In September 1994, we attended our first trade show in Charlotte, North Carolina—and it immediately became clear that candles were outselling all of our other product offerings. It was only natural that we focused on this category.
Q: What were your initial goals?
A: To create uniquely designed products and make a difference in the industry. And for our business to become a big success!
Q: Describe yourself and your family. What is your background and how does it relate to your company?
A: Now we are a family of four, with two boys ages seven and five. David and I were both born and raised in China. When I was growing up I was sent to a boarding school where I received the best possible foreign language education available in the country to prepare me to become a diplomat. My language skills and cultural understanding have helped me to build a multi-million dollar business here in the United States. Today it is very important to me to give back to the community and to enable children here and in China to receive high quality foreign language education from an early age. It is something that is very dear to my heart and that I invest both time and resources in.
Our Chinese backgrounds have also played an important role in Chesapeake Bay Candle’s success story. From the very beginning we have sourced our product offerings in Asia and later on we were able to build our own manufacturing operations. We were one of the few US companies that built an advanced research and design center in China ten years ago. Chesapeake Bay Candle’s vertically integrated business model has given us a tremendous opportunity in the market place.
Q: Have you ever experienced an epiphany that changed the direction of your life?
A: I was a student of the class of 1989 at the Beijing Foreign Studies University. All graduates of that year were obliged to perform one year of civil service. I was sent to a factory far away from Beijing where I was assigned a job of monitoring deliveries and pick-ups of minerals. Disappointed with the course my life had taken, I decided to resign from this position. This decision was not without consequences—it really made it very difficult for me to ever find work in the public sector again. At the time most of the economy was state-owned, and my future was at stake. This development triggered my decision to pursue my graduate studies in the United States and later led to the launch of Chesapeake Bay Candle and Blissliving Home.
