Meet Petra Jurova | Owner of AURA Soy Candles

We had the good fortune of connecting with Petra Jurova and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Petra, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The gradual orientation of crafting eco-friendly products has become the stepping stone toward a more sustainable development of our planet. With this in mind, I have been searching for ways to introduce a product that will bring people joy while being mindful of their health as well as the environment. Personally, I am a huge fan of candles and I found myself not satisfied with the choices offered to us in stores. If you truly look into what regular candles are made of and what you are breathing, you will not be happy about it. And, of course, the same harmful chemicals that we are breathing are being released into the environment. Always interested in crafting, I decided to begin making my own candles. For many years it was a hobby that was therapeutic to me. The process of candle making relaxes me and it was something I looked forward to doing after a long day of work. The result was even more satisfying, knowing exactly what the candles contain and what is being released into the air when I burn them.

In early 2020 during the pandemic, with more time on my hands, I became very nerdy about my hobby. I started researching and educating myself about the different types of waxes, essential oils and their health benefits. After many trials and errors, lots of patience and a bit of luck, I was finally satisfied with the result. I was proud of my new creation and was giving my candles out as gifts to friends. I saw how happy it made them but also how many of them appreciated the fact that it is nothing but soy wax and essential oils. Their reactions made me realize that more people are interested in the ingredients of candles and would like to see more local and sustainable options in stores. By the end of the year, I established AURA Soy Candles as a project that is very dear to me. The vision of AURA is to bring people joy while not harming them or the planet. I am truly passionate about the cause and strive to not just sell a product but also educate people about the responsible choices we should make and the benefits of making them.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

I like to say I don’t just make candles, but I make people’s experiences. AURA was built on the belief that scents have the power to evoke feelings and connect us to special moments. I carry that belief into everything I do.

The focus of AURA is to create hand-made candles using strictly ecological or recycled materials while also providing a therapeutic experience. The soy wax, natural essential oils and wooden wicks are all in accordance with the sustainable requirements.

AURA candles are VEGAN, hand-poured in Florida, made from 100% natural plant-based soy wax and essential oils. There are no chemicals or perfumes added, ensuring a skin safe, clean burn. Paired with the crackling wood wick made from FSC certified wood, the life of AURA candles is prolonged to over 45hours of burn time.

All scents are made in small batches to prevent overstock and potential waste. The materials used to make AURA candles are locally sourced, from the wax and oils to the vessels and labels. I keep the ECO-FRIENDLY mindset when it comes to choosing shipping methods and materials as well.

However, what I believe sets AURA apart is the RECYCLING PROGRAM. Being born and raised in Europe, I am used to seeing refill stores where you simply bring your empty jars and refill them with whatever you need. Saving empty containers was just something very normal back home and when I moved to the U.S. I could not believe how much waste people were producing. Then I realized that refill stations were extremely difficult to find, and the concept of reusing, recycling, or refilling was neither people’s main concern nor on their mind at all. My goal is to try and educate people about the benefits of reusing/repurposing. I offer my customers the option to ship back their empty candle containers in exchange for a refill of their favorite scent for a discounted price. Or, one can simply leave the empty container in one of our locations and then pick up the refilled candle in the next few days.

One of the lessons I have learned along the way is to stand behind my values, as it will pay off in the long run. I have gotten multiple partnership opportunities where I was asked to only adjust a couple of “small details” in order to ensure the success of the brand. Perhaps if I had adjusted them, I would have created a more profitable, mainstream brand. However, when I was presented these opportunities, it never felt right and I ended up backing out of them. I am very glad that I did because many of them would change the fundamental principles that the brand was built on. I believed that my mission was correct, and I was always going to do right by the people and the planet and never compromise. Eventually, the right opportunities presented themselves and turned out to be a dream come true.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Fort Lauderdale is where I live and like to have fun as well. I would definitely take my friend down Las Olas Blvd to try the different bakeries and restaurants and walk into a few art galleries during the day. At night time, the scenery changes and the same streets have a different feel than during the day. I would take my friend to a few of my favorite bars like Wilder and show off the gorgeous view of the city from Sparrow. Then, of course I would not forget to spend time at the beautiful beach of Fort Lauderdale but also in Miami. Actually, one of my favorite spots in Miami is right where you can spot AURA candles in a store called Strings. It is located in South Pointe next to Nikki Beach. In my opinion, this area is one of the most beautiful in South Florida. Another fun activity I would plan for my friend would be paddle boarding in the canals of Fort Lauderdale. Exploring the city from the water is a whole new experience that I recommend to everyone. Also paddling and balancing on the board is a great exercise you can do while soaking up the sun. It’s a nice “getaway” while staying local.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I definitely need to give credit to my circle of close friends. I moved to the U.S. a few years ago on an athletic scholarship. My entire family however is still in my home country, Slovakia. Being away from home, my circle of friends slowly became my family. If it was not for their support and encouragement along the way of creating AURA, candle making might have stayed just a hobby. As a starting business owner, I think you tend to have doubts about all sorts of things. Especially when you care, you want to make sure that what you put out there, truly adds value to the world. However, since you are releasing something new, it is only natural to experience some doubts. This is the phase where my closest friends played a major role. Them being a part of the developmental, trial and error stage, while always being extremely supportive was key. When the people who truly care about you and your success give you their affirmation, you get that extra confidence boost that makes the magic happen. I was confident from the beginning about AURA’s mission and the foundations the brand was built on, but seeing my closest people excited about it and spreading the word, just meant the world to me. Especially, in my beginnings, their support played a major role in the success of my labor of love.

Website: www.aurasoycandles.com

Instagram: aura_soycandles