Staci DumoskiIt’s like a scene from a movie: the young protagonist awoken in the dead of night by an idea for business. But that’s exactly what happened to Cassity Brown ’17 (MBA ’20), on the night of Oct. 24, 2020.
“I was fast asleep and awoken by the idea for candles,” she says. “The prompting was so strong, I got out of bed, grabbed my computer and Googled until 3 a.m. How do you make candles? Where do you buy the supplies? How do you start a business from nothing?”
The next day, Brown bought candle-making supplies—though her business acumen was honed thanks to her MBA from Chapman, she wasn’t sure if she would even like making candles. Fortunately she loved it, and set out to launch her new business, St. Brown & Co., on Dec. 31, 2020 – an intentional launch date to end a tumultuous year on a positive note.
St. Brown & Co. operates from a conference room inside her family’s Santa Ana business, Sims-Orange Welding Supply. “We hand pour everything in-house with coconut apricot wax, non-toxic fragrance oil and all of our candles feature a crackling wooden wick,” says Brown. They sell their candles online, in person at the studio and at events. Wholesale and corporate gifting options are available and recently the company launched a fundraising program that partners with schools and sports teams.
“My favorite part about what I do is doing business alongside my family and bringing joy to so many people through our beautiful candles.” says Brown. “Candles are very simple, but can be quite meaningful when given as a gift or purchased for yourself as a treat. I love adding a little beauty to my customers’ homes.”
Currently, Brown is revving up for a busy holiday season. “My approach to the holidays has evolved every year. In 2021, I focused on traveling to markets. In 2022 and 2023, I focused on selling in person at one location every single weekend. This year, I’m focused on corporate gifting, fundraising and a handful of “sip and shops” in private homes.”
She adds, “The most challenging part of the holiday season is maximizing the season without burning out while trying to simultaneously enjoy life.”
An Entrepreneur’s Education
Brown’s education at Chapman has continued to be a powerful resource as her business grows. “My accounting, operations, math and analytics classes were incredibly valuable. I wouldn’t consider myself an accountant, but I do know enough to confidently do my own bookkeeping, analyze my numbers and make appropriate financial decisions for the health of the business. The operations classes taught me how to think about a business holistically. And the analytics classes made me comfortable with excel, which I use for so many different things in the business.”
Her advice for other entrepreneurs is to figure out what they like to do, what they’re good at, and what they can actually sell, then start selling it. “Move fast to get something out into the world, and it’ll evolve as you learn and grow. Learning on the job is the best kind of learning. And keep your eye on the money,” she says.
Recently, Brown was asked to serve as a mentor at Chapman’s Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship, where she is an Entrepreneur in Residence, representing small business and family-owned business. She has also been involved with the launch of the WomenEntrepreneurs@Chapman group.
“It’s a monthly meeting of female entrepreneurs where we learn together, share our wins and challenges, and support one another. It has been amazing to witness the connections being made and feel the support of fellow women in business,” she says.
“I feel like I am carving out needed space in the Leatherby Center for small business representation. It was intimidating to be a small business in a room full of tech startups and finance guys, but I feel welcome and heard,” she says, noting that Cynthia West, director of the Leatherby Center, has been instrumental in fostering inclusivity at the center. “The Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship is not just home for big start-up ideas and venture funding, it is also a space for small businesses like mine or one of my mentees, Meggie’s Bakes, to learn and grow,” says Brown.
When Brown looks back at her time as a Chapman student, she recalls her study abroad experiences — in Germany during interterm 2015 and Vietnam in spring 2017 — as particularly memorable. “The exposure to different cultures alongside academic curriculum was a fantastic way to stretch my perspectives,” she says.
But it was her Chapman professors who made the greatest impact. “Professor Mario Leone was the most influential person for me at Chapman by far,” Brown says. “Mr. Leone was a wonderful example of a strong business person, and a kind person that genuinely wanted to set his students up for success. As a first-generation college student, I felt more prepared to go into the business world because of teachers like Mr. Leone. I’m grateful for his example and hope to serve my mentees at the Leatherby Center with the same grace and knowledge.”
Alumni, you’re invited to showcase your business on The Panther Network Alumni-Owned Business Directory.
