The Beginning: Sussex Special Candles

I’ve always had a knack for spotting patterns before they form, connecting dots others don’t even see yet. It’s just how my mind works, constantly scanning, predicting and piecing things together. So when I started Sussex Special in 2017, it wasn’t just about selling candles, it was about crafting an experience.

Each candle was designed to transport people to different places across Sussex, England one moment, they’d be wrapped up in a cosy winter’s night in Chichester, the next basking in a seaside escape in Brighton or reminiscing about warm, nostalgic memories in Arundel. I wasn’t just making candles, I was bottling emotions, nostalgia and atmosphere.

Business wasn’t a foreign concept to me, I grew up in an entrepreneurial family and had already had my fair share of experience across advertising, construction, hospitality and tech. But this? This was different, it was personal and it was me, building something from scratch, blending creativity with commerce, turning an abstract idea into something tangible.

Of course, it wasn’t all scented bliss and Instagram-worthy aesthetics. Running a product-based business came with a jungle of logistics, supply chains, stock management and relentless marketing battles, and somewhere along the way, I had an unexpected realisation.

I wasn’t just obsessed with making candles, I was obsessed with building a brand, understanding how people connect with my products, crafting a strategy that made them feel something and solving their problems through my thoughtful design.

The candles? They were just the medium.

What really fascinated me was the mechanics of success how a business grows, evolves and truly connects with people.

And that realisation? That changed everything.

The Transition: From Candles to Digital Strategy

This wasn’t some dramatic career switch, more like a natural, inevitable evolution, it started when I began sharing my experiences and insights in online business communities. Suddenly, people were paying attention, not just listening, but applying my advice and seeing real results.

Then it hit me:

I wasn’t limited to growing my own business, I could help others scale theirs.

So, I leaned into it.

Armed with the skills I’d honed: branding, digital marketing, automation, customer psychology, product design, I stepped into consulting. At first I balanced both worlds, still making candles, but also working with other brands, helping them fine-tune their strategies. and soon the demand for my expertise skyrocketed and I reached a crossroads.

On one side: Stocking up on materials, managing inventory, tracking orders and dealing with overhead.
On the other: a world where I could create, strategise and innovate without limits.

The decision? Obvious.

I let go of the physical products and went all-in on digital strategy and just like that, I stepped into my zone of genius, the space where I could think bigger, move faster and have more impact.

For me, change isn’t something to fear, it’s something to run toward. Reinvention has never felt like loss, it’s always felt like expansion.

Embracing AI & Emerging Tech

My first real encounter with AI as a work tool was in 2020. I started using it to tweak product descriptions, generate social media content, and refine website messaging. My first AI tool? Copy.AI, and within minutes, I knew I’d never work the same way again.

AI wasn’t just making things faster, it was making them smarter and it wasn’t replacing my skills, but was amplifying them, supercharging my ability to spot patterns, predict trends and fine-tune strategies.

But truthfully? My fascination with AI started years earlier.

I’d been following its evolution since 2014, not just with excitement, but with a critical eye. Reading Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom made me deeply aware of both AI’s incredible potential and its risks and the more I learned, the clearer it became:

AI isn’t the future, it’s already here.

I watched businesses struggling with repetitive tasks, inconsistent marketing and outdated, guesswork-driven decisions, things that AI could solve effortlessly.

That’s when I fully leaned in.

Now AI is changing how businesses operate, people learn and how we navigate the world and I’m riding the wave at full speed.

One thing is certain:

Those who adapt will lead, those who resist will fade out.

Lessons & Takeaways

Looking back, my journey has been anything but conventional and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If I had to sum up everything I’ve learned?

Learn and unlearn fast, adapt even faster and stay flexible.

If I could go back and give myself one piece of advice at the start of Sussex Special, it would be:

“Stock-based businesses aren’t for you. You thrive in the world of ideas, strategy and innovation. That’s where you make the biggest impact.”

From handcrafting scented candles to engineering AI-driven business strategies, my journey has been one of evolution, reinvention and stepping boldly into the unknown.

And if there’s one thing I know for sure?

The best is yet to come.