Mei Xu is a Chinese immigrant and the founder of Chesapeake Bay Candle. The company was built in 1990 and now supplies scented candles to Target, Bloomingdale's and Kohl's.
Xu said that she originally found inspiration from Bloomingdale's. She used to work for an exporter of medical equipment in New York.
She said, "Bloomingdale's is where I found my entrepreneurial spirit."
When she started making candles, herself, she used to pour wax in soup cans. Her company has since made candles worth $15 million and employs 50 people.
The warehouse where her production is located is worth $6 million.
Xu explained that women buy scented candles because the scent makes them create a good ambiance at home.
She said, "She likes the ambiance. She wants the house ready for the kids coming home, friends coming over for the weekend or a family dinner and celebration."
"Scents are a big part of memories," she added. "When we smell a fragrance, such as a pumpkin pie or a cookie, it brings back memories from when we grew up. Mother baking at Thanksgiving or your first romantic walk with your wife."
Xu also said that even when the economy is bad, people still want to buy scented candles.
"When the economy is bad, people can afford candles when they can't travel. We see a big surge on anything that has scents like coconut, which reminds them of a tropical island. It takes them somewhere, and we bring it home," she said.
Her company had a spike in sales even before the hurricanes hit. She said, "I hate to say this, but hurricanes are good for business. I'm guessing the ability to provide light without electricity also doesn't hurt. People want to have a sense of normalcy in the midst of chaos."
She was born in Hangzhou and immigrated to the United States.