Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi Whitfield.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After leaving my nursing career of 11 years, I decided to stay home with our last-born child. After she turned three years old, I knew I didn’t want to be a stay-at-home forever and used this time to reinvent myself as I had no plans to return to nursing. I said if I’m going to get back into the workforce, it would revolve around entrepreneurship and my passion for travel and home decor.
NXT NOIR was launched in March 2022 after 3 years of product development and research. I landed on the idea of candles and global artisan goods (coming soon). I decided to build a brand around culture, travel, and discovery because I believe exploring different cultures helps to build a bridge that unifies us in many ways. NXT NOIR is best known for our airport code candles that are hand-poured in reusable paint cans with a minimal black and white design and bold typography.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been smooth as I’m learning what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and marketer. This has been a huge learning curve coming from nursing but I don’t regret the journey. I’m still learning so much from SEO, online marketing, raising capital, and building business connections; however, the support has been wonderful and I know we will continue to grow and expand.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
NXT NOIR handcrafts scented candles for the home and office. Though we make other travel-themed candles, we are most known for our airport code candles representing various cities in the U.S. and abroad. I am most proud of our partnership with the Los Angeles Mission and every candle sold from our Where To NXT collection (airport code candles) provides one meal to the homeless of L.A.
Though there are many candle brands out there, we made sure to set ourselves apart and be crystal clear in our marketing. We niched down to travel aficionados; yet, our candles make great housewarming and host/hostess gifts. We purposely poured our candles into paint cans so they are easy to travel with and are gender-neutral.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters to me most is to build this brand beyond candles. I hope to partner with organizations in other countries that provide a living wage for artisans by wholesaling their wares to businesses across the shores. I look forward to our growth and our efforts to continue the fight against food insecurities. I’m an immigrant from Jamaica and know what third-world poverty looks like. I realize that in these economic times, many are living one paycheck away and if NXT NOIR can help to combat that in any way, then I’m all in.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nxtnoir.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtnoir/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nxtnoir
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@nxtnoir
Image Credits
Jodi Whitfield
