Duncan Maclean - Co-founder, CEO and DJ
What do you do at Candle Shack?
I’m the CEO and one of the co-founders of Candle Shack. I am accountable for our Culture, setting the company’s vision, delivering the business plan and for innovation.
What is your favourite part of your job?
A business is only as good as the people in it. We have a lot of very smart and passionate people at Candle Shack. It is rewarding watching them grow, both as a team and as individuals.
Why did you start Candle Shack?
I had a wonderful career in the military, but after 20 years of service at just 36, there was something slightly depressing about seeing my entire career mapped out in front of me to age 55. Something snapped. I think I wanted to know if I could build something on my own, outside the structure of a large organisation. So... with 2 young children and half a plan, I left the Army, drove to Scotland, and set up Candle Shack in our garage. I’m still not sure if that decision was a calculated risk or utter madness. But... we are still here.
What's your favourite thing to do outside of work?
I have a lifelong love of dance music, so when not at work you will usually find me DJ’ing, producing music or dancing (badly) at a festival.