Teri Johnson spent years running a travel blog on Instagram before setting off to launch her own luxury candle company. After graduating from Florida A&M University with an MBA, the Houston native set her sights on New York City. Johnson released her first candle in 2014 and now has nearly a dozen scents that pay homage to figures and significant locations of the Harlem Renaissance. Josephine Baker, Langston Hughes, and Duke Ellington each have candles dedicated to them. Her most recent release pays tribute to James Baldwin’s novel “If Beale Street Could Talk.” One of Johnson’s missions is to connect her products with the community. The Langston Hughes candle was even launched in the home of the late poet. Photo: Harlem Candle AfroTech caught up with Johnson to talk about how she brought her creation and vision to life: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. How did you get into the candle industry? I really love beautiful fragrances. I’ve been a consumer of luxury...