A man crouching in front of display shelves filled with soy wax candles at a market stand.

about simple nature

Hi, I’m Derek — the founder of Simple Nature.

What began in 2018 as a hobby making natural soaps and cleaners quickly evolved into something more. Once I started blending scents for candles, I knew I had found my true focus.

Before launching Simple Nature, I worked in:

Marketing and graphic design
Nonprofit organizations

But over time, I felt stuck. So I made a big decision:

Work less (still working on that part)
Spend more time with loved ones
Travel the world

Those travels — to places like Paris and Perth — helped me reset and rediscover what mattered.

from hobby to business

When I returned home, I picked up new hobbies every few months. One of them was soap-making — which led to a table at the local farmers market and a deep love for connecting with people.

But it was candle-making that truly clicked.

What started as curiosity became a full-time job, thanks to support from people like you.

more than candles

Outside candles, I:

Volunteer for various organizations
Logged over 700 hours of service in 2022
Believe giving back is just as important as creating beautiful, meaningful products

(And yes, I may occasionally joke about Ohio — but it’s all in good fun.)

Collection of handmade soap bars with nature-inspired labels and packaging. Soap flavors include sea breeze, wilderness, early morning, backwoods, black mountain, and explorer. The packaging features illustrations like a sailboat, trees, a rooster, mountains, and a deer.

January 2018

Simple Nature idea started! for a really short amount of time it was called Simple Soaps. I annoyed my coworkers at the time forcing them to try my soap.

Man giving a thumbs-up behind a display of candles at an outdoor market stall.

may 2018

That’s me at my very first farmers market as Simple Nature! I was cheap (still am?) and didn’t want a tent. who knew, the sun and candles don’t mix well.

Boxes of simple nature Torrent powdered dishwasher detergent with black and white mountain landscape design on the packaging.

A hand holding a bottle of castle soap with a mountain or castle illustration on the label, outdoors with trees and sunlight in the background.

Two bottles of Daintree household cleaner, one with a spray nozzle, on a white surface.

A bottle of simple nature views body wash with a black pump cap, placed on top of a white towel.

A bar of soap with a mountain illustration and the text ‘simple nature’, ‘explore soap’, and ‘NET WT. 4.5 OZ’. Behind it, there is a shaving brush and a barber’s razor. In the background, there are two glass bottles.

2018’s Long list of short lived products, before candles clicked.

Check out all these failed products from the first two years. whew. but hey, without those lessons there wouldn’t be any candles to enjoy today.

A man giving a thumbs-up standing in front of shelves filled with containers of tea or coffee in a store.

november 2018

Took the plunge and made Simple Nature my full time job. That’s a thumbs up from a dude who is worried. Not many thought it was a good idea.

Collage of three images showing shelves and a hand holding a candle labeled 'ohio,' in a candle store.

june 2019

A wonderful individual took a photo of my Ohio candle and posted it to Twitter for her 300 followers. Everything changed that day.

Sign that encourages adopting a greenway with simple nature candles, with autumn trees with orange and yellow leaves in the background.

August 2022

Adopted a 2 mile section of the Pufferbelly Trail in Fort Wayne.

A man in a gray hoodie giving a thumbs-up next to a pallet of Niagara bottled water outside a store in a parking lot.

february 2023

Thanks to your tremendous support, after a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio contaminated drinking water, Simple Nature was able to collect 135 cases of water to help support the community as they worked to recover.

A man kneeling outdoors surrounded by colorful backpacks lying on the ground, giving a thumbs-up gesture.

june 2023

Because of your support, Simple Nature and other local businesses were able to come together and supply Bloomingdale Elementary School with the tools and supplies they need to thrive.

With over 22,000 items donated every single student was able to receive a backpack filled with school and personal hygiene products.

Photograph of a man smiling, standing outdoors under a tent, wearing a dark t-shirt. The photo is framed on a wooden plaque that reads, "Employee of the Month."

october 2023

Became employee of the month.

A man standing in a warehouse aisle with shelves stocked with candles on either side.

Group of people outdoors, some wearing red safety vests, celebrating together in a parking lot with supplies and water bottles in front, under a blue sky with clouds.

October 2024

Because of your support, Simple Nature was able to provide one pallet of water and volunteer time to help in recover efforts after severe flooding impacted Asheville, North Carolina.

Four people stand inside a grocery store aisle holding vegetables and onions, smiling at the camera. Shelves behind them are stocked with bags of chips and produce.

summer 2025

Simple Nature was able to provide 2400 meals to the unhoused population in Indianapolis in partnership with Southeast Community Services.

Because of your support, Simple Nature and other local businesses were able to come together AGAIN and supply Bloomingdale Elementary School with the tools and supplies they need to thrive.

With over 19,000 items donated every single student was able to receive a backpack filled with school and personal hygiene products.