Black Business Spotlight: Roseline’s Candles

Local candle business illuminates the community

Local candle entrepreneur Roseline Friedrich is the owner of Roseline’s Candles. The candle business is currently online and scheduled to open as a brick and mortar in August 2021 on the corner of Lowry and Central in Northeast Minneapolis.

Friedrich is originally from West Africa. She came to Minnesota almost 20 years ago. “I went to Roosevelt High (2007) in South Minneapolis, and then I went to the University of Minnesota (2012),” Friedrich said. She also attended graduate school in Texas for a short duration of time, before returning to Minnesota.

The business was established two years ago in December of 2019. During that time, “I started making candles,” Friedrich said. She explained that she traveled to New York and stayed at an Airbnb that offers guests a local experience. “So, the Airbnb experience that I did was candle-making,” she said.

When Friedrich came home from the trip, she started working on her candle business. “I started studying it on my own and started collecting jars because I knew that recycling was important to me.” She chose to host a holiday party at her residence, which was a big hit among the guests.

Friedrich recalled, “I had so many jars that I invited people over to my house—we made candles together.” The attendees enjoyed learning about the process and creating exquisite candles. It’s “very therapeutic; it’s fun, easy and so amazing,” Friedrich said.

In January 2020, Friedrich put more energy into her business. She emphasized, “I love making things and I love always being able to do something. Doing something outside of work is what I was aiming for and then it got bigger.”

Her hobby manifested into a successful business. In August 2020 Friedrich officially registered the business and it has experienced rapid success. “I was just making candles on the side for people as a hobby—after that, the pandemic hit and I was super bored so I started to make candles at home,” Friedrich said. Her hard work has paid off and continues to yield great results.

Although business is booming, Friedrich emphasized the significance of hard work and what is required to be successful. It takes “a lot of passion, good marketing, a lot of partnerships, reaching out to other people in the community and seeking advice.” She added, “Just taking a leap year of faith—not being afraid to try new things,” helped her launch the business.

Friedrich is committed to formulating the most high-quality products. All of the candles are 100% soy. “Our mission is to make the world greener by making eco-friendly products. When my customers get the candles, I want to make sure I’m being ethical.” The high-quality candles have recyclable jars.

Important to note, there are a total of 21 candles available, all priced at $20. The fragrant 8-ounce candles are available online and at various locations throughout the Twin Cities. “I’m trying to be in as many places as possible,” said Friedrich. The most popular candle is “Be Calm,” which remains in high demand.

Friedrich is also utilizing her business to give back to important causes in her community. Friedrich shared how the candle business has provided her with the “opportunity to be innovative.” She added, “I have autonomy over what I do and the opportunity to make a difference in my community. When George Floyd was murdered a year ago, I was angry, sad, and confused.” So, she decided to create candles that paid homage to Floyd’s memory. “I made 600 candles for the memorial—I went to George Floyd Square and left candles with his picture on it,” Friedrich said.

Most recently, “When Daunte Wright was murdered, which was right down the street from my house and I saw that he had a young son with his namesake,” she hosted a fundraiser to show support.

Although business is flourishing, the COVID-19 pandemic caused disruption in business. A lot of events got canceled, but she had an advantage due to being an online retailer. “E-commerce really helped us,” Friedrich said. As a result, she was able to fill orders and continue business operations.

Furthermore, entrepreneurship is liberating and inspiring for the owner. “I don’t ever want to work for anyone else and that inspires me to get out of bed and keep working.” Perseverance also serves as a key component toward achieving success.

Friedrich encouraged would-be entrepreneurs and young people to take a leap of faith. “Don’t be afraid to launch—nothing fancy, just wait and see what happens.” She added, “I said yes to a lot of things,” which provided her with priceless opportunities that propelled her business to the next level.

Roseline’s Candles are currently available online at www.roselinescandles.com. The Grand Opening of the brick-and-mortar location will take place in early August 2021. The address is 2430 Central Avenue N.E., Minneapolis, MN. Stay Tuned!