The Secret Behind Sir Candle Man
How I Built a Life That Smelled Like Me / What Happens When You Say Yes to All of You
Five years ago, I was terrified when my first ever talent agent approached me to sign me. He asked me to be on his talent roster and I said no.
By day, I worked in marketing. By night, I was becoming Sir Candle Man. It started as a creative escape. Something just for me. A space where I could share what I loved without pressure, polish, or performance. It was sacred.
What I didn’t expect was what happened next. Sir Candle Man took off. A little hobby turned into a platform. Then it turned into a community. Then it turned into a calling. I found myself featured in The New York Times, Forbes, the Rachael Ray Show. I launched my own collabs. I built a following of over 400,000 people who connected to scent, softness, and storytelling.
And yet… I still tried to keep it separate.
I finally signed with the agent. When my agent asked how I planned to connect Sir Candle Man to the rest of my career, I said, “I don’t.” Because I didn’t know how. I didn’t know if I was allowed to. I didn’t want to ruin what felt pure. One part of me was the strategist, the executive, the professional. The other part was the creator, the feeler, the man who just wanted to light a candle and make the world feel something.
But eventually, I realized I was making things harder than they had to be. I wasn’t two people. I was one. The same person who wanted to share my favorite scents to light up people’s lives… is the same person who spent years helping creators find their voices. The mission never changed. I just didn’t know it yet.
That mission—for me—is to illuminate. My life, and then others’. That’s what candles did. That’s what fragrance did. That’s what creative strategy did. That’s what everything I’ve done has tried to do.
And that’s what led me to start a podcast.
It’s called Not Just One Thing (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Everywhere), and it’s a career playbook for people who are building lives that don’t fit into tidy titles. For multi-hyphenates. For people whose lives have layers. For anyone trying to bring all their parts together and make it mean something.
In Episode 1 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Everywhere), I sat down with my dad. He’s been with the same company for 30 years. I left mine after eight. We talked about what’s changed, what hasn’t, and how different generations understand loyalty, work, and meaning.
In Episode 2 (Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Everywhere), I spoke with Chris Sawtelle—yes, the same agent who once tried to sign me, and who I said no to out of fear. Chris was the first person who told me, “It’s actually all one thing.” I wasn’t ready to hear it back then. But I am now. In our conversation, Chris talks about what truly makes someone stand out—not their title, but their mission. He shares how defining that mission changes everything: the work you do, the way you’re perceived, the opportunities that find you.
If you’ve ever felt torn between the parts of yourself… if you’ve ever worried that you’re “doing too much” or not doing enough… if you’ve been waiting for permission to be your full self—
This is for you.
You can live a life that reflects all of who you are. You can be creative and strategic. Public and private. Soft and strong. You don’t have to separate. You just have to align.
Not Just One Thing is the most honest thing I’ve made. And I’m so proud to share it with you.
🎧 Listen to Episode 2 here: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Acast
With scent, with soul,
Your bougie uncle,
Sir Candle Man