2024 Forty Under 40: Brittany Whitenack

Founder, Chief Visionary Officer | Antique Candle Co.

Brittany Whitenack describes herself as someone with “the unique ability to dream and build intricate ideas or worlds in my mind.” When applied to business ideas and ventures, creative products or shopping experiences, she says, that ability “can be novel and inspirational, resulting in incredibly rewarding growth.” Her Lafayette-based business, Antique Candle Co., has served 190,000 customers and made 1.5 million candles since its inception. In addition, she boasts that she’s created “a fast, fun, and friendly work culture. … I create a great place to work for 40-plus employees while sending out candles to 50,000-plus candle customers per year all over the United States & Canada.”

The passion: “I believe that being an employer and business owner is a vocational project that creates real-time and long-lasting economic and spiritual value to incredible people in a beautifully crafted world.”

Getting here: Whitenack started her career in brick-and-mortar retail management, where the brand and shopper experience was “celebrated and emphasized.” At home, she made candles in her kitchen for fun and decided to start a business from there in 2014.

First job: Sandwich artist at Subway. “I can still remember how to make most of the sandwiches, including how many pieces of cheese and meat each sub requires.”

Givebacks: board member, MatchBOX Coworking Studio in Lafayette

Influential moment: In 2023, when Antique Candle Co. was awarded a Great Place to Work for the third year in a row. The company also has been recognized as a national Top 20 for small and medium-size businesses in manufacturing and production.

Advice: “If you want to start and grow a business, be sure an accounting class is part of your education! It will be extremely helpful in good times and hard times.”•

Check out more Forty Under 40 honorees.