Entrepreneur opens candle making store in NE Minneapolis amid Great Resignation

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - This year, Americans quit their jobs at a record pace. Economists are calling it the Great Resignation, and right now, the movement is fueling a new generation of entrepreneurs. 

At Central and Lowry in Northeast Minneapolis, Roseline’s Place is the new kid on the block. Roseline Friedrich got into the business of candle making at the start of the pandemic. 

With a career in the mental health field, what began as a side venture eventually took off.

Friedrich says, "Most people know me as an accidental entrepreneur."

Friedrich, who immigrated to the U.S. from Cameroon when she was 14, left her full-time position to pursue a new passion.

"I was definitely hesitant, and it was a risk because my family went from a two-income household to a one-income household, and we still have mortgage, we still have car payments and bills like everyone else does," says Friedrich.

For some it's a risk worth taking. In a trend that's been dubbed the Great Resignation in September, more than four million U.S. workers handed in their resignations. Some like Friedrich are choosing to become entrepreneurs.

"That is something that I’m very grateful to be able to be doing something that brings me joy and makes me feel relaxed," says Friedrich.

Her boutique is plastic-free. In addition to her scented candles, Friedrich hosts classes and sells products from other local makers. She says that she also makes a point to employ local youth.

"I want to empower young people, I want to employ them. I want to make sure that they feel see," says Friedrich.

For Friedrich, entrepreneurship is lighting a new path to new opportunities.

She says, "It’s okay to dream, it’s OK to have a vision. It’s OK not to limit yourself to one thing."