Meet Latisha Bender | Candle Artisan

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

Hi Latisha, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson my business Pleascent has taught me is that patience is key!! Sometimes it can feel like things are happening for other businesses or people at lightening speed but for ourselves we feel like everything is moving in slow motion. So it’s important to remember that it’s okay and better that we all move at our own pace.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I believe that my ecologically conscious ingredients and unique candle scents set me apart from other candle brands. When I create candles I like to blend 2-3 fragrance oils to come up with the perfect scent for my products. I also source ingredients from different companies in the US to create my Los Angeles based home fragrance products. I am so proud to be a woman owned, black owned home fragrance brand. There are so many things that excite me about being an entrepreneur but the main thing that excites me is that I offer a candle that is phthalate and paraben free. I wholeheartedly believe in my brand and the quality of the ingredients I use when making all of my handcrafted candles, mists, and diffusers. The road to being an entrepreneur was not easy. There definitely were challenges but I do believe that those challenges prepare you for your future in business. I overcame challenges by taking time out to evaluate what the problem was, find a solution, and keep pushing forward towards my goal. If it was something that was extremely challenging I would take time away from whatever I was doing and come back to it once I was clearheaded. The most important lesson I’ve learned is believe in yourself and know that it’s okay to not be perfect. Also to keep God first! I want the world to know that Pleascent is a home fragrance brand whose purpose is to bring you products that are safe to enjoy in your home and inspire your senses while reminding you to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Omg this is such a great question! lol. So I actually have a best friend named Santana whom I call my sister that lived in Los Angeles but moved to Atlanta. So when it comes to our itinerary and eating we always, always, always stop by Howlin’ Rays Hot Chicken in Pasadena. If you haven’t been there what are you doing with yourself?!? lol. We have to eat street tacos for sure. In-N-Out is a must because there aren’t any in Atlanta. And last but not least we will definitely stop by a steakhouse preferably Mastro’s Ocean Club in Malibu or their Beverly Hills location. Their lobster mashed potatoes are amazing! We always go to a good day party brunch with a mimosa flight! That’s where you can listen to good music, have fun vibes, and delicious brunch. We also love a good bottle of wine. We hang out by stopping by a mall or the beach. Either Santa Monica Pier, Marina Del Rey, or drive along Pacific Coast Highway. Since she lived out here she doesn’t need to see most landmarks that some would but if you’ve never been to southern California some interesting places you don’t want to miss are Hollywood Blvd. to see the Walk of Fame, Getty Museum, Rodeo Dr. in Beverly Hills, the Griffith Observatory, and most importantly the Hollywood sign just to name a few.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to shoutout my loving husband Howard, my wonderful son Cayden, my entire family, and all of my friends. Without them I don’t know where I would be. They motivate me to keep going! My grandmother Momma Bobbie always prays over my small business Pleascent, and tells me that it will be successful. I am so grateful and thankful for the love and encouragement they all provide me.

Website: https://www.pleascent.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pleascent/

Other: TikTok-https://www.tiktok.com/@pleascent