Rising Stars: Meet Tiffany M. Griffin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany M. Griffin.

Hi Tiffany, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a social psychologist by training and am originally from Springfield, MA. I originally moved to Durham in 2009 for a postdoctoral fellowship, moved to DC to work in policy for seven years, and moved back to Durham in 2018 with Dariel Heron, my husband (and Bright Black co-founder!) and daughter Elena.

I started making candles with Dariel in 2014 when he and I discovered a mutual love of candles. It began as a romantic couples activity and transitioned into a business in 2019 when I left my full-time position in public service.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Ha! Nothing about Bright Black has been smooth, but there is beauty in the struggle. We’ve never been ahead of production, and there’s SO MUCH to learn. On any given day, I am an accountant, a strategic advisor, a HR expert, a tax expert, a social media manager, a production manager, a fulfillment manager, an advertising executive, you name it! Wearing so many hats and the need to pivot constantly has been very challenging. And of course, navigating the turbulent waters of COVID-19 has been a beast.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I consider myself a creative and social entrepreneur, as well as a scent artist. I use scent as an artistic medium to tell stories about the beauty and brilliance of Blackness. For me, scent is everything. It forges connection, invokes memories, creates a mood. Scent is incredibly powerful and can be just as moving, if not more moving, than a painting, a beautiful piece of music, or a deliciously composed dish. I’d also love to share that our second collection, Genres, an ode to Black music, releases this Fall 2021. We are beyond excited! Together, with our first collection, Diaspora–a tribute to cities of Black greatness–these two collections take scent to new heights!

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Such an interesting question. I’m not sure I would frame influences on my life as luck, grace seems more fitting. I’ve worked incredibly hard, and yet, undoubtedly, there also seems to be a spiritual force in my life that creates opportunities for me to translate that hard work into activities and projects that improve the human condition. I feel very, very blessed.

Pricing:

• Discovery Set: $16
• Full Size Candles: $28-35
• Full Diaspora Set: $125

Contact Info:

• Email: info@brightblackcandles.com
• Website: www.brightblackcandles.com
• Instagram: @brightblackcandle
• Facebook: @brightblackcandle
• Twitter: @brtblkcandle