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

Hi Cosondra, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My first thoughts were- Where can I make a change, how can I make an impact, and how can I make it vegan? Then I thought, am I willing to put my life on hold while I set out on this venture? Do I care enough to go through the struggles of trying to make a change and is it worth it? I answered, if I can stop some of the single-use waste in the world, LET’S DO THIS!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
As an entrepreneur and artist creativity and passion are essential. Right now my core focus is ATMOSVU and for good reason-ATMOSVU was founded to reduce single-use candle container waste. Research shows that only 8% of candle containers get recycled and 35 million candle containers end up in landfills every year. ATMOSVU’s eco-conscious Reusable Candle System and Refill Candles in biodegradable containers allow you to enjoy luxury scents as you aid in reducing waste in the candle industry.

ATMOSVU’s system allows for less wasteful candle usage and production processes. An important part of ATMOSVU’s vision is to create luxurious atmospheres with our curated scents. It is our belief that scented candles should smell amazing and also be full-bodied, unisex, naturally colored, cruelty-free and made with vegan ingredients. We use a 3 ultra thin wick design to increase the size of the melt pool to maximize scent throw and reduce sooting and smoke. We will never use colorants or dyes. Most colorants and dyes are environmentally damaging, not cruelty-free, not vegan, and a waste of resources.

ATMOSVU‘s vision is to create luxurious atmospheres with our curated scents and modern minimalist design. We see candle-making as an art form and believe that the relationship between our sense of smell and associated memories are unique to each and every one of us. Every day is a chance to build more unforgettable beautiful moments and we are grateful to be a part of that.

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?
Check out Sugar Taco for amazing tacos, Montys Good Burger for a delicious juicy burger, Wolfie’s Hot Chicken to satisfy your lust of spice, Shojin for mouthwatering vegan sushi creations, Cinnaholic for something sweet at the end of the night, Nic’s on Beverly for a nightcap in their garden of eden, and the Vegan Street Fair to try some of the best hand-selected vegan foods you will ever have.

@sugartaco @montysgoodburger @wolfieshotla @shojinlove @cinnaholic @nicsonbeverly @veganstreetfair

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A few female vegan entrepreneurs that inspire me are Miyoko Schinner of @MiyokosCreamery, Tabitha Brown of @kalemyname, Daniella Monet of @KinderBeautyBox, Toni Okamoto Shapiro of @PlantBasedonaBudget, Jade Cheng of Super Human @superhumn and Alicia Silverstone of My Kind Organics.

Website: http://www.atmosvu.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cosondra

Other: http://www.instagram.com/atmosvu

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