The Morning Routine Of Vegan Candle Company Founder, Cassity Brown

I’m Cassity Brown! I am the owner and candlemaker at St. Brown & Co. I hand pour natural luxury candles and sell them on my website stbrownco.com and wholesale to local boutiques. I launched my business on December 31, 2020, and have been growing and learning ever since!

Up until Summer 2020, I had been a student my entire life. I studied business in my undergraduate program and have an MBA from Chapman University. I also spent some time in law school, where I learned a lot, but it ultimately wasn’t my thing.

St. Brown & Co. is an expression of my personal creativity and resilience in creating something from nothing. St. Brown & Co. represents a standard of excellence—it elevates the moment with the strike of a match.

What time do you wake up in the morning, and how do you wake up?

I wake up at about 8:00 am every morning. I have a Loftie alarm clock that wakes me up super gently with singing bowls.

How do you like your coffee?

I discovered my perfect drink earlier this year, so I have a super-specific answer for this one! For at-home coffee—I use a venti reusable Starbucks cup, fill it with ice, pour a double espresso Nespresso shot, fill it with unsweetened almond milk, and flavor it with Coffee Mate’s Peppermint Mocha creamer.

If I’m at a coffee shop, I usually go for a vanilla latte (hot or iced, depending on my mood; hot if I’m feeling cozy).

What’s on your bedside table?

My Lofite alarm clock, a Himalayan salt lamp, Aquaphor lip repair, my Hydroflask (by my side 100% of the time), and my glasses.

Do you prepare for your mornings the night before? If so, how?

If I do prep for the mornings, I usually just clean my house. It’s always nice to come downstairs to a living room and kitchen that’s not a disaster. One less thing to think about in the morning!

What are your skincare/body care rituals?

I dry brush for circulation, ice roll my face to reduce puffiness using The Skinny Confidential Hot Mess Ice Roller (an investment, but game-changing), and I take freezing cold showers to wake myself up.

What does your morning routine flow look like?

I wake up with my Loftie, meditate using the Core Meditation Trainer, get some movement in, and listen to a podcast while I get ready for the day. This is an ideal situation—a lot of the time, I frantically bolt out of bed, get ready, and leave. But even on the frantic days, I still listen to a podcast while bolting to get ready!

The podcasts I have on repeat are The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, 6 Figure Influencer, and Entreprenista.

I classify it as a successful morning routine flow if I’ve taken time to center myself and think about nothing. A moment for myself before I start responding to the day.

When do you kick off your workday? And do you have any starting-work rituals?

I typically start working at about 10:00 am. I’m not a morning person, so it takes me a minute to come alive and start being a boss. Post-coffee, I like to light a St. Brown & Co. candle as a transitional action—like, “Okay, now we’re in a workflow.”

How does your morning routine change on the weekends?

My morning routine generally goes out the window on the weekends! If I don’t have anything scheduled on the weekends, I will usually let myself sleep in, spend time with my dog, and make a slow breakfast and enjoy the morning. I like to listen to music instead of a podcast or TV. And maybe even read a book for leisure!

What does your mindset look like at the beginning of the day? Do you have any tips or tools for getting in a good mindset?

If I take time for myself to slow down and don’t immediately start responding to the day in the morning, my mindset is calm and focused. To get in this headspace, I either meditate or take a freezing cold shower. I prioritize getting into this mindset if I know I have something important to take care of that day.

Sometimes, if there’s nothing critical happening, I let myself relax. I’m not at a point where I’m sharp and ready to go every single day, and I think that’s okay. But I do acknowledge when I’m “in the zone” and take full advantage of that headspace and crank out critical work.

What’s non-negotiable vs. what does an extra-luxurious morning look like?

Coffee and listening to a podcast are non-negotiables. Podcasts while I get ready allow my brain to focus on something while keeping my thoughts from wandering to my to-do list.

An extra-luxe morning would probably be taking myself to a coffee shop to work. When I go to a coffee shop to work, I allow myself about 30-minutes to enjoy my coffee and avocado toast before diving into my tasks.

What would you like to improve with your mornings?

Not pressing the snooze button!

What’s your #1 recommendation to others who struggle with mornings?

As a person who struggles with mornings, I’d say have something to look forward to. It always helps me get out of bed or press snooze a little less when I have something exciting on the agenda.

And not scheduling meetings too early. I personally don’t schedule anything earlier than 10:00 am. I know myself and I know I want to show up as my best self! And that definitely won’t be at an 8:00 am meeting.