There are very few things I enjoy more than an environment that smells delightful. From candles to room sprays and essential oils to the lingering smell of baked goods, nothing beats a nice-smelling home.
Glowing Embers is a locally owned candle business that is based in Hattiesburg. It is co-owned by Quiera Montgomery and DaMeka Felder. Queira is married to her husband, Kendrick Montogmery, with whom she will be celebrating her 13th anniversary with in August. She came from a hard-working family. Both Quiera’s mother and husband have renal disease. She has a brother with autism named Gregory.
DaMeka is married to LaDarious Felder and has two sons. They’ve been married for almost 16 years. DaMeka was raised in a Christian household, and she has two sons — one who also has autism. DaMeka and Quiera grew up around the same area. Quiera is from McComb and DaMeka is from nearby Summit. Both ladies attended the University of Southern Mississippi where they obtained their bachelor’s degree. They have been in business for one year, but their journey began years before this. Through many ups and downs, along with trial and error, Quiera and DaMeka continue their quest to be a light in the candle-making world.
Both Quiera and DaMeka always had entrepreneurial ambitions. Quiera recounted how she saw many small businesses in her hometown — from washeterias to dry cleaners. She would think to herself, “I want to be like that.” Unfortunately, this small town did not have many opportunities for socioeconomic growth. Longing to utilize her creative passion, Quiera attended Southern Miss where she majored in Art. But life took her down a different path, and Quiera changed her major to Business Administration. Little did she know that this was where she would meet her friend and business partner, DaMeka.
For DaMeka, having clean products is important because her husband has asthma, and her son had breathing problems at birth. Because of this, DaMeka was always very particular about what she used at home. “I want to provide the highest quality [products],” DaMeka stated. Having first-hand experience with family members having breathing difficulties is what inspired DaMeka to consider creating clean fragrances that also smell good.
The two ladies shared similar thought processes. After graduating college, starting families, and the global pandemic, the friends reconnected. Her love for fragrance and candles made Quiera decide to make candles, but she placed the idea in the back of her mind. One Saturday, she went to a garage sale and saw a candle maker. All of the signs were becoming more and more clear – that a candle-making business was the way to go. Again, she placed the idea on the back burner. DaMeka was also thinking about starting a business on her end. Ironically, soon after Quiera purchased her candle maker, DaMeka called and mentioned candle making. This was the perfect sign to start their candle business. “Let’s just start.” These are the words DaMeka said to Queira that officially marked their journey as business owners.
Through trial and error, these ladies were able to curate products that not only smelled “scentsational” but that reflected their Christian values. Their goal is for their products to point others back to Jesus. “He is the one who gives us peace,” they remarked. Additionally, both Quiera and DeMeka have family members who have illnesses. Their passion is also about creating products that are clean and won’t exacerbate any illnesses one may have.
Their faith is the glue that keeps them moving forward with their business. When they are feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of life pulling them at every angle, they remember who they are and whose they are. Each candle they have made represents an attribute of their Christian faith. “Most candles in this line point you back to how to get peace through Jesus,” DaMeka informed me.
I was introduced to this business while scrolling around at the 2024 Pine Belt Women’s Expo. The tent, set up right outside of the front doors, caught my eye and piqued my interest. After picking up a few items inside, I walked back outside and approached this tent. I was met by beautiful smiles, kind eyes, and a warmness that can not be replicated. With both candles and room sprays on display, it was hard to choose from the uniquely scented items. I ended up getting the room spray called “Fig Tree.” I have sprayed this in my home more times than I can count. “Fig Tree” is a relaxing scent that you spray after a long day in the office. Or what you spray on a relaxing, rainy night. Or the morning before church before your friends come over for Sunday dinner when you want people to ask, “What did you spray? It smells amazing”.
While both Quiera and DaMeka love all of their scents, they do have personal favorites. Quiera’s favorite is “Love,” which has notes of gardenias. It reminds her of her grandmother, as she always had gardenias on her front porch. DaMeka’s favorite is “Kindness.” She says, “I like sweet smells, and it has a sweet, peachy smell.” DaMeka states that everyone who has smelled their scents absolutely loves them (I can attest that their scents are incredible). The scent you’ll like best “depends on your individual personal preference,” DaMeka explained.
Quiera and DaMeka are always striving to keep things fresh with their products. Holidays are always fun because they enjoy testing out new seasonal scents. Expansion is always their goal, and they are eager to expand their current venture to making personalized candles for weddings.
If you are looking to reach Quiera and DaMeka, you can find all of their products on their website here.
