Evimero Makers: Amanda Roberts, Cherokee Rose Candle Co.

My name is Amanda Roberts.  I am a wife, mother of 2 little girls (Camden, 2 and Reese, 1), and UGA double dawg graduate with a Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Science with an emphasis in Child Life.  I consider myself a Georgia girl, but I was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and lived there until I was 8.  My parents moved my family to Douglasville, Georgia so that my dad could start his business with his brother.  A few years after we moved to GA, I was often at CHOA with my sister who has battled a blood disorder almost her entire life.  I knew I wanted to give back to kids in the hospital setting, but wasn't sure what that looked like as a career. I found the field of Child Life when I was at Duke for my sister's bone marrow transplant during my college spring break. Child Life Specialists help to normalize the hospital experience for kids through play while providing education related to the hospital, their diagnosis and coping skills. To my surprise, UGA had a very successful Child Life program, so I promptly switched my major.  After I graduated with my master's degree, I worked at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta for 5 years, 2 years on the same unit that treated my sister, Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders floor, and 3 years in The Zone where I planned therapeutic programs and special events for the entire hospital. I LOVED my job, but it was very emotionally demanding and I needed a creative/stress relieving outlet.  I learned about candle making when I attended the Pinterest conference in March 2019. I decided I wanted to buy some candle making supplies to make candles for family and friends.  They kept asking for more, so I thought "what if I actually sold these?" I started my small business in June 2019 on Etsy. I attended my first in person events and was in my first two retail stores by the end of 2019. I kept making candles on the side for fun through the pandemic, especially with all the changes that happened at the hospital. Our first daughter was born in 2021 and during my maternity leave, I kicked it into high gear focusing on growing my business.  I grew it to a point where I was able to leave my full-time job to stay home with Camden during the day while continuing to run my business. I've been working for my small business full time since July 2021 and have enjoyed the challenge of being a small business owner and being with my daughters.  I often miss my child life career, but it is true what they say, your priorities shift once having babies! 

The most exciting thing about starting my business has been seeing my products in retail stores.  It is truly a dream come true!

The biggest piece of advice I would give someone starting a handmade business would be to hone in on 2-3 products to specialize in when you start out.  It's easy to think you can do it all and get overwhelmed! Perfect your products by getting feedback from family and friends.  Attend in person events to sell your products to see what strangers think while also identifying your clientele. 

This year it has been a goal of mine to read more books! I've enjoyed a lot of them, but my favorite so far is The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros.

Chai Pear without a doubt! It is the best combo of fall spices and tangy fruit with a touch of honey.