Courtney Ikerd and her husband were managing more than one business in the Somerset area of Kentucky when the COVID-19 pandemic began. During the during the shutdown, she had trouble sleeping. But over the course of those sleepless nights, Somerset Candle Co. developed.
Ikerd was frustrated by the lack of scented candles that were nontoxic, so with no knowledge of how to launch an ecommerce business, she began researching the art and craft of candle-making. While some moms who were sheltering-in-place in 2020 learned how to bake sourdough bread or how to read tarot cards, Ikerd studied the components of a candle, from the wick to the wax to the fragrance blends that make scented candles so memorable.
She launched Somerset Candle Co. in October 2020 and has since earned more than a quarter million dollars in sales across the U.S. and Canada. Despite her volume of sales, her candles are still hand-poured in her home.
Somerset Candle Co. offers a range of scents that are made with vegan, phthalate free, and petroleum free ingredients, most notably, a coconut-soy wax blend and sustainably sourced wood wicks. Ikerd's supplier purchases wood through Forest Stewardship Council certified mills, who ensure that forests are not cut beyond regrowth.
Her fragrance blends pay homage to her hometown of Somerset, with names like Cumberland Bourbon Trail and Haney's Appledale Farm. The Signature Collection is inspired by the Lake Cumberland area. Ikerd hopes her candles will help share the history and appeal of her local community.
