What struck me in this conversation with my husband, Craig Melvin, was how creativity shows up in the most unexpected corners of our lives. For Melvin, candlemaking isn’t about building a brand or launching a product. It is about finding quiet moments in the middle of busy days and having something that doesn't depend on deadlines or breaking news. 

In this episode, Melvin shares the early missteps, the science he had to learn from scratch, and the almost meditative rhythm of getting each detail right. But beneath that is something deeper: the memories tied to fragrance, the mission to support cancer organizations close to our hearts, and the courage it takes to create something that feels personal. 

We also talk about what happens emotionally when you share that creation with the world: the nerves, the hope, and the moments you wonder if it will resonate.

What You’ll Discover

• How candlemaking started in therapy and landed in our kitchen (08:55)
• Why giving back is built into the mission (13:20)
• A crash course in wax, wicks, and what can go wrong (14:50)
• The fear of releasing something personal into the world (21:36)
•  Lightning round questions for Melvin (42:54)

Melvin’s story is about more than launching a candle company. It’s about finding a place to land when life feels unrelenting, honoring the memories that shape you, and trusting that creativity can open a door you didn’t expect. If you’ve ever felt the pull to follow a creative pursuit, this one is for you.

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3mrwI3ca_fQ 

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/craig-melvin-27  

Check out more from Craig Melvin and Melvin Made:

Browse the candles: https://melvinmade.com/ 

Follow Melvin Made on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melvinmadeco 

Check out this article to learn more: https://people.com/how-craig-melvin-turned-his-hobby-into-a-family-business-benefiting-cancer-exclusive-11857057

Follow Craig Melvin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craigmelvinnbc/ 

[00:00:43] Lindsay: Oh, what do you think about the thing no one tells you about the importance of finding something that grounds you, just taking the time to be creative, what that looks like. Welcome to this episode. Things No One Tells You.

[00:01:17] He has launched a candle company, and that is what this episode revolves around. But the reality is, what we are really talking about here in this space for the most part, for the next 30, 40 minutes, is really the thing no one tells you about. The possibility of failure about going for it, about how uncertainty can unravel us all.

[00:02:33] The new candle company that he has launched, and also what has become much more than a hobby for him, but a passion, and now a second job. What I have witnessed in the past year of Melvin having this job as co-host of the Today Show is not only how demanding it is, like with the hours that he puts in, but also just.

[00:03:21] I wanna try candles, and. It sort of grew. It started in our kitchen. He would start pouring, and I would find candle wax all over, like my kitchen utensils. And I was like, What is happening? Please stop putting them in the dishwasher. And so, but he was like really getting into it, and it was very cool.

[00:04:03] And so that has actually been really great, and he's got his space, and it is his happy area. He will tell you. And it's very cool to see. So. We are discussing just what this has been like for him, what he's learned, and why this is important, and I hope that you learn a lot from this episode. But here is Melvin, the debut of Melvin made his candle company, and he enjoys it.

[00:04:31] Melvin: I think I'm doing okay so far, but it's early.

[00:04:36] Melvin: Early in the conversation. I'm excited to be a repeat guest. I'm honored.

[00:04:54] Yeah. Like leaning into your hobby. Yeah. And you've done it like you're launching your candle company, a nd that is so awesome. I'm so proud of you.

[00:05:09] Lindsay: Did what?

[00:05:15] That doesn't smell good. What about this, what about, and I would show you things, and you were like, yeah, that's good. You should or you corrected some copy on some of the candle descriptions. Yeah. So you weren't, in fact, I brought you a gift. I did, I didn't. I didn't wanna show empty-handed.

[00:05:35] Melvin: This, for folks who are watching their listing right now, this is the very first. Melvin made a candle. That's, this is the Lindsay. No one has opened one yet. No, you're the first. I wanted, I seriously.

[00:06:01] Melvin: I don't, I dunno if we can light that one.

[00:06:13] Melvin: Very good. That's right. We went back and forth.

[00:06:26] Ignite hope, smell, memories well.

[00:06:32] Lindsay: Like this? And I'm like, what?

[00:06:36] Lindsay: Why this?

[00:06:40] Lindsay: Could you burn it in the box?

[00:06:43] Lindsay: You wouldn't wanna burn it.

[00:06:45] Lindsay: This is so exciting. Oh, this is so great.

[00:06:54] Lindsay: Oh my gosh. Pressure of having your name there.

[00:07:03] Lindsay: Okay. Now you're doing a lot of stuff.

[00:07:06] I've got a picture that we took. We took a picture yesterday at a photo shoot promoting a set of candles.

[00:07:18] Melvin: There's the, we can share that with your podcast viewers and listeners.

[00:07:23] Melvin: That's the picture that we're gonna use to put on the candle.

[00:07:30] Melvin: I show it. Do I show it there?

[00:07:38] Melvin: Well, you can light the candle, but again, I think that's alright. I mean, it's not a cheap candle, so you have to

[00:07:48] Melvin: Well, sweet. I didn't know. This is like an early gift exchange.

[00:08:00] Melvin: I don't think people are, people, watching and listening to this right now, watching me opening a gif. You think I hope not.

[00:08:15] Lindsay: Very long matches.

[00:08:17] Lindsay: Yeah. Very long matches. And because I hope that you have a very long journey.

[00:08:23] Lindsay: With the MMelvin-madecandles. Isn't that fun? Can we use it? Can we light this?

[00:08:29] Lindsay: Oh my God, you just got sparks.

[00:08:33] Fine. That is, those are strong matches. Oh, watch that sucker burn.

[00:08:39] Melvin: Let's get a nice, even burn there.

[00:08:55] Melvin: Well, I didn't have a hobby with my hands, sometimes I. Sometimes I'll play golf, not very well. And in one of my therapy sessions, we were, we gotta talking about hobbies, and he was like, well, what do you make? I was like, well, I used to make beer more than a decade ago.

[00:09:37] Like when you walk into a room, and you smell something, and it can remind you of a memory or a place. And so anyway, he was like, well, you could make candles. I was like, well, I'm not really a Luddite, I don't think people make candles anymore. And lo behold, I.

[00:10:09] Lindsay: Well, you and I feel like this was sort of a mutual thing because

[00:10:16] Lindsay: Well, what ended up happening was that there were certain kitchen utensils

[00:10:20] That's fair. That's fair. All over. That's fair. That's fair.

[00:10:43] Melvin: I think that's a good question. I don't know if there was an aha moment, but I do, I did get to a point where I was like, I was making so many candles. That I couldn't give them all the way as gifts. And then I was like, well, someone was like, you should sell 'em. And I was like, well, I've got a full-time job that's fairly demanding.

[00:11:27] Lindsay: So,

[00:11:38] Lindsay: I like it. It's like, but what's in this one? It smells lemony to me. It's like,

[00:11:45] I can't tell you. The fragrance is proprietary. Can you gimme one? It is when you walk in, and you smell. I was playing around with some different fragrances, and that was the one you smelled, and you're like, Ooh, I like that. And that was the first one that you liked. And then I had to replicate it, which was time-consuming and not cheap.

[00:12:17] Lindsay: The Lindsay? Mm-hmm. Why?

[00:12:29] Lindsay: She's a complex candle.

[00:12:35] Lindsay: She brings so much joy,

[00:12:41] Lindsay: Shouldn't be.

[00:12:45] Lindsay: Wait, so you mentioned for good. Okay. So, a lot of people probably don't realize that.

[00:12:57] Melvin: It depends on the size. This is one of the smaller candles. It's gonna be low 30s, low 30s.

[00:13:04] Melvin: And that, that's gonna burn for 55 minutes. Excuse me, 55 hours. 55 hours.

[00:13:12] Melvin: I mean, roughly

[00:13:13] That's awesome.

[00:13:14] Lindsay: Okay. So wait, so but for the good portion of it. Yeah. So what is that? How is this tied to charity?

[00:13:30] Lindsay: Okay. So like, what have you learned?

[00:13:40] Melvin: The great space that you created for me when you forced me out.

[00:13:45] Melvin: Well, I do, I love the space, but I thought there was gonna be some signage.

[00:13:51] Melvin: Well, you remember you said there were you and

[00:13:57] Melvin: Okay. Stick brand. I do like this space a lot, actually. No, I've learned, lemme tell you, I've learned more about the process of candle making. I've got a great friend now named Alan Long, who's helping me outta Richmond, Virginia.

[00:14:35] the centering of said wick, like, if you don't have that wick as close to the center of the vessel, you're gonna have an uneven burn. I've created some candles early on that were completely lopsided and that's, and that was why the temperature at which you add the fragrance matters a lot.

[00:15:10] So a lot of it was trial and error. And then you've gotta find like the wax that, that you like, that creates the kind of synth throw that you want. Because I, for me, when I walk into a room with a candle, this is, I know this is a lot of weird mm-hmm. Micro candle talk. I, if your audience is going.

[00:15:38] Lindsay: And so how long have you been that way? This is very interesting that you're saying this.

[00:15:47] Or,

[00:16:02] Melvin: That I love candles?

[00:16:06] Melvin: Yeah. I just, I mean, I think, I mean, most couples don't talk about scent throw, I mean, I think it's one of those topics that can be very divisive. I mean, there, 'cause there's some people that, that, really enjoy a nice subtle synth throw. They don't, they just want a hint of whatever fragrance is burning.

[00:16:49] And then there are other fragrances that people really like that I don't really enjoy. I'm not a huge sweet candle guy. Same here. But that's the most popular fragrance for candles in like, the history of

[00:17:07] Melvin: vanilla's. The most popular fragrance. Yeah, vanilla's the most. Do you know the second most popular fragrance?

[00:17:14] Well,

[00:17:16] Melvin: No, pumpkins only. It's like three months out.

[00:17:26] Melvin: No.

[00:17:28] Melvin: Yes.

[00:17:35] Melvin: You are close. You can live just to the top five.

[00:17:38] Melvin: Yeah, it's lavender. It's,

[00:17:40] Melvin: Yeah.

[00:18:01] Like, some of them are strange smells, but so I do now know smells that I like are much more pronounced for me because I know that I like 'em. They're It is very difficult for me now to wear perfumes because, oh, most of the perfumes that I spray

[00:18:17] Lindsay: Like makes me wanna gag. But the ones that I like, I'm like, okay, this is good.

[00:18:25] Melvin: That's the one you picked out? Yeah. I mean, you say that is the fragrance that you designed essentially.

[00:18:35] What would it be

[00:18:39] Melvin: One of the fragrances is the Betty Joe. isIt formulated to smell like my mother's pound cakes that she used to make. So that would be, that would probably be

[00:18:54] Melvin: Oh, well, yeah. Well, I can melt the pound cake now. I can see the bunt pan, and that would be number one. A nd number two, and we haven't formulated this one yet because I'm not sure if it would sell, but a mac and cheese candle.

[00:19:22] Lindsay: Oh, that's wild. Okay. So, so you're, you lost

[00:19:28] Lindsay: Well, why do you think it's like, why do you think it really spoke to you to have something on the side?

[00:19:53] Melvin: Yes.

[00:19:58] Melvin: And before, yeah.

[00:20:02] Melvin: I needed something to help ground me. Because of your point, like the job in the day-to-day, it's so chaotic and nonstop. This forces you to stop, and it forces you to measure things and to take the temperature of things and to be very methodical.

[00:20:37] and then, oh, by the way, after you're done, you've got like, something that you've created, if that makes sense. Like I, so Idoe, I wish I had discovered it sooner. Honestly, I think it probably would've helped me 10 years ago. But, I'm just not, I'm not, as I'm not very handy. I don't, let's, you don't have to pretend like these people don't know.

[00:20:59] Lindsay: But I'm surprised to hear you say that.

[00:21:21] And I think that's something else. Like I love a good sto,ry and I love a good story, and they all have a good story.

[00:21:36] Melvin: Well, I'm generally a fairly optimistic person, but I always worry that you put something out into the universe, and the universe sometimes will be like, No, we don't want that universe that needs

[00:22:10] And you, but 'cause you never know. You never know. But no, that, that's, I've learned that's something that I need to face. I know that the podcast is devoted to things no one tells you, a nd that's something that no one told me.

[00:22:28] Melvin: That you could create something that you're passionate about, something that you think is a home run, and then you create it, and all of a sudden everyone's like, yeah, not so much.

[00:23:00] And this is an extension of that. Ryan Melvin was the first person I knew who made a candle, remember? Yeah. Ryan's brother. Yeah, my younger brother, like him and his wife, I think that was around the same time that they lost Jasmine. Or maybe it was when she was sick. But I remember they would make candles, and you'd smell it like, wow, you made this.

[00:23:19] Lindsay: Yes, they did. Lot

[00:23:20] Christmas.

[00:23:21] Lindsay: I love that.

[00:23:22] Lindsay: So what's the next step with this then?

[00:23:45] It brings me joy. I just find that I, when I'm out there in the garage, and I got my tunes on, and I'm pouring, and I'm measuring, and I'm experimenting with different fragrances, that's my happy place. So I think, one day, probably I'll be forced to lean on this. But we'll see.

[00:24:06] Melvin: What's crazy, though, is, by the way, I just wanna point out for your Yeah. People who are watching can probably see it, but if you're listening right now, this is a beautiful even burn. There's not too much so on the candle, either; this is, it's a great wick.

[00:24:23] Lindsay: The, I noticed is that when it started to pull. That's when I started to smell. Mm-hmm. So they told me that when you guys went, they had, you had to go to what? Richmond and Ohio? Is that

[00:24:41] Sometimes I get really into things. And, when I decided I wanted to really invest in this idea, I experimented with some different vessels, and the vessel, of course, is what holds the wax and the candle. And I experimented with some different ones, but there wasn't one that I'd loved.

[00:25:17] It's not easy to get to Greenville, Ohio, but Greenville, Ohio, this factory, their biggest customer, Bed, Bath and Beyond,

[00:25:30] Melvin: The overwhelming majority of vessels that they make are for Bed Bath and Beyond, which, as you probably know, is quite substantial in the candle market. It's like Yankee Candle bed, bathing up, Bed Bath and Beyond.

[00:25:49] Lindsay: So what was I,

[00:25:55] Lindsay: Thank you.

[00:25:58] Lindsay: So when you went there, 'cause I heard from Madeline who was with you guys

[00:26:04] Lindsay: It was like

[00:26:06] Lindsay: Why?

[00:26:08] 'cause you, I mean, they have like literally.

[00:26:37] It's simple. It's a very, like, if you look at this vessel, it's, there's a, there is a greenness to it. that I wanted because I didn't just want white, I didn't just want black. I didn't just want gray. I wanted something like a collection of colors, sort of like our family. and, with the great

[00:27:02] Melvin: And with the font, like it's, lowercase by design.

[00:27:26] Lindsay: Really, by the way, you nailed yellow.

[00:27:30] Lindsay: Right?

[00:27:50] So I put a lot of thought and a lot of time into it. And, but I also like, again, like this wasn't just me, I consulted with you. I consulted with Ryan Melvin, my younger brother, especially on the fragrance that is devoted to his late daughter.

[00:28:13] Melvin: He was pleased.

[00:28:18] Melvin: We talked about it. I guess I can give it away 'cause the candles are out now. But the Jasmine scent, his daughter's name was Jasmine, and it's called Pink Jasmine because pink was our 3-year-old niece's favorite color. So it's called Pink Jasmine. And Jasmine also happens to be. The state flower of the great state of South Carolina.

[00:29:09] And then I made the mistake of asking her. About the color of the packaging. And she had, she had some ideas and I had to explain to her that those, well, she wanted pink, but Jasmine already had pink, then she wanted purple. I was like, Mom Purple doesn't really fit the color palette of the brand. And she's like, What do you mean?

[00:29:38] Lindsay: She has a point,

[00:29:40] Lindsay: lLikeyour sweater color would be a nice purple.

[00:29:55] And so her candle and your candle were the heaviest of lifts. Well, you're good company. I, your audiendo, 'r'mppreciating all of this really micro. Con

[00:30:23] Where are these questions from? Well, I do wanna point out though, they're from people that wrote in on Instagram, we were talking, and on social media, if I do think it's really cool that a lot of it is tied to. That people can relate to, which is like, everyone can understand what it's like when you have the nostalgia that you feel when you smell.

[00:31:10] Yeah. Right. Yeah. And like, so, I'm just thinking as you're describing these things like pound cake, your childhood, your youth growing up, you talked about mine and I know that there's a knot in there that you mentioned with my dad's cancer and stuff. So these are all things that people. Relate to.

[00:31:46] Melvin: We want people to be intentional and

[00:31:55] Mm-hmm. It connects all of us. It's like what? Understanding what other people go through. Anyhow, long way of saying people do have questions, and one of the questions that I loved was,

[00:32:11] I'm not hiding behind.

[00:32:24] Melvin: You wanna go to the next question?

[00:32:30] Melvin: Top five?

[00:32:33] Melvin: I can't.

[00:32:36] Melvin: Top five. Top five.

[00:32:40] Melvin: I think Michael Jordan is definitely top three. I think when you grew up, like we did primarily in the eighties and nineties, there were very few people who loomed larger than life, more than MJ.

[00:33:15] Lindsay: that'sThat'say you show your nerves.

[00:33:25] And I'm under light, when I was doing, Studio show. Yeah. Well '

[00:33:33] Melvin: It wasn't probably cold. It was because you were scantily clad.

[00:33:40] Melvin: There you go. You got your arms out, you got your legs out.

[00:33:44] Melvin: But I don't show up for work with my arms out, my legs out. so Jordan's top five. Who else would be,

[00:34:05] Do you have any sort of,

[00:34:23] Make whoever, you've got some other people in the room. I, start doing this weird small talk thing with the crew. I'm like, how's your daughter doing? What? Where's she in school? Ned? And it, it goes on for, and they're trying to set up for the interview. I'm just making weird and I'm not talking about the interview.

[00:35:04] Yeah. Or the content that we're gonna discuss. And I didn't, I, again, I didn't realize I was doing it up until a couple of years ago when my longtime producer, Jared Crawford, pointed it out. I think I was at the White House for an interview, and we're sitting there. I don't know, east, wherever we are in the White House.

[00:35:31] Lindsay: you're getting used to your surroundings. Yeah. Sort of getting yourself comfortable in the

[00:35:39] So I don't know if that answered your question. Yeah.

[00:35:45] Melvin: I always enjoy interviewing Robert De Niro's become a favorite because he's, he's not a great interview. I've a challenge. It's a challenge. It's a challenge because he's one of these guys who, when you're talking to him like this before the interview starts, he's great.

[00:36:12] It's a movie. I'm proud of it. Anything else? No. No. That's it. That's it, Bob. That's, and so I, I enjoy. I enjoy interviewing him because there's always that, push and pull. I mean, there's a, long list of folks I think that I enjoy. It's the ones that are, and I'm not gonna give names here because we want on the A list, people that you, from time and going into an interview, oh my turn.

[00:36:52] There's worse than like interviewing someone who's coming on to promote. His or her project, whether it's a show or a movie, or a book. No, but sometimes they'll come on, and it's like they don't wanna be there. Like, sometimes people who come on the show, they're not there because they want to be there.

[00:37:16] Lindsay: Right? Right.

[00:37:21] Lindsay: Yeah. And that gets, I'm sure, right. So what you're saying is it gets annoying and you're frustrated

[00:37:26] Right. And you're like, Hey, I'm trying to help you sell your mediocre show. Like you could play along here.

[00:37:38] Melvin: Well, that's how I feel. And you'll have to probably edit that out. No, we're not. Well,

[00:37:42] Melvin: don't edit that.

[00:37:50] Like I've had a few times too, where like you're getting ready to. Did an interview and you would like really have to, like, I can tell if I'm amped up in a way that I'm like, I need to bring it down. And then what you do, and you're right, it's like you think about something totally unrelated, like,

[00:38:04] I also, I mean, listen, I, I did have an interview. I don't think I'd mentioned this to you. Was it last week I did this thing in a taxi camp with Ed Sheeran? And we tested the shot, like we knew how it was gonna look, and it was a live interview, which are always the hardest, because you've gotta, you can't go longer than X number of minutes because you gotta hit your commercial breaks.

[00:38:45] And I've got my earpiece in my IFB. It's the, and so this, it's the thing that you have in your ear so you can hear programming and you can hear the control room, and you can hear everything like, and they give you time cues in your ear and all this stuff. We hadn't tested it, and it was probably the worst mix-in I've ever had. No. And mix.

[00:39:07] Melvin: And it was like a three-second echo, and I couldn't take it out because we're in the back of a taxi, so I had to get the time cues. No. And so I'm sitting there with Ed Sheeran talking about whatever, and I'm like, so Ed, this concept. So Ed, this concept ad toes on for the whole interview.

[00:39:31] Lindsay: But you made it through.

[00:39:36] Lindsay: Which is, yeah.

[00:39:43] Lindsay: That's the worst.

[00:39:47] Melvin: Yep.

[00:40:00] Melvin: Denzel's on the list.

[00:40:05] Melvin: Government, which I haven't really used,

[00:40:09] Melvin: I used it sometimes for political interviews. I used it to inform your knowledge. I, yeah. And I worked on the hill for about a month. That was all it took to realize I didn't need to be on the hill.

[00:40:23] Lindsay: Where do you get your energy from? Is also another question. Someone.

[00:40:36] Lindsay: In the coffee.

[00:40:38] Lindsay: Huh?

[00:40:41] Lindsay: Yeah.

[00:40:55] When I get to one in the morning, like even if I'm exhausted, Studio One, 30, Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown Manhattan. Where is the Today Show's broadcast room? I feed off the energy in the studio and there, and there are so many people. By the way, most of them get there before me, like by the time I get there.

[00:41:40] At least a dozen different markets. We've recorded like promos and commercials for the show that, like, yeah, seven by the time seven o'clock rolls around. I'm good. 45 minutes in, which is good for my voice and it's also good for my energy level I find.

[00:41:57] Melvin: Oh, that's a good, what is something that I, I read when I'm alone. I like to sit in stillness sometimes when I'm alone, like no music, no podcasts, no talking, just me alone with my thoughts. I have found over the years that's when I've come up with my best ideas and best work. I do those things when I'm alone.

[00:42:34] Lindsay: Alright. This is yes or no, okay? You're, yes, you're in this bucket, or no, you're not. These are a few things that everyone out there deals with on some level.

[00:42:45] Lindsay: No. You can elaborate. Okay? Yes or no. Name, place, cards. At your table? No holidays or dinner party?

[00:43:09] Lindsay: But think about when you walk into a room and you're with a gavel of like 15 people, and everyone's like, where do I sit? Where do I sit? Don't you ever love to just know that, okay, here. No. So you don't have to decide.

[00:43:26] They're putting me like next to someone that I probably wouldn't sit next to. And if I'm gonna have a meal with somebody, I wanna be able to talk to 'em and relate. I don't think that the person throwing the party should have that much power just because you bought the chicken and it's a nice bottle of wine.

[00:43:47] Lindsay: But don't you see the value in Aunt Tessie maybe having something we don’t have, an Aunt Tess value. Maybe there's a connection that you, that the host knows that you might have. No. Maybe there's power in trying.

[00:43:59] Lindsay: Okay, cool. That

[00:44:02] Lindsay: Got it. Okay. So the next one

[00:44:04] Lindsay: Aunt or Ant. Speaking of Tessie, what box are you in? Aunt, I'm Ant.

[00:44:10] Lindsay: but Ant you think they're interchangeable?

[00:44:22] Do that's what you

[00:44:27] Melvin: no, that's a stretch. That's a stretch. That's a stretch.

[00:44:36] Melvin: I think, again, always

[00:44:38] Melvin: I think right now what you're doing is you're using your podcast to air grievances. I thoughts. I think what you're doing and I think that, no, I think the people who are listening know exactly what's happening.

[00:45:11] No, because I, that's why you brought it up.

[00:45:15] Melvin: Did that come from one a, viewer, or a listener? No. Right. So what's your opinion? Lemme guess. Lemme guess. Seat down. Always. Okay. I would, point out though that in, in our society, at some point collectively, men and women both decided that should be the default position.

[00:45:40] Melvin: I wasn't part of the vote. No one consulted me. This came about, a couple generations ago, I think. But I do think that it's important to acknowledge that women won that war. Because anytime

[00:45:54] Melvin: you, could, you choose not to, but we've all decided that the seat down is the most considerate.

[00:46:13] Lindsay: All right. Are you yes or no bucket of, do you take off on your birthday or no?

[00:46:29] Lindsay: Right?

[00:46:33] Lindsay: Okay. Which leads to the next one? Manicure for men, yes or no? What bucket are you in? I know what

[00:46:40] Lindsay: I'm asking you. This is not just Right. So what is your,

[00:46:55] Lindsay: What's whatever?

[00:47:14] I get the manicure so I don't bite my nails. So years ago, I used to bite my nails, like s like our daughter. Like I would bite 'em to the point where sometimes they would bleed. And I read an article years ago, they were like, you know what, if you spend good money on a manicure before you bite, you'll think, oh, I, spent $40 on these nails and it's worked.

[00:47:34] Melvin: manicures and pedicures because my feet are terrible.

[00:47:49] Melvin: You leave it there, oh God. More of in the next year.

[00:47:53] Melvin: you know what I want, more time for self care.

[00:48:38] Oh, I can't, I need to come up with something fast. My brains not moving quickly. Today. Let's see. 20, 20, oh, hang on a second. Can hear, mix fix picks. Melvin picks. Nope, we don't need any Melvin picks, Wix. Yes. Wix 2026 More Wicks in 2026, but the WIC itself is emblematic of relaxation and light.

[00:49:21] Melvin: me and wicks

[00:49:28] Lindsay: Great. We'll check in and see how that's going for you

[00:49:39] sweetie? I enjoyed this. I don't, I dunno if people are gonna enjoy it, but I certainly enjoyed this.

[00:49:53] Melvin: Well, I've done my annual obligation.

[00:50:04] Melvin: We'll see how long it lasts. They haven't fired me yet. You feel good?

[00:50:08] Melvin: I, I feel, I feel rejuvenated. I still feel as excited I, as I did in January and, the show's almost 75 years old.

[00:50:31] Lindsay: I don't think people understand how much my husband values, like being a part of

[00:50:37] Lindsay: Yes. An institution.

[00:50:39] Lindsay: you are an institutionalist.

[00:50:43] Lindsay: there's a lot to be said for that.

[00:50:46] Lindsay: Well, sure.

[00:50:47] Lindsay: Sure. But, I do wanna point out something. There was a fascinating study that I read that people who cry often make the best leaders.

[00:50:57] Lindsay: Nope, I don't think you cry a lot.

[00:51:13] God bless the editors who

[00:51:23] Yeah, it's gonna succeed.

[00:51:45] TNOTY. TNOTY.

[00:51:49] Melvin: Okay.

[00:52:09] I am very excited to watch, and I'm sure it's going to be a success, but the reality is, I have learned that my path certainly that failure is just part of the journey. And failure is what makes us wanna get back up again and try things and learn what's really worth it and try again, especially when you're doing something creative.

[00:52:47] It was feeling lightheaded. It's endless. I love it. But on a serious note, I also did wanna say that it's, I think it's very cool how Melvin has tied the different sense that he's created to, specific memories, but also with a, actionable item of giving to charities that have come to mean something in our lives.

[00:53:30] but also the blog for me, sharing more about that detail as well. so thank you so much for listening today. Go get yourself a Melvin Made candle. Let us know what you think about these scents because I am really trying to get him to convince, like, to convince him that he should do pumpkin or he should do something like really holidayish.

[00:54:04] And of course, if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, don't forget to leave a five star review because that's really what helps people get more. Listeners, we would love to grow this community. We are so grateful that you're a part of it. See you next time.