Rachael-Lea Rickards

Rachael-Lea Rickards is the owner and creator of The Real Talk Shop, formerly known as Real Talk Candles. The Real Talk Shop sells home and personal goods like candles, journals, tote bags, and apparel in Toronto, Ontario. Rachael-Lea was motivated to start her business in 2021 after a traumatic experience with assault. She turned to candle-making as a way of coping with her trauma, which inspired her to become an entrepreneur. Now, The Real Talk Shop’s products can be found in select Indigo locations and the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). Rachael-Lea is a playwright and published author whose creative style is defined by her witty, uncensored humour. She is a proud Jamaican-Canadian woman who advocates for diversity in women’s entrepreneurship. In 2020, she participated in Start-Up and Slay Digital Series for diverse Canadian women and non-binary entrepreneurs.