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

Hi Janeen, what do you attribute your success to?
The story of our brand and telling that story.

What should our readers know about your business?
I think what sets us apart from other candle companies is the story of how Koko’s Candles was formed. Our candles are not only clean burning candles, using soy wax and a cotton wick for a clean burn, but we place a pewter heart in the base of every candle that is hand poured. We had a son that we lost to a congenital heart defect and at Matthews funeral we passed out the pewter hearts. By placing these hearts in each candle, it allows Matthews memory to not only live on, but also to make a difference in other children’s lives. We donate a portion of the proceeds from the candle sales to the Children’s Heart Foundation.

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?
It would be the early October… I would have us stay in North Scottsdale at Desert Ridge JW Marriott. I would take them hiking at Gateway and then take a short 1.5 hour drive north to Jerome and Sedona, where we would stay at the haunted Jerome Grand Hotel. We would grab a casual dinner and drinks at The Hunted Hamburger and then take a haunted tour. The next morning we would raft down The river in Cottonwood, AZ and take in the scenic views and beautiful fall weather. We would have lunch and drinks at Colt Grill in downtown Cottonwood and then do a short hike in Sedona.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my friend and coworker Niki Randall.

Website: Kokoscandles.com

Instagram: Kokoscandles

Facebook: Fb.me/Kokoscandles

Image Credits
Niki Randall

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.