Anjannette & Torrie Dreier are #MadeForKnoxville.

 Anjannette and Torrie started making candles to meet a need for wedding favors and fundraisers. When they realized there was a demand for their candle craft, they followed the flame and never looked back.

The pair created 865 Candle Company to fuel that demand, and today they’re creating small batches of handcrafted soy candle products in Knoxville. 865 Candle Company is poured into with the same “funky kind of love” the pair pours into their “non-traditional blended” family, and that fact shines through in each product. 

Each batch of candles from 865 Candle Company is molded by that funky love, the volunteer spirit and a whole lot of passion. 

“We have learned that you have to Dream Big but remember to start small…Entrepreneurship is HARD and CONSUMING and full of joy and those tears will fall but tears are okay! We are all Makers of a craft and want to share our gifts with others.”

In Their Own Words..

This all started with our wedding and wanting to make wedding favors for our guests. They were a huge success and people even started messaging us after the wedding asking if we had anymore? Then, our daughter and son in law were in the process of adopting a little boy so we thought a “candle fundraiser” would be perfect. Those candles sold out in about a week. When people keep asking you for more wedding candles or more of the “adoption” candle, you take note.  

We started toying around with the idea of what starting a business might look like, and if we could even really do it. One thing led to another, we got Torrie’s best friend involved (graphic designer and branding) and were able to create our brand and logo. We launched 865 Candle Company in March 2018 and it has certainly grown and we have certainly learned tons. 

We are working to be as ethically sourced as possible and creating sustainable and clean products. One of our goals is to have a recycling program where customers can get containers refilled. We have expanded from making soy candles and wax melts to now making car fresheners, incense cones, hand salve, and room sprays. We have learned so much over the last three years, and it has been an exciting adventure full of bumps in the road that keep us on our toes. 

We have learned that high quality customer service is absolutely key to what you do as a small business. We have learned that suppliers will change and you have to be able to adapt and problem solve daily. We have learned that personal relationships, integrity, and honesty go a long way even if you are hurting yourself in that process because it’s about the long game. Take ownership, be responsible, and people will follow. 

We have also learned that you have to Dream Big but remember to start small. Make sure you have EVERYTHING in place before sending out your final product. 

The other important question would be… “What sets you apart from others?” Find that and goooo!

Entrepreneurship is HARD and CONSUMING and full of joy and those tears will fall but tears are okay!  

We are all Makers of a craft and want to share our gifts with others.  

We want to inspire others to take a leap of faith in themselves.

Fear and the unknown are what stops many from following a dream!

“Oh but my darling, “What if you fly?” (EH)

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