My Story

From Healing to Purpose: My Story

My name is Nel, and I am the founder of Elite Envy.

I was fortunate to be raised by loving parents, but other parts of my journey were not always easy. I experienced ongoing bullying throughout my school years, eventually leaving school at the beginning of Year 11 to protect my wellbeing.

As a young woman, I also experienced domestic violence and faced circumstances no one should have to endure. That chapter affected me deeply, but surviving it revealed a strength within me that I did not yet know I had.

My journey also included a battle with drug addiction. Eventually, I reached a turning point and knew I wanted to change the direction of my life. Today, I am incredibly proud to be eight years clean. Recovery taught me that my past did not have to define my future and that it was never too late to begin again.

For much of my life, I never felt as though I was good enough. Other people could see beauty and potential in me, but I struggled to believe it was real because I could not see those things within myself. I spent years searching for where I belonged and for something that would help me recognise my own worth.

I also spent much of my life searching for a sense of purpose, something I genuinely loved, felt deeply interested in and could be proud to call my own.

Elite Envy began during a personal season of healing while I was recovering from major surgery. I needed something positive to focus on, something that could give me direction and help me reconnect with myself.

Home fragrance had been a passion of mine for more than a decade, so I began researching candle making, fragrance and product development. I taught myself as much as I could, and the more I learned, the more passionate I became.

The first product I created was a Black Amber & Lavender candle. When I lit its wicks for the first time, it burned perfectly. In that moment, I felt as though I had finally done something right.

It may have been just one candle, but to me, it represented possibility. It gave me confidence, hope and the feeling that I had finally discovered something that truly belonged to me.

That candle became the beginning of Elite Envy.

Creating Elite Envy slowly began to change the way I saw myself. For the first time, I could look at something I had made and feel genuinely proud. With every product I created, I began to recognise that I was capable, creative and worthy of believing in myself.

What started as a creative outlet gradually developed into the passion and purpose I had spent so long searching for. I had found something that allowed me to express my creativity, continue healing and build a future I could feel proud of.

Today, Elite Envy is a handcrafted home-fragrance brand created with intention, care and close attention to detail. I want every fragrance to create a feeling. I want people to feel relaxed, comforted and at home. I want a familiar scent to bring back a treasured memory, remind someone of a special person or transport them to a happy moment from their past.

Most importantly, I want my products to help people slow down, appreciate life’s little moments and transform an ordinary space into somewhere warm, inviting and personal. I believe everyone deserves to experience a little luxury in their everyday life.

Every time someone purchases from Elite Envy, it gives me an even greater sense of purpose. Of course, every order supports my small business, but for me, it has never been solely about the money. It is knowing that someone has noticed something I created, connected with it and chosen to bring it into their home.

Every purchase, kind word and returning customer reminds me that something I made with my own hands matters to another person. A sale is never simply a sale to me, it is a moment of encouragement, a reason to keep creating and another small reminder that I have finally found where I belong.

The journey has not been without its challenges. Elite Envy is still a young business, and building awareness while trying to reach the right people has sometimes been difficult. I know how much love, care and work goes into every product, but I am still working toward the exposure and recognition I hope the business will one day achieve.

Even when growth feels slow, I continue because I genuinely believe in what I have created. Every new customer, recommendation and opportunity to share Elite Envy helps my small business take another step forward. I may still be at the beginning, but I am proud of how far I have come and excited about what Elite Envy can become.

The evil eye within the Elite Envy logo carries a deeply personal meaning for me. Traditionally seen as a symbol of protection from negativity, envy and harmful intentions, it represents the protection I have felt throughout my journey and the strength that has helped me reach where I am today.

Through some of the most difficult chapters of my life, the evil eye has been a meaningful symbol, reminding me that negative experiences and the intentions of others do not have the power to determine who I become. It represents protection, resilience and the ability to keep moving forward.

The eye also reflects the way I am learning to see myself: not through the pain of my past or the opinions of others, but as someone strong, creative and capable of building something beautiful. It is more than part of my logo; it represents me, my journey and the heart behind Elite Envy.

Building Elite Envy has given me three things I spent much of my life searching for: pride, purpose and strength.

Elite Envy is more than a business. It represents healing, recovery and the new chapter I chose to create for myself. My journey has shown me that our hardest chapters do not have to become our whole story.

Sometimes, something beautiful can grow when we finally give ourselves the chance to begin again.