Check Out Samantha Murray’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Murray. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Desert Liberties was created in Mesa, Arizona by Samantha Murray. By day, she works full-time in customer service at the same company as her husband. While he enjoys spending nights and weekends in the garage working on his car, she was looking for a new hobby to pick up after deciding to leave the fitness industry. And this is when Desert Liberties was born! 

Both Samantha and Ryan, (she calls him Murray), were born and raised in Chicago. Although neither are originally from Arizona, their lives really “started” after relocating to the desert. Life in the midwest is limited by inconsistent weather, high cost of living, and working for the weekend; which more often than not meant hibernating and catching up on chores. And let’s face it, when you live in your hometown, you’re responsible for more than just yourself. 

By 2017, their day-to-day life was overly consumed with outside stressors and they were escaping to the Arizona, Nevada, and Southern California area often. After their third trip to the Western states by May of that year, they vividly remember leaving sunny Arizona to head back to their cold and cloudy hometown and asked each other why don’t they just make the move? 

Fast forward a couple of months, by August of 2017 they officially sold their first home and took a 3-day trip with their dog, Toby, to Arizona. It was exciting but scary, and little did they know just how much better their quality of life would be. 

Looking back on their journey, Samantha says the desert saved her. Desert Liberties was born from their story of breaking free from what no longer served them. And with this top of mind, each candle has been curated by the liberties of their desert life that they’ve been privileged to enjoy together. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s never smooth! But if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. I started making candles as a hobby and thought it was as simple as buying basic supplies, pouring, and done. Turns out, there is a ton of math, science, and patience involved. At the beginning, I had no idea what really went into being a “Chandler”, and there was a lot of wasted time and resources. But that’s what testing is all about. I’m super proud of the outcome and wouldn’t have done anything differently! 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have an extensive background in customer service after working in the fitness industry for over 11 years. I managed different types of gyms from big box to boutique fitness studios. At the beginning of 2020, I was seeking more of a consistent work schedule so I left my full-time studio manager job to pursue a job in the fitness marketing industry, and shortly after changed paths to accept a job in customer service. 

Fitness was an opportunity to connect with people in my community and not only express creativity through planning group exercises classes, but also use my skills to build and run businesses. This experience has set me up to be successful in solely launching my own small business, Desert Liberties! 

With health & wellness top of mind, we craft our candles with 100% all-natural soy wax & clean fragrance oils. Our top priority is to share vegan-friendly & non-toxic candles to support the community we love. 

Pricing:

• 7 oz candles $15
• 12 oz candles $23

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.desertliberties.com
• Instagram: @desertliberties ; @mrsslmurray