She Means Business: Local candle-making and photography duo inspires through creativity

WARNER ROBINS — When Christie Hall and Dr. Tonya Woolfolk set out to start a business, they weren’t just looking to sell a product, they wanted to create meaningful experiences. Whether it’s guiding people through the art of candle-making or capturing special moments at events, their businesses, Lit Intentions Candle Studio and Forever Moments Photobooth Co., are built on a foundation of purpose and personalization.

Lit Intentions Candle Studio is a mobile candle-making company that provides group classes available to a variety of demographics in home-based events and businesses. In the class, they will walk attendees through the steps of making candles. Woolfolk, a chemistry major, provides the scientific side of candle and scent making, while Hall talks more philosophically, becoming a motivational speaker on the power of living intentionally.

“We set them on a path of 14 days of thinking through how they intend to be intentional as a result of this experience,” Woolfolk said.

Additionally, the company will keep record of the formulas used during classes, so if a customer wants to make their candles again, the resource is there to remember.

Forever Moments Photobooth, Hall said, is a professional setup that caters to various events, like weddings, birthday parties and corporate gatherings.

“We go to the events, usually, and then we’re there at the event to help. We can customize the booth: different colors, your flyer, and things like that. So we have customizable features on the photo booth so it goes with the theme of your event,” Hall said.

“We really make it tailored to the event that they want to have,” Woolfolk added.

While one business captures memories in wax and fragrance, the other does so through photos and events; At their core, both companies reflect Hall and Woolfolk’s belief in creating meaningful, lasting experiences. The intentionality promoted through Lit Intentions was the inspiration for starting the business, Wookfolk mentioned.

“We were talking about just being intentional with things that we do in life. And we decided that we wanted to have this business where we had people come together,” Woolfolk said.

Lit Intentions has been open for about a year. Hall said they wanted to bring a unique experience to the county with a token to remember it by, and reported a successful first year in business.

“For the candle company, we wanted to make sure that we focused on the ‘being intentional’ part. When people get to make their own thing, it means more to them,” Hall said.

For Woolfolk, her favorite part of the business is expressing her creativity while meeting new people.

“We get to hang out with some really cool people. That’s been really fun to get to know different groups,” Woolfolk said.

Hall agreed and added giving back to the community in charity events, like a partnership with Rainbow House, has been fulfilling for her, while both mentioned making memories at any event has been satisfying.

“We did a birthday party, and all the little girls got to take home all of their photos to remember that party with their friend. It was magical; they had such a good time,” Woolfolk said.

Outside of their companies, Hall works for the City of Warner Robins as the Mayor’s executive assistant, while Woolfolk works as the K-5 Coordinator of Science with the Houston County School District.

Outside of their work, Hall and Woolfolk have families of their own. Both admitted that balancing ambition with realistically providing for their families was a challenge in starting the businesses. The photo booth, while also being a memory maker, also helped provide the financial support to start Lit Intentions, and comes alongside the classes.

Hall said while it’s important to consider the potential financial impact of starting a business on a family, having a sense of purpose is important for entrepreneurs.

“Think of something that you are passionate about, and make sure that you’re having fun, because when you’re not having fun, then you don’t want to do it anymore. Make sure that you include something that helps you to feel fulfilled,” Hall advised.

Woolfolk advised entrepreneurs to find what makes their business unique and lean into it when starting.

“That’s one of the things we pride ourselves on. Every time we teach a class or have our photo booth somewhere, people oftentimes may have had a similar experience, but not our experience. So we were intentional about thinking outside of the box and making it our own,” Woolfolk said.

For Hall and Woolfolk, business isn’t just about selling a product, it’s about creating memories that last long after the candles burn out and the photos are printed.

For more information, and to book the photo booth or a candle class, visit forevermomentsphotoboothco.com or litintentionscandlestudio.com.