The Heart Behind the Flame: An Exclusive Interview with Claire of Morro & Co

The attention to detail in your candles is evident. Can you walk us through your process of creating each candle, from selecting ingredients to the final pour? 

Every candle is born from a personal lived experience of myself or someone close to me, and that’s where each one starts. Often, a word sits in my heart for a few months and/or a feeling I want to create. All but a few of our products start with the word first, followed by what that word feel like. I truly believe that is the point of the difference that sets us apart. 

Usually, I first decide on a name. This can take months as I pull apart the word, explore similar words, and dive into the meaning of the word. It’s a big job and probably part of the process I enjoy the most. This process helps me explore what emotion/story/feeling of the candle that makes the process of finding the perfect fragrance a whole lot easier. 

The fragrance process takes just as long as I start backward. I always ask the question, “on someone’s worst day would this fragrance make them feel *insert emotion*?”. It’s hard when I find a combination I simply love the smell of, but it doesn’t fit that candle, but when I find the right fragrance…I just know. All the imagery in my head comes alive and I can see the person this candle is for. Finally, the affirmation is written. 

When I write the affirmation, I picture the person I saw when I found the fragrance and the words come. My own experience helps during this time as I think what I would’ve found helpful if someone gave me this candle. Writing the affirmations is a very special part of the process and to me, it’s like writing an open letter to someone I don’t yet know.

The final step is allowing them to rest. I am VERY specific about the music I play when I pour, and I play over the candles as they set. I think it matters and my husband will come into the studio and catch me speaking positively over the candles, as if I’m putting my whisper of hope into. Intentionally, every step has a purpose and a reason.

As a Gold Coast local, why was it important for you to source your ingredients from Australian companies, and how does this reflect in the quality of your candles? 

I have lived on the Gold Coast since I was 9yrs old, and it really is home. I have grown up here, I have fallen apart here, faced my greatest challenges here and I’ve become my strongest here. The Gold Coast is home. Australia is an amazing country, and this city is so special which is why it’s so important to me that I give back as much as I can. When I support fellow GC businesses and Australian companies, I know I am making a difference in someone’s world. I know what a sale means to me and I love being the reason someone feels that. 

What challenges have you faced as an entrepreneur, and how have you overcome them to grow Morro & Co into the brand it is today? 

Oh, this question made me laugh…what challenges haven’t I had?! Money is obviously a big one, but I have come to learn this isn’t as big of a roadblock as we often make it. It is still a hard one, especially in the early years. For every sale that comes in, there are two expenses to be paid. For me, I stayed in my job longer but with that came other problems.

Time was definitely my biggest challenge in the first few years. Working full-time when starting a business gave me funds to buy stock, but the lack of time killed my creativity and opportunities. The last thing I felt like doing was learning new skills, building a social media profile, or going out hunting for wholesalers on my days off. I took myself out on a date one day and looked at what time I could honestly give the business while I worked a 60hr week and had to give my marriage quality time when my husband was home. When I got really honest about the time I could give, growth happened. In my calendar every week, I had a set piece of time that I gave just for the business and set realistic expectations of what I could achieve from that. I took the pressure off, and I found I enjoyed life in general a whole lot more. 

The other one I wanted to mention is knowing your why. When you’re chasing every opportunity and sale, you can get caught up in saying yes to everything. I’ve learned not every open door leads to good things. I know that my message isn’t light, but it also isn’t exclusive. Everyone goes through hard times in life, some more so but we all know what disappointment, fear, rejection, grief and heartbreak feel like. I’m very clear on our why and who our customer is, but in the early days I didn’t. I just kept trying to keep up with what other candle-based businesses were doing and it never worked. Woven into this is knowing what your personal story is vs your business story – this is one I am still working on. I have come to learn that Claire has her personal story and Morro & Co has its own. The two admittedly are closely linked, but some opportunities are just for me and some for Morro & Co. You get this right and you’re on your way!