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Melissa Gallardo, CEO and Founder Bonita Fierce candleswhen the pandemic hit in 2020, she was just eight months into her first full-time job. She began to query her profession selections.
“I quickly realized that I was too ambitious and impatient to climb the corporate ladder, and I started thinking about additional responsibilities,” she says. During the pandemic, she discovered a recent hobby: making candles. As she delved into this recent hobby, Gallardo also began to reflect on what the idea of home meant to her.
“The entire candle industry smells like pumpkin spice, lavender lemonade, and crisp apple. The industry is not growing or evolving, but most importantly, there are no candles containing additives. And I’m on a mission to change that,” says Gallardo. “I realized that Latinos don’t have scents and fragrances that accurately represent them in the home fragrance industry. I wanted to create candles that celebrate, honor and authentically represent the niche Latinx experience.”
She decided to quit her full-time job and focus on using her recent hobby to build a business.
Today, Bonita Fierce is revolutionizing the home fragrance industry. Business grew by 275% in 2022-2023. “In 2024, we have an 80% growth rate month-on-month, and we have not yet reached the peak of the season,” says Gallardo. Candles in popular scents like Abuela’s Bakery, Spanish Moss, and Coquito could be found at stores like Barnes & Noble, Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, and more.
As Gallardo continues to grow his company dedicated to creating premium home fragrances inspired by Latin heritage, here’s the advice he offers to other founders.
1. Take on healthy debt
“Many of us women of color were taught how to escape credit card debt,” Gallardo says. “If you can’t afford it, you shouldn’t do it. Don’t touch your credit card. I wanted to think about other ways to finance the company.”
When Gallardo received a large order from Barnes & Noble, she knew it might be a game changer for the company – a likelihood to proceed expanding into key retailers. “Two-thirds of all candles sold are sold in large retail stores. I knew we would have retail success once we launched Nordstrom. And one of the best business pieces of advice I received was to prepare and understand seasonality. Our best months are in the third and fourth quarters and I need capital for inventory in the second quarter.”
Gallardo got a bank card in January with 0% APR for the first 12 months. By June, when we began financing the Barnes & Noble order, her funds were almost dry. Gallardo says that by using healthy debt, she was capable of scale her business and serve her customers.
“Since I knew we would get paid during the 0% APR period, using a credit card was the obvious choice. And I paid off the bill immediately when we got paid. I hope more founders don’t do this Shame on you and take on healthy debt.”
2. Invest in legal advice from the starting
“I wish I had invested in legal advice earlier. “First-time founders may underestimate how much they need to understand the legal implications to be able to act, make smarter decisions, and ultimately achieve scale,” says Gallardo. “You need contracts and ongoing legal protection.”
Gallardo encourages founders to speculate in legal advice from the very starting: how one can arrange an LLC, acquire trademarks, insurance, copyrights and more; including having your website reviewed by a business attorney. He cautions founders not to chop corners and not realize that what they are creating is a part of their very own mental property.
“As we build Bonita Fierce, I want to make sure we are legally protected on all fronts. I’ve seen other founder friends have to negotiate or settle issues like ADA compliance, trademarks in product names, copyrights on artwork, etc. If you don’t invest in legal advice from the beginning, you could end up paying 10 times more for it in the future. You never know what will happen to you,” he says.
3. Remember the power you have to break stereotypes
“Growing up, my parents tried to protect me from racism in our community. At the same time, I started to feel disconnected from my culture,” Gallardo says. “As a brown Latina who doesn’t speak Spanish, I had a hard time finding my place in a community and in conversations where I didn’t see myself reflected.”
Gallardo wants candles to do greater than just illuminate rooms and fill them with amazing scents. As a founder, she knows she has the responsibility and power to interrupt stereotypes and create a community for those that have felt excluded or left behind. He reminds us that “there is a huge spectrum of Latinos – over 63 million Latinos live in the U.S., ranging from recent immigrants to assimilated, multigenerational Latinos.”
“By building Bonita Fierce, I am filling gaps that I have felt for most of my life. A simple candle really has the power to bring us together and finally feel like we have found community and belong.”
This WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS® this text is a part of our ongoing series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of running a business as a woman.