This month meet Debbi of do good adventures from here in Fargo, ND! You can catch our Fargo Monthly article featuring Debbi here otherwise read on below for the full extended interview!
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I am a wife and mother of three daughters. My oldest got married last summer so I now also have a son-in-law. I grew up in Grand Forks but have lived in Fargo for the past 8 years. I am a high school counselor (for the past 15 years). My husband and I enjoy traveling, time at my parents’ lake home and working out at Orangetheory Fitness. In addition to candle-making, I also enjoy photography, making farmhouse signs, and baking cakes and cupcakes. I am on a mission to get the perfectly smooth frosted cake!
Describe what you make under do good adventures.
I am a candle maker. Our candles are made of natural soy, fragrance oils and are hand-poured in small batches. We carry three sizes of mason jars – 10 ounce, 3 ounce and 1.5 ounce. I don’t add coloring to candles so the product is very clean in appearance and in its burn.
Where did your name come from?
The name “do good” came together from a few different sources. First, as a school counselor, character is an important part of my job and doing good is an important character trait to help students develop. It is such a simple, basic concept for how we should live our lives and an easy goal to have – just do good. If people can just try to “do good” in their daily lives, imagine what an amazing place this world could be!? Personally, the phrase makes me think of the person that I want to be, contemplate how I can make an impact today, and explore ways that I can make a difference in the world. Secondly, my daughters and I are members of a sorority that has “do good” as its motto so it is something that connects us. Finally, “d.o.” are my initials – so it all just played together for a business name.
What is one of your most favorite scents you have done?
I started with a lot of holiday scents and there is something about a candle at Christmas time that is so enticing! For this reason, I really like our “o christmas tree!” scent. One of our classic year round scents is “ginger basil”. This is my go-to candle – it’s clean, crisp, calming and makes me happy!
Any scents you’ve tried that haven’t worked so great?
Yes! I tried a lemon verbena and coconut combination that was not pleasant! I’ve also been playing with some more masculine scents and am having a hard time finding the right combination.
How did you get into candlemaking?
My oldest daughter, Abby, got married last summer. I made 3 ounce jelly jar candles for each place setting at the reception. I researched products and the process and loved all of it. The candles were a huge hit at the reception and a conversation piece the whole night. There were various scents at each table and our guests loved sharing and swapping. They were The whole experience was just fun and I wanted to do more. So I made some fall scents, opened an online store and started sharing candles with my friends. This led to the holiday season, more scents, a few events and things have just continued to grow from there.
What are your most essential tools?
Wax, wax melter, fragrance oils, candy thermometers, pouring pitches and jars.
What is a word that best describes you?
Passionate.
What has been the most rewarding thing about doing your business?
I love when people walk up to our booth, smell a candle and smile and say things like “this reminds me of the road driving into my grandma’s house”. Scents are connected to memories and experiences and when a candle helps bring that memory back for someone, it is really special to watch. Another scent that does that a lot is “baby’s nursery”. Young moms carrying their baby and older moms (like me) smile because there is nothing like the smell of a baby that has just been bathed and is all snuggled up in a towel! It invokes so many memories and emotions.
Most challenging thing?
The most challenging part for me is not enough time. Balancing do good adventures with my full-time job has been tough. Because I work in a school, I am blessed to have the summer off and I am excited to spend more time on do good adventures to see what other possibilities are out there.
Where can people find your work this summer?
I am currently not scheduled for any other events until Eco Chic’s Fall Market in September. You can find my products online (www.dogood-adventures.com) and at Unglued Market, Grateful Cratefulls, Iconic Style + Home, and Market on 4th (Minot).
Website/etsy:
What is something (anything!) you are looking forward to this summer?
Spending more time on do good adventures, reading for fun, and visiting my daughter and son-in-law in Michigan.
How can our community help your business grow?
I have been blown away by the support our community has for local makers and craft events. Keep supporting local businesses and vendors! So many people love buying locally made products and this is the greatest way to help all of us with our dreams and goals!