Three years ago, Darian Cook was tired of spending money on cheap candles from Dollar Tree and could not afford to keep buying the more expensive candles from Bath & Body Works. So, she went to Michaels, bought a kit on how to make candles and some other supplies, and used Pinterest and YouTube to learn how to make her own candles.
“I had just moved into a new place and I constantly kept buying candles weekly,” said Cook. “I had an entire cabinet stacked with candles and I thought it would be cost effective if I learned how to make them myself.”
“It started off pretty bad. The candles didn’t really smell like anything and it took me some time to get them right. Eventually, I got them together and after perfecting them, I decided to start my own business and make a living off of it.”
Cook named her new business 12thand Viv: 12 for her favorite number and Viv to honor her grandmother Vivian Cook. The company’s name may seem simple, but the meaning behind it all is the fuel that keeps the flame burning.
Vivian Cook took in her granddaughter after she ran away from her mother’s home. The elder Cook is 81-years-old and has been battling with her health for some time now. But she raised her granddaughter as if she were her own, leaving an everlasting impact on her life.
“I wanted to name my business after her because she motivated me a lot,” Cook said of her grandmother. “My grandmother and I are pretty close. She took me in at one point and I appreciate her for that. I grew a deeper bond with her after that point and it inspired me to honor her. She still calls me to this day to ask how my business is doing.”
Cook’s business partner is her mother, Regina Walton. She invested money in 12thand Viv and began to takeover full operation of the business while her daughter was pregnant and worked. She now makes candles and runs the social media and website for 12thand Viv.
Cook’s relationship with her mother is great now but it was not always like that. Walton is a Jehovah’s Witness and does not even celebrate Mother’s Day. The household was strict for Cook growing up, like not being able to go to parties and homecomings, which put a strain on the relationship between Cook, her mother and her mother’s husband. Cook did not want to be a Jehovah’s Witness and once she was 18, decided to go live with her grandmother.
“It took us a couple of years to back to a friendship level,” Cook said of her mother. “We didn’t speak for months after I left home. It was really hard on us, but I think we got closer once I had my daughter. I got to see the softer side of her after that and we became really good friends again.”
“Not having your mom around can be really hard. And I’m glad she is back in my because I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without her. My business would not be where it is now if it wasn’t for her supporting and helping me. For her to drop everything for me, gave me an appreciation that I thought I’d never have for my mom.”
Signature soy candles are what 12thand Viv is known for, available in a dozen scents, handmade, hand poured and freshly crafted in small batches with the best quality ingredients. But they also make and sell lip butter, room sprays, body polish, body butter, and foam hand soap. With the inspiration of Cook’s grandmother and the help of her mother, 12thand Viv has grown since its inception and encompasses a wide range of organic and unique products that are safe, healthy and make you feel good physically and mentally.
“I would love to get my business into some major retails stores,” said Cook. “We are trying to get stores to stock our product and get our name out here more. Our goal is for our candles and other products to be known around the world.”
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