The Bang Candy Company is owned and run by Sarah Souther who is aided and abetted by a couple of wild and wonderful assistants ( namely Ben who is her right hand do it ALLer). In January 2012 the doors of The Bang Candy Company's physical location opened up in Marathon Village, Once the home to Marathon Motor Works where the Marathon Car was built at the beginning of the 1900's now a bustling artistic district. The Marathon building now houses, distilleries, cafes, artists, recording studios, a radio station, custom clothing and jewelry manufacturing and many other craftsmen and women. This amazing duo makes the most delicious small batch chocolate treats (plugging in the Rainbow Bark and the Hot Chocolate On A Stick), along with other goods such as simple syrups, marshmallows and candy.  During my visit to Nashville, I was able to see the workings of Bang Candy Co.  They put a WHOLE lot of love into everything they do and it REALLY is a happy place! Be sure to visit them if you are in the area, they love people!

Monica grew up in an Indian household drinking chai at the age of 2 and then blending teas at the age of 12.  Needless to say, chai was a daily ritual in her home which influenced her entire journey that led her to create THE CHAI BOX. After having kids of her own, she wanted chai to be a big part of their lives too.  Chai brought the family together, similarly to how dinnertime brings families together. Drinking chai is something ALL Indian families experience and Monica took generations of her family's recipes to craft blends that tell the story of various regions in India.  Every packet of chai is hand blended, aromatic and delicious!

Caitlyn is the owner and creator of Lemon Water Studio, located in Astoria, Queens.  She started her small business in 2020 in order to follow her passion of creating and designing handmade accessories, clothing and decor. Sustainability is very important to her and she strives to incorporate earth friendly packaging through compostable mailers, plantable seed earring cards and recyclable boxes.

I came across her lovely handmade earrings on my artist date throughout Astoria where I ventured into many small businesses run by women.  I was inspired by Caitlyn's story to follow her dream, her hustle and her process in creating beautiful pieces.

Her lovely earrings can be found in the 'Feel Pretty' box as well as the 'Feel Pretty 2.0' box.   Both boxes can be found under the WOMEN OWNED section of the site.

They are the makers of Planet Sis! I found this amazing team by wandering the through Astoria while going on an artist date.  Inspired by the community, their story and obviously the NAMES of each candle, I reached out to start a maker relationship. Shenai, Jan and Bella felt that growing up Black and Puerto Rican in a low income community, they didn’t see their unique bodies or voices represented authentically society .  This trio dreamed of propelling their lives forward by using their creativity and charisma to speak to the heart of their community.

Planet Sis takes pride on creating “good for you” products at affordable prices. The goods are cruelty-free and free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, artificial colors, petroleum, paraffin, GMOs.

A message from the sisters:

We respect our planet, our community, and most importantly ourselves.

"At Planet Sis, we are healing the world united as sisters. We put in the work to create a positive platform and community that empowers women to be the most flourishing and influential version of themselves, regardless of their race or economic status. We hope our brand inspires you to radiate love, live your truest self, and heal at your own pace."

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