Frères Branchiaux: Black Owned Wellness Scaling Up

Hi, my name is Celena Gill and I'm the co-founder of Frères Branchiaux Candle Co,, a mission-based, black-owned family fragrance company. We're raising $50,000 to help us scale our business and improve our manufacturing process.

We started Freres Branchiaux because we wanted to create a candle company that was focused on wellness and sustainability. Our candles are made with all-natural ingredients and we use recycled materials whenever possible. We're also committed to giving back to our community, and we donate a portion of our profits to local charities that support black-owned businesses and wellness initiatives.

We recently made the difficult decision to scale back our in-house manufacturing and work with an outside manufacturer. This was a tough decision, but it's the best thing for our business long-term. It will allow us to focus on marketing and sales, and it will also free up my time so that I can focus on my health.

I recently had a near stroke, and it was a wake-up call for me. I realized that I need to take better care of myself, and that I can't do everything.  As I lay in the hospital bed with all sortsof gadgersgt and wires hooked up to me, I was forced to reassess my quality of life, my purpose, and my furture. My sons, Collin, Ryan, and Austin Gill, who are also co-founders of the company, are much more concerned about my well-being than building a company. As a family, we want to focus on the wellness of the family AND the brand. Additionally, the structure of our family has changed.  I am now a single mom and have to face some of the challenges of the population that we serve via philanthropy: finding a stable home for myself and my children, building a new community, and finding adequate mental health providers to assist with our family transition.  This will not deter me from continuing to build and scale our family business---it just presents a new challenge that we WILL overcome. 

The funds we raise will be used to add manufacturing partners, hire marketing reps, and hire assistants. This will allow us to scale our business and reach more customers, while also giving me the time I need to focus on my health, provide more availability to my sons (who ARE the Frères Branchiaux in Frères Branchiaux), and expand our product offerings.

Major projects in our pipeline include:

1. Private label for Big Box retailer

2. Exclusive line for Target

3. Exclusive line for international airport retailer

4. Potential distribution with UNFI

5. Exclusive candles for NBA and NFL teams

6. On air segments with QVC and HSN

OUR CORE FUNDRAISING OBJECTIVES:

1. Wellness for All

Freres Branchiaux is committed to making wellness affordable and accessible to everyone. We offer a variety of affordable candle options, and we also offer a subscription service that makes it easy for customers to get their favorite candles and fragrance products delivered to their door every month.

2. Investing in Wellness

The global wellness market is expected to reach $7 trillion by 2025. Freres Branchiaux is well-positioned to capitalize on this growing market. With your support, we can scale our business and reach more customers.

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We truly appreciate your support. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference. Together, we can build a company that is focused on wellness for everyone.

We are so grateful for the support of our backers. We couldn't do this without you. Your support will help us make our vision a reality and bring wellness to more people.

As a token of our appreciation, all backers will receive a free candle of their choice. We will also be sending out regular updates on our progress and sharing exclusive content with our backers.

Thank you again for your support. We are so excited to start this next chapter with you!

With love, 

Celena

P.S. It's ironic that the co-founder of a wellness brand works too hard to take care of her own wellness. But that's the truth. This campaign is a chance to help me change that and continue to grow the legacy that we have built as a family.