Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Gomez-Kokkinos.
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?
Born and raised in Austin, most of my career has taken me around Texas as I worked in corporate and government leadership positions. I diligently built my career around school nutrition, operations, and helping federal programs work better. I have always loved the process side of what I do—creating systems, solving problems, and figuring out how to make things work.
But I never really thought of myself as a creative person.
That started to change when I began making candles.
What initially started as something I wanted to explore became a completely different kind of creative outlet. I quickly realized that candle making actually brought together two things I really enjoy: science and process. There is a lot of testing, measuring, experimenting, and problem-solving involved. At the same time, there is room to explore fragrance, design, and the experience a candle creates.
The more I made them, the more I realized candles had always been part of my life differently.
Growing up, I watched my mother, and then later, once I was married, my mother-in-law create beautiful gatherings around food and family. There was something about sitting down together for dinner, setting the table, and making the experience feel special. Even now, when I have friends over for dinner, it is mandatory to light a candle.
For me, candles have always represented comfort. They bring back memories, create a sense of home, and make everyday moments feel a little more intentional.
That connection eventually became the foundation for Mi Madre Candle Co., which I created to honor my mother and the other strong women who have influenced me.
What I didn’t expect was how naturally my two worlds would come together.
I still have my consulting work, helping school nutrition programs with operations, strategy, and processes. And now I have this creative business where I am learning about fragrance, wax, design, and building products by hand.
On the surface, they may seem like very different businesses. To me, they are connected by the same things: people, process, creativity, and purpose.
Today, as I continue building Mi Madre, I think a lot about legacy. I want to honor the traditions I grew up with while creating something new that can be passed forward.
And I want the candles to represent more than a product. I want them to encourage people to create their own moments—to slow down, gather with people they love, enjoy their homes, and remember that taking care of themselves matters too.
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 definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, and I don’t think anyone’s road really is.
One of my biggest challenges has been balancing two very different businesses while still making time for the people and things that matter most to me. My consulting work and Mi Madre are both important to me, but they require very different parts of my time and energy. Add family, friends, and everyday life to that, and there are only so many hours in a day.
I’ve had to become much more organized and, more importantly, intentional about how I spend my time. I have to make room for the people I love and for the things that bring me joy, rather than assuming there will always be time for them. That means saying no to a lot of things, but I’m still learning that balance, and I certainly don’t have it perfect.
Another challenge has been getting Mi Madre in front of people. As a small product-based business, building visibility takes a lot of work. I’ve spent time going to markets and community events to introduce people to the brand, talk about the candles, and build relationships. At the same time, I’m working to grow an online e-commerce business, which requires a completely different kind of effort—photography, website updates, marketing, social media, customer outreach, and figuring out how to get people to actually find you online. I’ve learned one person cannot do it all, and I get a lot of help to get the most important tasks done.
It can be challenging to balance the time and cost of getting out into the community with the work of building an online presence. But I’ve learned that both are important. The markets allow me to connect with people personally, while the online store allows Mi Madre to reach people beyond the markets.
There are also the very practical challenges of running a small business. Costs have increased, and figuring out how to price products, purchase supplies, manage inventory, market the business, and continue growing without losing sight of what I want the brand to be can be stressful.
On a more personal note, this past year also brought a very personal challenge. I lost my best friend, and that loss changed me. Grief has a way of putting things into perspective and reminding you how important the people and moments in your life really are. Creating has given me an outlet during that process. Making candles, developing new fragrances, and working with my hands have sometimes provided a place to focus, breathe, and simply be present.
I’m learning to accept that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Nothing is. I just have to keep moving forward, stay organized, be intentional, find creative ways to work through the challenges, and remember why I started in the first place.
We’ve been impressed with Mi Madre Candle Co. , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Mi Madre Candle Co. is a small-batch candle and self-care brand centered around creating moments of comfort, connection, and intention. We specialize in handcrafted soy candles and offer a variety of fragrances designed for different moments in life—from relaxing and creating a sense of calm, to celebrating special occasions, creating memories, or simply making an ordinary day feel a little more special.
At the heart of Mi Madre is the belief that fragrance can connect us to people, places, and memories. A scent can remind you of someone you love, transport you to a favorite place, or create a feeling in your home. I want our products to encourage people to slow down and create those moments for themselves.
We offer a growing range of products beyond candles, including perfume roll-ons, body oils, shower steamers, and other self-care products. We also offer candle-making experiences, personalized candles, wholesale opportunities, and white-label candles for businesses and organizations looking for something unique and meaningful for their customers or events.
What sets Mi Madre apart is the story behind the brand. It isn’t simply about making candles. It is about family, tradition, memory, and legacy. The business was inspired by the strong women in my life—especially my mother and my mother-in-law- and the example they set through the way they cared for their families, created beautiful gatherings, and made people feel welcome. I also carry the influence of my best friend, whose friendship and impact on my life continue to shape who I am and what I value.
I am most proud of the legacy I am building through Mi Madre. For me, that means honoring the women who came before me while creating something that can continue beyond me. Every candle is a small part of that story.
I also want people to know that Mi Madre is about more than self-care as a product. It is about giving yourself permission to pause, gather with people you love, remember someone special, celebrate a milestone, or simply make space for yourself.
Whether someone purchases a candle, joins one of our candle-making sessions, orders personalized or wholesale products, or discovers one of our self-care offerings, I hope they experience the same thing I have always found in candles: a little comfort, a meaningful memory, and a reason to slow down.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I think the biggest thing I would want readers to know is that it is never too late to explore a different side of yourself.
For a long time, I thought of myself primarily through my career. I had spent years building expertise in school nutrition and consulting, and I never really thought of myself as someone who would build a creative product-based business. Starting Mi Madre showed me that we don’t necessarily have to choose one version of ourselves.
We can have different passions, different businesses, and different chapters—and they can all be connected.
Mi Madre has also taught me that building a business isn’t always about how quickly you grow. Sometimes it is about the people you meet along the way, the relationships you build, the traditions you carry forward, and the meaning behind what you create.
I am building Mi Madre as a legacy for the strong women who shaped me, especially my mother and mother-in-law, and for the people in my life who continue to inspire me. But I also want it to become something that belongs to the community—a place where people can find a scent that reminds them of someone they love, create something together, celebrate an occasion, or simply permit themselves to slow down.
If there is one thing I hope people take away from my story, it is that taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes self-care is a candle, a quiet evening, a dinner with friends, or five minutes to yourself.
And sometimes, taking a chance on something new is its own form of self-care.
I’m still figuring it all out. I’m still learning how to balance two businesses, family, friendships, creativity, and everything else life brings. But I think that’s part of the journey. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
For me, Mi Madre is about honoring where I came from, creating something of my own, and building something that I hope will continue long after me.
Pricing:
- Candles….$23
- Body Oils____$15
- Room + Linen Sprays…….$12
- Candle-Making Workshops……$35-$45 pp
- Gift Cards Available……Various price range
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mimadrecandleco.com
- Instagram: @mimadrecandle512
- Facebook: @mimadrecandleco
