Cyber security and candle-making are wholly different endeavours – but for entrepreneur Kurtis Toy, that’s the attraction.
He set up Arctis Design in 2019, creating hand-crafted luxury soy candles, wax melts, reed diffusers, air fresheners and soaps after inspiration struck during a trip to Norway.
There are two staff, including himself, plus one adorable four-legged assistant.
“I’m the chief candle maker and my partner Ben provides a lot of support with other aspects of the business,” Kurtis said.
“And of course, there’s the Arctis mascot, our Samoyed pup Ghost.”
Arctis is based “in our beautiful hometown of Newburgh” and in 2022 they converted the garage into a candle-making studio.
“All of our products are completely cruelty-free, vegan and sustainable. We use soy wax which is much more environmentally-friendly than paraffin wax, and biodegradable glitter.
“Our packaging is ethically-sourced and as eco-friendly as possible, and we offer refills for our reed diffusers so you don’t need to buy a new diffuser each time.
Distinctive range and custom artwork
“We also have a really distinctive and unique range of candles. I design custom artwork for each candle in our Olympian, Fairy Tales, and Mythical Beasts collections.
“Our Olympian range is based on the Greek gods and goddesses, and each candle’s fragrance and artwork is connected to facts about their individual stories.
“Our limited-edition Mythical Beasts range also features colour-changing wax.”
What about his other work?
“My day job is in cyber security,” said Kurtis.
He is a qualified vCISO (virtual Chief Information Security Officer) and owns IT and cyber security business Onca Technologies which “works with businesses of all sizes across a variety of industries to help protect against cyber threats, improve efficiencies, and maximise productivity”.
“I’m also the Convenor of the Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCoE), an initiative aimed at local authorities and UK public bodies to help them stay abreast of cyber threats and access military-grade cyber protection at high street prices.”
Kurtis is also co-founder of the Nordic Scot Business Network and explained how inspiration struck for Arctis: “I was on a work trip in Norway, back in my hotel room after a long day.
“I had beautiful views, a warm window seat and one of my favourite books, but something was missing and I realised it was the fragrant scent, delicate flickering and soft crackling of a good candle!
Creating candle wizardry
“I started to research candle-making and discovered how many of them can cause damage to the environment.
“I decided to take matters into my own hands and after a lot of experimenting, found the best wicks and waxes to create candle wizardry.
“The name and logo were inspired by the beautiful Arctic Fox that Ghost so closely resembles.”
How is business now and what’s working well?
“It’s going well,” said Kurtis. “Sales are steady and we’ve lots of exciting ideas in the pipeline.
“We have an extensive range of fragrances, designs and product types so there is something to suit everyone’s taste and budget.
Members’ subscription service
“This year we have some new scents and we’re planning to launch a members’ subscription service. Long-term, I’d love to open an Arctis shop.
“It’s rewarding to see the ideas in my head become real products that people love to have in their homes.
“My work in cyber security is obviously very cerebral and technical. Arctis is a great outlet for my creativity and I love being able to help others achieve the hygge feeling that I enjoy so much in my own home.”
As well as having a website, Arctis Design is also on Facebook and Instagram.
Conversation