Meet Kobi Co
Tell us how you got your start?
Kobi Co. was founded in 2020 by 17-year-old Kobi Gregory as a self care ritual to help her cope with the stress of distance learning during the pandemic. (2020 was a lot.) When her candles started selling, we decided to use a portion of the profits to start a college fund—which has since expanded into an annual scholarship we offer to young BIPOC women.
A few months into the pandemic / Kobi’s hobby turning into a full-on business, it was time for Momma to step in and regulate. 😎
Tasha Harris had recently quit her career in corporate finance after nearly two decades, feeling burned out and ready for a reset. She poured herself (get it?) into Kobi Co., helping secure partnerships and retail spots throughout Minneapolis, and growing the company into what it is today.
Throughout every step of our growth, we’ve stayed intentional.
We support independent, Black-owned businesses. We give back. We believe self care is non-negotiable in these crazy and upsetting times, and we want our candles & music to foster a calming, restorative vibe. We want you to be your best self, do your best work, and be the best friend, steward, and ancestor you can be. We are Minneapolis born-and-raised, and you can feel the hometown pride throughout all of our products, our relationships, and our dope taste in music.
Love a young entrepreneur and female founded business! Kobi, what is your favorite part of the maker process?
Seeing and experiencing people's reactions to my finished product.
What inspires you to create?
The need for self-care, our wanting to share our message of self-care and mental health wellness to others.
Love that! Do you have a favorite item you have made?
Kobi- My favorite item I created so far is our #Chillaxin'candle, because the candle playlist is such a vibe.
Tasha- My favorite is #PurpleRain. I love #PurpleRain because it pays homage to Prince one of the greatest artists of all time. And he just so happens to be from our hometown!
What’s a typical day like for you in the studio?
Kobi- A typical day for me is filled with production (embellishing candles, mixing bath salts, etc..., shipping order and fulfilling orders.
Tasha- A typical day for me is handling all the back office responsibilities: responding to customer emails, cultivating new partnerships.
Love the delegation of tasks. What do you love most about Minnesota?
4 seasons, just when you're tired of one of them, another one can show up at any given time!
So true! What did you miss most about in person events now that events are picking back up again?
The energy we receive from our customers! The oohs and ahhs from them smelling our products to discovering there is a curated playlist that comes with each candle!
Such a fun surprise! What will you be bringing to Jackalope?
We will be brining a candle curated just for the event - something mythical and magical to match the Jackalope theme!
That sounds awesome! We can’t wait to see you in person this September 10th & 11th for Jackalope Minneapolis!
Where to see more of Kobi Co:
Website | https://www.lovekobico.com
Instagram | @lovekobico