In this new episode of the Circle Back Podcast, host Sam Davidson sits down with one of Nashville’s most visionary social innovators—Rev. Becca Stevens, President & Founder of Thistle Farms. Part priest, part entrepreneur, part accidental candle mogul, Becca has spent the last 30 years showing the world what it means to build community through love—and business.
From her early days shining shoes at Harding Mall to crocheting blankets during business meetings, Becca’s entrepreneurial journey has been anything but traditional. But what it has been is consistent: consistently rooted in justice, healing, and the belief that every woman deserves a second chance.
🕯 From Healing Homes to a National Brand
Becca founded Thistle Farms in the 1990s with a radical idea—provide women survivors of trafficking, addiction, and incarceration with two years of rent-free housing and no authority structure. That idea turned into a community. Then came the candles. And body oils. And eventually, a thriving social enterprise that now employs more than 100 women and supports 70+ sister communities across the U.S.
Today, Thistle Farms products are sold in Whole Foods, boutique stores, and online—with all proceeds reinvested into the lives of the women who make them.
“Justice entrepreneurship is when the mission is the workforce,” Becca says. “It changes how we define growth, margin, and success.”
🌍 Building a Global Movement
From supporting Syrian refugees to forming cooperatives in Rwanda and Ukraine, Becca’s justice-driven model has gone global. Her nonprofit’s supply chain is a beacon of ethical sourcing—returning more than 50% of product revenue to female producers worldwide.
And yes, she’s serious about launching a line of couch socks infused with essential oils:
“No one can stand for justice 24/7. We need to rest too.”
🧠 Lessons from a Justice Entrepreneur
Throughout the episode, Becca drops gem after gem for fellow founders—especially those working in the impact space. A few takeaways:
- Start with what’s in front of you. “I’m entrepreneurially nearsighted,” she jokes. “I just respond to what love looks like right now.”
- Let your customers lead. Many of Thistle Farms’ current leaders are graduates of the program. They didn’t just receive services—they built the business.
- Partnerships matter. From board members to baristas, Becca believes community is the product—and the path.
- Stay open to the wild ideas. From mud-based skincare to sourcing socks from Ukrainian knitters, she proves that compassion and creativity belong together.
🎧 Listen Now
This episode isn’t just a conversation—it’s a reminder that purpose and profit aren’t mutually exclusive. Whether you’re starting a nonprofit, scaling a social enterprise, or just trying to make a difference in your corner of the world, Becca’s story is proof: if you lead with love, amazing things can happen.
🎧 Listen to the full episode to hear Becca’s powerful story, her lessons on justice-driven entrepreneurship, and how love can be a strategy for real, lasting change.
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