“Finding your way doesn’t require having it all figured out.”

In this episode, I sit down with Brittany Whitenack, founder and owner of Antique Candle Co., to explore how her relationship with work grew from early lessons in grit to leading a team of 40 making thousands of candles a day. Brittany reflects on her first jobs, her time at Purdue, and the intense season of managing 70 employees at age 22. She shares the burnout that led her to walk away with no plan, the months she spent reconnecting with creativity, and how a simple candle-making hobby slowly turned into a real business.

We talk about the unglamorous parts of entrepreneurship, including signing her first lease, hiring help for the first time, and holding the weight of responsibility during moments like the 2020 shutdown. Brittany also gives a look into the craft behind her candles, from testing to naming, and why building a caring workplace matters to her as much as the products themselves.

Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro

(02:01) Growing up with grit and hard work

(05:14) Finding her path in college and early jobs

(07:58) Learning hard lessons in retail leadership

(10:58) Walking away and starting over

(13:32) A simple hobby that sparked something new

(15:19) The first steps toward Antique Candle Co

(20:22) Carrying the weight of leading others

(24:29) Trust, courage, and leading through hard moments

(26:23) Inside the craft of candle making

(31:51) Navigating the pace of the holiday rush

(33:29) The honest reality behind entrepreneurship

(35:07) Looking ahead at what comes next

Connect with my guest:

Brittany Whitenack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanytruax/

Check out Antique Candle Co.: https://antiquecandleco.com/

Connect with me:

Ami Graves on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amigraves/
The People of Work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepeopleofwork/

Explore The People of Work: https://www.thepeopleofwork.com/