Courtney’s journey to founding HOMES Great Lakes began long before the brand itself. With more than a decade of experience in retail—including corporate roles with two major retailers—she developed a strong foundation in product development. During this time, she played a key role in launching a private-label home and body collection, spending countless hours refining fragrance blends and perfecting packaging. Her work also took her around the world, where she visited vendor showrooms and factories, oversaw production, and studied emerging market trends—experiences that ultimately shaped her ability to create candles of her own.

Her long-standing passion for candles naturally complements her professional background and now fuels her brand. The Great Lakes hold a deeply personal significance for Courtney and her family, woven into the fabric of their everyday lives. After years of searching for safe, high-quality candles for her home, she was inspired to create her own. HOMES Great Lakes was born from that vision. Each hand-poured candle is thoughtfully crafted using carefully sourced, toxin-free ingredients, with fragrances designed to capture the essence of the Great Lakes and evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia.