University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa alumna Lana Gronwald is the owner of Jules + Gem Hawaiʻi, a local lifestyle brand that handcrafts clean and natural hand-poured soy coconut wax candles along with other bath and body products. Fueled by her passion for creating, Gronwald founded the company with the hopes of her products transforming everyday spaces and providing a relaxing escape from the demands and pressures of modern life.
In this excerpt of a question-and-answer with the UH Alumni Association, Gronwald explains the origins of her company, the creative process behind her products, and how her college education helped her along the way.
How did studying at UH shape your career?
My BA was in psychology. In my last undergraduate year, I realized that I had an interest in marketing. I was taking a business class to fulfill a requirement and loved it. With my background in psychology, I was drawn to marketing, so I decided to apply for a master’s in business administration and began thinking about starting my own business.
What inspired Jules + Gem Hawai‘i?
I was always interested in running my own business. I was one of those kids who would open a lemonade stand on a hot day, make crafts and sell them to friends, etc. As I was working for a corporate entity, I realized how much I needed to work for myself. I also realized that I needed both a creative environment and to see the results tangibly in my hands at the end of the day. So I began brainstorming ideas for my first business. Candles fell into my lap after my husband bought me a candle-making kit from a local craft store.
What do you love most about your work?
Seeing others enjoying and appreciating what I’ve created. I make candles and fragrance products to help others relax in their homes and intimate spaces. I love candles and it thrills me that the candles I make are being shared with other candle lovers.
What types of collaborations have you done with other local businesses?
We have collaborated with many local businesses in Hawai‘i by creating exclusive fragrances for their brands. Eden in Love boutique was our first collaboration, where we created an iconic fragrance, Guava Eucalyptus, for their store. After the first exclusive fragrance was created, we expanded into a whole line of eucalyptus-blended fragrances for Eden in Love. Another collaboration was with Dolkii, a graphic tees brand. Dolkii is well known for their love for Hawai‘i and their colorful playful designs, such as the Aloha Love Club, Wahine and Mama. We created a Paradise fragrance that was a new blend of almost every flower you can find in Hawai‘i with a little hint of mango and papaya. There are so many other collaborations– too many to mention – that include jewelry designers, hotel resorts and spas.
Where do you draw your inspiration from when creating a signature scent?
From my childhood growing up in the islands. Many of the fragrances we have are fruits and flowers that remind me of home and my family. When it comes to inspiration for creating signature fragrances, those are guided by a general idea of what the client is looking for and their brand.
What’s been the most rewarding aspect of starting your own business?
Seeing our customers use our products everywhere. When customers tag us on social media, sharing their stories of lighting their candles or using other products, it makes me happy. It validates that we are achieving our mission of bringing quality and amazing smelling products to the world! I get really excited when I see our car fresheners hanging in people’s cars across the state.
What was the most challenging part?
The first couple of years of being a business owner, I was wearing all hats. Having to do all the work, especially when growth was increasing at a fast rate, left me with little to no time for self-care. I was sacrificing a lot of time with my family, which I regret. If I could go back and do it over again, I would tell myself to prioritize self-care and still be successful. One of my missions at Jules + Gem Hawai‘i is to remind our customers that self-care is important. When we take care and love ourselves, we have so much more love to give to others.
