa: Which I I get this a lot from people. Are you crazy? Other people are gonna, you know.
Host: Take it, steal it. Yeah, yeah.
Melissa: You know, the world’s really big. We’re we’re on Amazon. We’re online. We’re it’s it’s a big world.
Host: You’re never going to fail because you helped other people succeed.
Melissa: Right. And if if Bobby Sue going to make some sugared lemon and hurt me, Bobby Sue can have it.
Host: Go for it, Bobby Sue.
Melissa: I know, I don’t know who Bobby Sue is, but.
Host: We like her. You have a lot of the wax melters too. I mean, you sell the wax, what do you call them? Wax cubes or?
Melissa: Uh-huh, wax melts. And then these are wax melters. So, this is my new favorite line here. Halloween.
Host: Halloween. If you’re into Halloween stuff, oh my gosh.
Melissa: Halloween’s my favorite. But go ahead and read this one. This is a new candle here.
Host: All right, I’m reading the label on here, so don’t hold it against me. Basic White Girl Season. Pumpkin Spice Everything. Flannel Shirts. Instagram Selfies. And Faking it Interest in Apple Picking. I love it.
Melissa: You know, I had to read that cuz I didn’t have my glasses, right?
Host: I well, me too. That’s why it took me so yeah, so it was so hard. So, we offer wax. We offer like the clam shells to make, you know, wax melts.
Melissa: Oh, you really do. You have it all for people that want to make their own candles.
Melissa: I’m trying to grow it more and, you know, we had our grand opening. So many makers came in and that was my first real experience dealing with like makers coming in. Man, it made my heart happy.
Host: Well, you’re probably their hero because they really, I mean, for people just starting out, looking at what you’ve done, that’s amazing. That’s amazing.
Melissa: Oh, thank you. Thank you. It did. It it filled my heart and just I can give them tips. You’re never too big or you’ve never done something enough to not learn. So, I learn, they learn. It’s it’s just phenomenal. So.
Host: That’s true.
Melissa: Again with the funny stuff. We kind of try to corporate with the hats. You know what I mean? Cuz I’m just I love funny stuff.
Host: Yeah, yeah. There’s so many funny things in here. The more you look, the more you see, oh, I just saw you have candles, Root Beer Float, Sprite, Dr. Pepper. That’s so crazy.
Melissa: Yeah, this this is my favorite one I’ve ever made. It took me over two years to get this one right.
Host: Cool Ranch Doritos. So did you Okay, let me smell it. Oh my god. It smells like my dog’s feet. I know.
Melissa: I hear that all the time. I hear that all the time. But it it smells just like Cool Ranch Doritos.
Host: Identical. How in the When people buy those, do they actually burn them or do they just buy them to show people?
Melissa: No, they burn them. You would not believe what I get at.
Host: They burn them. You like them.
Melissa: I’m getting ready to do a puppy breath. I’m getting ready to do a skunk, which kind of combines. You know, the skunk is puppy breath has that little undertone of skunk anyhow. Kind of musky, you know. But I get asked to make manure all the time. I know and I’m like, you ain’t never been to no farm.
Host: I love puppy breath. Yeah, yeah. So many cool scents. Warm vanilla sugar. Do you even smell this anymore? Are you just so used to it?
Melissa: Yeah, sometimes. So I do a lot of coffee beans and coffee grinds because that kind of resets. Even when I’m making, if when I switch scents, especially if I’m making a new scent, if I don’t have my recipe down yet, I will have to smell coffee to clear because it just resets your palette.
Host: Oh, wow. That’s a good idea.
Melissa: Yeah. And I mean, we try to divide it up in sections like this is Christmas, but we offer a lot more than this. But year-round these Christmas.
Host: Oh, I didn’t even notice that. Yeah, you’ve got them in sections.
Melissa: Year-round it’s available. So, year-round we do Christmas. Year-round we do fall. We do it all year-round because people like it year-round.
Host: I wanted to talk to you before you ever even got this big because I the growth and the way that you just sort of latched onto this and was like, oh yeah, this this is me, you know. I’m just amazed by the growth. What is the future hold for Lebanon Candle Company? Do you have goals and things or are you just kind of just trying to keep up?
Melissa: Oh, no, I have goals. I just constantly think of new ideas. Like, this morning, for example, I literally was Ben, I’m an early person. I’m up at usually three or four and I get started. But I literally was over Brad like to his nose going, I got a great idea. And he opened his eyes and he goes, you always have a great idea.
Host: So, what was your great idea? Are you gonna share it?
Melissa: No, not yet. I want to make sure it was a great idea before.
Host: I want to make sure it was a great idea before I share it.
Melissa: But it’s definitely what we want to transition to out here. We have big plans for out here and growing out here and and not just growing as far as the customer side, but growing with other business owners. I just love it. I bring up the shows a lot because that’s kind of my life. When I’m here, I don’t really leave. I just make all the time. And I’m happy. So it’s it’s not like I’m stuck. I’m I’m happy. So, when I travel and do shows, I get out in the public more. Now that we have the showroom, it’s it’s a little bit better, but, you know, up until we opened the showroom, I only left when we went to events. So, I I reference them a lot. You know, there’s this one girl, she owns a boutique. She’s from Kansas and every time I see her, I just a fire lights up. And it does with everyone, but you know how you just have those certain people?
Host: Absolutely.
Melissa: And every time we come together, both of our husbands are just like, oh, here they are again.
Host: Oh, here they are again. Here we go.
Melissa: Here we go. Yeah. But it feeds your soul when you do go to events and it’s other business owners and like for me, I am really good at, you know, back end stuff, the internet and I sounded old, didn’t I? I was just like, the internet.
Host: The Google.
Melissa: Yeah. That search bar. I’m really good at like, analytics and marketing and so I talk to people that aren’t good at that and then I’m like, oh, you should do this. You should do that. And they’re like, I had no clue that you could do that.
Host: Right. I love talking with people and collaborating on different things when they have a a strength that I don’t have and I might have one that they don’t have. I love that. And that that’s just how you help each other grow.
Melissa: Right. Well, and I think as a business owner, you know, going back to your faith. I think as a business owner that you have a responsibility. When God gives you a a talent and a blessing, it is one of our responsibilities to share that as far as, you know, you look at employees. When you bring someone in and you’re putting food on their table, that is your blessing. But God is working through you, so I feel that. And on the other end of that, if I’m able to do this and grow my business and feed those people, what can, well, go back to Subob or whatever we called it, Suanne, whoever, what can we do by sharing that information with her? And I feel like that’s a responsibility. You know what I mean? To be able to grow other people and then I learn from them too.
Host: Well, and you’re given a gift. I mean, to not share it is greedy and it’s selfish. And we just have sometimes have to get out of our head a little bit to learn that it’s okay to share that. Not only is it okay, it’s kind of your duty. You were given that gift, you know. You took me through the manufacturing portion of the building earlier. How do you you still hand pour your candle, your you’re very involved. It’s not like you have some big machines in there doing all the work for you, right? Tell me about making a candle. What goes into it?
Melissa: Yeah, so we um we actually work seven days a week. All of us do pretty much.
Host: Really?
Melissa: McKinley runs the front and then she.
Host: McKinley has has disappeared since I told her I was going to talk to her. That’s hilarious.
Melissa: So, she does the front. She does a lot of the tie-off. So, it starts with her wicking the jars. So, she wicks the jars for us. And what we do is we just have rows of shelves. And she wicks them all. I think she does like 130 dozen at a time. And then.
Host: Wait, did you just say 130 dozen? Dozen. So, not 130, 130 dozen.
Melissa: Dozen. Yeah, at a time. And don’t ask me to do math. I’m a candlemaker. So, it starts with her. And then I have melting pots basically, but they’re industrial. They’re larger. And so, I’m melting my wax. I usually come out here sometimes four, sometimes three, sometimes five. Who knows? But I’m out here early. I let my wax melt. Then I’m taking my recipe. And when I say recipe, it’s a blend of oils, which I normally just keep it already blended in a jug. And then I’m taking that and adding the colors for it, which is a recipe too, which is so crazy because I have such a crazy memory. But don’t ask me where I put my phone.
Host: It’s so weird how that works. You know, I can remember my grandma’s phone number from when I was a kid, but I don’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday.
Melissa: And that’s crazy. It’s crazy. So, I’m making them. I’m mixing. And then I’m pouring them into my candle jar. I’m centering my wick. They sit. Um, Brad comes behind me, I should say, and he has does all the labeling. He has such an eye. Oh my gosh, he’s so good. He just eyes it, puts it on.
Host: Oh, okay. So, he has. See, it would all be crooked if I did that.
Melissa: Oh my gosh, people are always like, do you use a machine? I’m like, right there.
Host: Yeah. That’s my machine. That’s my machine.
Melissa: That’s my man and my machine.
Host: That’s right.
Melissa: We multitask.
Host: Manchine. You need to get him a hat that says that.
Melissa: So, then they sit overnight. And then in the mornings, I come in, I trim my wicks, I fix my tops because if I don’t fix those tops, like if you buy a candle from me and it has an air bubble and you’re burning that candle, it’s not gonna burn right. So, I have to manually go through and fix every top on every candle we pour.
Host: How do you fix the top?
Melissa: So, I take a heating gun and I’m just kind of melting it, making it.
Host: Okay, just kind of melt it.
Melissa: So, so a little um tidbit, I’ll let you in on a little secret. When it comes to the candlemaking, within the next two weeks, hopefully sooner, we’re gonna launch our own candle making bar out here. Look at your face. I love it. I wish people could see it.
Host: Oh yeah, that’s exciting. I’m very, very excited about it. There used to be a place in Saint Robert a million years ago. I don’t know if you remember that and I don’t remember what it was called, but you could go in there and mix your own scents and make your own candles.
Melissa: Oh, I don’t remember that. It was so long ago.
Host: It was so long ago. And I remember it was in fact, it had to be early 2000s because I was working at the radio station. It was in the Hidden Valley Plaza.
Melissa: Oh, I did not. How how do I not remember that? Oh.
Host: I don’t know how long he was there, but he was kind of a hippie guy and he was super cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you could go and make your own candles. I don’t remember what it was called, but it was really, really neat. So, that’s why I had that face because I always was so sad when that place was no longer there.
Melissa: I am super excited about it. I mean, we have our fragrance oils already for sale. So, when a customer comes in, we’re gonna have our bar set up right here. We’re all this clothing here on this pink thing, which I know people can’t see it, but that’s gonna go on the road with us when we travel for our events because we still do our events and we’ll still have this open. They’re gonna be able to come in, pick their fragrance, pick from different jars they want. They’re also gonna be able to pick from a ton of different labels, including our snarky labels. And on the bottom, you can write your scent, your name and let’s say you want to do a gift.
Host: Yeah, yeah.
Melissa: You know, and eventually what we’re working to is we would love to be able to do candle parties. So, let’s just say a wedding party or even party favors for a wedding. Come in and make them yourself and then you’re able to give a handmade gift without all the overhead and.
Host: How cool. I love it.
Melissa: So, and it’s just fun. And I think people can just be creative as well. And also, it might be good for a maker to come out and make one and see if they like it.
Host: Absolutely. And I know we’re talking about a lot of things that are probably hard to visualize. I wish you could smell this place. It’s amazing. But like I said, I’m gonna do a walk-through and do a video before I leave and I’ll post that in the Fort Not Lost in the Woods Facebook group on Facebook. So check that out and look at everything. We need to find McKinley because I told her that I wanted to ask her a question. And I really didn’t even care if I did, but now I’m determined.
Melissa: McKinley. Come here, Ed. She’s going to hide.
Host: So, um, where’s she at? Let’s find her. We’re mobile, McKinley. We can find you.
Melissa: We’re coming for you, girl.
Host: All right, look, hey, at least it’s not video. It’s just you are adorable. I wish it was video. So, tell me what it’s like to work for possibly is it a for sure thing that she’s gonna be your future mother-in-law or is this just a hope in your mind?
Melissa: It hasn’t happened yet, but it’s gonna happen. Okay. I have a I have a feeling. Okay, come over here closer. Come on. Come on. Don’t make me chase you down. I’m old. I’m old and I’m tired. All you have to do is tell me how much you love your job. It’s great.
Host: I’m letting her off the hook with that.
Melissa: Oh. Actually, and she’s like, I’m just gonna say it’s great. Okay. Well, she said it’s great.
Host: I’m letting her the look of fear on her face. I’m just gonna let her off the hook. But and she’s super great. When people come in, she loves it. She loves people. And, you know, she didn’t really know until we opened up here that customer interaction because she’s never done events with us. But I think it was like after the first or second day she came back and she was like, man, it is so much fun. She’s like, people love it. And you do. You feed off that. Again, going back to me and Brad being different. When I deal with customers, it puts a fire in me. Brad, he gets drained sometimes from a lot of people. Like when we do events, he’s like, oh, he just wants to look at cows all day. That involves but.
Host: I kind of got I understand that too. I do.
Melissa: Yeah, and he loves people. Don’t get me wrong. But he does get drained as in for me. It’s just like, let’s go, let’s go. And McKinley’s the same way. I always say she’s my mini me.
Host: Oh, that’s awesome. How many employees do you have?
Melissa: McKinley, and then Shane. He works full-time as well. Then me and Brad. And then I do have some friends that will come in and help here and there. One of my good friends Rachel comes in and helps here and there. But for the most part, it’s just us.
Host: So, it’s a family affair for now, huh?
Melissa: It is. It is.
Host: I am so excited to see what the next steps are for Lebanon Candle Company. For people that might not be able to get out here super quick and, uh, check it out. Where are your locations around the area? I wanna go do that one more time and hope they can find you.
Melissa: Yeah, so, our farm store here is only open Wednesday through Saturday. So, what I always tell people is Hartland Antique Mall. That’s where our booth location’s been forever. It’s open seven days a week, 8:00 to 8:00.
Host: That’s one of my favorite places. It is great.
Melissa: I know. Man, I had to prep myself. I’m like, focus, Melissa. I know. Exactly. It’s there’s so much there. I in fact, I need to have them on the podcast sometime because it’s amazing.
Host: Oh my gosh.
Melissa: You should. Then we’re also in Rusty Rooster on Commercial Street.
Host: Thank you so much. I’m so glad we finally got the chance to do this. This is phenomenal and I just have a feeling if we did this five years from now, it’s gonna be twice as big and you’re gonna be twice as successful and you’re just gonna keep going because you love what you do. You do it for the right reasons. And that makes all the difference. Thank you.
Melissa: Thank you.
Host: For sure. But again, I realize it’s audio. So, if we have piqued your interest, check out the Fort Not Lost in the Woods Facebook group and I will post a video. I’m gonna do a little walk-through as soon as we get done here. And Melissa, thank you again for doing this. It’s been a pleasure catching up with you. I haven’t seen you in so long. I’ve known you forever, but I just never see you. So, it’s great to see your beautiful face and all the things you’re accomplishing. You’re just a kickass woman doing great things and I love it.
Melissa: Thank you. I love you. Let’s go. Let’s go.
**Conclusion**
This episode of the Fort Not Lost in the Woods podcast is sponsored by Security Bank of Pulaski County, Next Home Team Ellis, TK’s Pizza in Saint Robert, and Sugar Creek Farms, your home for farm fresh pork products. The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Oakwin Media, its hosts, affiliates, or sponsors. Content is intended for information and entertainment purposes only. Thank you for listening.