Have you all heard of Candle Wealth

[wookie130]

I've been reading with interest the threads on Candlewealth. Now, I'm very new to candlemaking, and I am so impressed by this forum with all the experience, dedication and creativity that exists in the candlemaking world. That being said, I'd just like to share my experience with regard to candle-making and Candlewealth.

I first purchased a soy candle about a year ago at a farmer's market. Not a huge candle-burner, had never heard of soy (like so many folks, I'm finding). Burned it all that fall, and loved it, clean-burning, great scent throw, long-lasting.

This spring I was looking for another creative business for my husband and myself, and came across the same vendor. She was a Candlewealth member. I was extremely leary of the networking aspect, but when I did the research, I found that I could get started very easily, for a competitive price, with help both local and from the company, and best of all without reinventing the wheel. And all the supplies were guaranteed.

I did start the business. I haven't wanted to invest time or energy in the network marketing side of things, and as I progress in making candles and find other sources (like this great site), I'm using other fragrances, dyes, etc., and just like everyone of you I have to test, test and test again.

Making a soy candle in a microwave was indeed as easy as the company claimed. And of course if one wants to make more than one small candle one is taught all about double boilers and pour pots. I don't have a lot of problems with bloom or wet spots so far--at least not more so than it seems most folks do. so it really didn't seem that hard to get started.

So, my bottom line is that I did not have to reinvent the wheel to get started making candles.

A few specific items that others have brought up in this thread. My literature all told me that the soy is 100% natural soy wax. I have not seen anything that says it is 85%. Also, I've done my own burn tests with Candlewealth soy and paraffin side-by-side, same size, same burn time, same conditions, and indeed the soy did outlast the paraffin and with less soot. There are indeed different wick sizes, and a simple method for determining which to use. Some of the fragrances, although limited in number, have an awesome throw, and are my best-sellers so far. Others are much less strong in the throw. I learned very quickly that there are so many variables in this "art" of candlemaking that all claims are somewhat subjective. It's the old "to each his own" theory, I guess.

The sites I researched online did include an EPA study showed some levels of formaldehyde and benzine emitted from paraffin candles, which isn't present with soy, and the petroleum-carbon soot that does seem to be a problem with paraffin doesn't seem to be present in my soy candles. Personally, I love the idea of non-petroleum products, and am anxious to get into trying my hand at palm wax pillar candles. But that's my personal preference only.

My thought on bashing paraffin candles is that one can just share one's own experience and let people know where to go to find out for themselves what they feel comfortable with.

Hope this sheds a little light on the Candlewealth thing. Look forward to comments and possible enlightenment.

Well, I do appreciate hearing the other side of the coin on the whole Candleweath thing. How successful have your sales been? Are you making a decent profit, if you don't mind me asking? I'm merely curious.

I do like many aspects of a soy candle over paraffin (I'm fiddling with parasoy blends right now), although one comment I'll interject (and obviously this is just an opinion) is that when I've taken one of my favorite soy candles to the same candle made in paraffin (meaning, the same dye and FO), I do get a noticeably better hot throw in paraffin than in the soy candle...although I find my soy candles to have a very strong throw, depending on what scent I'm using. Environmentally, I prefer soy...and I get a longer lasting candle as well.

Good luck to you in your candlemaking adventures! It sounds like you're having a good time, which is the most important part.

[Lindaikinhill]

Wookie--Thanks for responding positively. After reading the thread, I was beginning to feel a little like a soot mark on a candle among all you expert chandlers! Now I feel more like one of you!

Re: profit margins. This is something I am constantly working on with regards to retail/wholesale/cost of goods ratios. I'm not sure what you would call a decent profit, I'm making about 100-200% over my cost of goods, depending of course on the containers. I find these the most frustrating variable, as prices seem to be all over the place, and shipping is also so variable. I'm still looking for a "signature" container, too. If anyone else wants to share info, that would be great. Of course, I'm sure geography makes a difference. I'm in Idaho.

Shows are really fun, and I'm getting a ton of good feedback, which I need at this point, but unless they are relatively close, (and inexpensive) the cost of getting there and RV space, etc., make a big dent in the overall profit.

I'm thinking more and more about the wholesale market, and would welcome any insights that anyone has to share about that.

On a different note, Wookie, you seem very experienced, is there a candlemaking book that you or anyone else reading this would recommend as the candlemaker's "bible." I have more questions than a rat has fleas at this point!

[Abide]

Hello Fellow Candlemakers,

I wrote out a long post and then my firefox shut down and I lost it all...

I just wanted to share my experience with Candlewealth. I have been in for almost 2 years now and it is FUN, FUN, FUN! I am quite disappointed in all the negative posts given here, especially since many of them seem to be innacurately presenting Candlewealth. For example...Candlewealth does NOT:

claim that you get rich in 9 months

bash paraffin...unless stating the facts is considered bashing

require that you stay active

claim that their soy burns longer than other soy

And they DO

price their products fairly (the initial kit is retail, after that prices drop)

provide training and support

research their products on a regular basis

test their supplies

sell high quality supplies (soy based fragrance, wicks and colors)

have different sizes of wicks, labeled for jar size

teach candle making classes via a DVD or private instruction

And instacandles are not dangerous because they are made of soy. Soy is no more dangerous in the microwave than cooking oil. It is not flammable like paraffin, a petroleum by-product.

The President of the company extensively did comparison tests before starting the company and yes, his wife makes candles on a regular basis. In fact, everyone I know in Candlewealth makes candles, including a professional golfer, an army sergeant, the vice president of the company, men with business degrees, the top income earner, etc.

As far as competition, those who only retail their candles do tend to compete, but those who are building a team help those they bring in because that helps everyone. The more they help their team make money, the more money they make.

Yes, Candlewealth IS MLM...but did you know MLM is taught at Harvard and Yale. It is an EXCELLENT marketing program. 185,000 people every week are joining MLM. Are they ALL suckers? Read about MLM here

This is how Candlewealth pays

Bottom line: Candlewealth is a great company, listed in the stock market, breaking response records in Business Magazines and helping a lot of people change their lives...it's not a hoax, it's not get rich quick, it's not a scam. Oversaturation is not a concern, too many people love candles

Candlewealth shows people how to make money using the concept of each person talking to just two people and getting them to make candles for FUN...don't even have to sell them! It works for me. I've tried other MLM and not done well, but this is just candles and everyone loves candles. I don't even have to sell my candles and I am still making money. I just make my candles because it's fun! And in the process, I help people all over the country make their own candles, have fun and make money. It does work. If you are openminded and coachable, it can work for you too.

But it's not for everyone, and that's ok.

Great Candlemaking Book (not related to Candlewealth)

Abide

[KristinesShower]

it is FUN, FUN, FUN!

Oh, totally!

I think being overcharged 3 times the amount I would normally pay for supplies is a total party too!!

[Grumpy Girl]

Awww damn, it's that time of year again isn't it?

Sigh...

[Guest khall]

oops! My post was deleted before I sent it. I'm still figuring this system out. It's late, so I'll post again tomorrow.

Kim

[islandgirl]

Those poor CW people....

They have all been abducted and brainswashed...

I know a few strong CW people have posted here saying the got out while they could and have never been happier!!

I will pray for the rest of you to get you senses back...

[Maggie]

LOLOL.....

Candlewealth shows people how to make money using the concept of each person talking to just two people and getting them to make candles for FUN...don't even have to sell them! It works for me. I've tried other MLM and not done well, but this is just candles and everyone loves candles. I don't even have to sell my candles and I am still making money. I just make my candles because it's fun! And in the process, I help people all over the country make their own candles, have fun and make money.

You don't have to sell them to make money? Like I said earlier you can call it MLM (doesn't that sound impressive) or a pyramid scheme but it's all the same. Come back here in a couple of years and tell us how great it is. Who is making ALL the money...why it's the people at the TOP of the pyramid. I mean even the name says it all...CANDLE WEALTH.:rolleyes2

Maggie

[islandgirl]

Abide~~~~

I am making all the money and not sharing it in a pyramid scheme.. HA...Surprised... Get out of CW while you can.....IMO

You have tried several MLM'S.. Why is that??

Lack of motivation and want to have fun???:rolleyes2

You go have fun now...

[jhepp7gw2]

Oh my goodness are you guys still going on about Candle Wealth:shocked2:

I have just three little words,,, Run Forest Run!!!!! Oh wait that was from

the movie, oopss I plagiarized it. Well you know what I mean. I dont care what any one says , I looked into candle wealth's prices and oh boy where they expensive. I pay a whole lot less for my wax and I have a whole lot better scents available , and their cheaper, than any thing they have to offer.

I do however oh Candle Wealth a big thank you for getting me interested in

candles. Because of them I am now in the candle business, just not the candle wealth business. Fortunately for me I know how to do research and found this board and my very reasonable suppliers.

[Guest khall]

I get my product liability insurance for both candles and B&B for $551/year.

Does CW get you a state sales tax id or seller's permit? Do they register your business name? Do they check out local zoning regulations if you are a home based biz? Will they set up your website, or submit your website to search engines? Will they track your inventory, do your bookkeeping, or help you with your taxes?

Margie,

Forgive me if I sound naive, but do you need to purchase insurance even with warning lables on the candles? I thought that removed any liablity from the seller? Also, I'm not sure what B&B is?

Do you know of a book, or online info that explains all the things you need to do in order to start a business (like all the things you mentioned above)? I find this part of it very overwhelming and confusing.

Thanks you.

Kim

[Lindaikinhill]

Oh, totally!

I think being overcharged 3 times the amount I would normally pay for supplies is a total party too!!

Like I said in previous posts, I'm just new to this, started with Candlewealth, and am starting to move on from Candlewealth supplies. Yes, they are on the high side on their wax, but 3 times is not what I've found. I'm very interested, where do you buy your wax so cheaply? Do you have to purchase and add anything to it to make a good pour?

[SoyCandleQueen]

Here's an article I found about Paraffin. I thought you all would be interested in reading this.

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2003/november5/rocketwax-115.html

[littlebrownbug]

I have been following this thread about candlewealth and find it quite interesting. Some aggressive posts and some very defensive postings as well.

I too have been involved in MLM from time to time and it no different really from lots of other businesses out there(the guy or gal at the top of the heap still makes most of the money irregardless of the nature of the marketing scheme it uses.) However,there was an article that I read online that may answer the question about ethics involved with some MLM companies and it has to do with teaching it at Harvard and Yale. I hope this all fits in here as it is quite lengthy....here goes:

Inside Network Marketing

Why Mainstream Academia Will Never

Accept Network Marketing

By Leonard W. Clements © 2000

Okay, so we all know by now that network marketing was never actually taught at Harvard, or Yale, or Stanford, or (pick your rumored college or university). Will it ever be? There are some MLM authorities who would have you believe there are colleges and universities all over the nation preparing to ad, or are at least opening their mind to adding, MLM as an official part of their curriculum.

They haven't, and they won't.

Why not? The reason can be summed up in one simple, logical, oh so obvious answer: No college is ever going to educate their students as to how to earn a living at a profession that does not require a college education!

Think about it for a second (that's as long as it should take to make sense). Colleges and Universities exist on tuition fees, and various other profits derived from their student body. The men and women who run colleges and universities tend to be pretty bright people. They're not likely going to just decide one day "Hey, let's teach these kids how to earn a living without paying us $30,000 a semester!"

Network marketing is a "simple" business, right? Isn't that what we were all told when we first checked out MLM? It "levels the playing field," it allows the "average American to succeed in business," it provides an opportunity for "Sally Homemaker and Joe Toetruck" to be entrepreneurs. We just watch what our successful upline does and simply duplicate the process. I'm not saying it's easy, but it is, in fact, quite simple. So, if we can acquire all the knowledge we need to be successful in this business from a couple of "Big Al" books, and a few training calls from our upline (which is really all it might take), then why would anyone spend over $100,000 and four years of their life studying it? Even if MLM were only offered as a requisite class for a more standard Marketing degree (as opposed to their one day being a degree in MLM), it would still expose the concept, in a positive light, to the entire student body (not necessarily just those who take the class). And once the concept of MLM has been explained to the class itself, it's not that hard to imagine a room for of 19 year olds with little light bulbs above their heads with dollar signs swirling around them. I mean, imagine the kind of ad co-op you could put together with that 100 grand you're about to spend on tuition and books!

Even if, somehow, a few schools do ever offer MLM as part of their curriculum, it will only be for as long as it takes for the entire campus to be blanketed with "Lose 30 pounds in 30 days" fliers, the Dean's car windshield to crack from the weight of all the "Earn $10,000 in 90 days!" cards, and the first dozen restraining orders to be slapped on overly aggressive fellow students.

And I'm only slightly exaggerating.

More realistically, they're teach it until the first student succeeds at it and drops out.

The only way any school could actually avoid a potential loss of revenue, or perhaps even profit by offering classes in MLM, is if the institution itself were to endorse, promote and build a downline in a particular MLM company. It's conceivable they could eventually generate more income from overrides than from tuition fees. It also opens a Pandora's Box full of cans of worms. For example, can you even imagine the wheelin' an' dealin' that would go on behind close doors between MLM companies and campus administration?. In spite of how ridiculous this idea is, and the number of reasons why it would be a fiasco, I have no doubt that someday, somebody, somewhere, is going to try it.

There have been some recent, highly publicized developments related to this issue that would seem to suggest my theory is already proving false. After all, there is a "Certificate" course now being taught at the University of Chicago. A college level text book on direct selling now exists. Representatives from various educational institutions recently met at the University of Texas to discuss, among other things, the idea of embracing direct selling as a part of their curriculum.

First of all, network marketing is a subset of direct selling. It is quite possible to have a discussion about direct selling and not even mention MLM. Even if classes in direct selling emerge there's no guarantee that MLM will be more than a side bar. What's more, one very real possibility is that such a course, if one were to be developed, would focus primarily on starting and running an MLM company (which is the last thing this opportunity saturated industry needs), rather than attracting and educating more distributors (which this industry desperately needs). And just because a college level text book exists doesn't mean any college is ever going to use it. Currently, only the Utah Valley State College has adopted the text book, and only in preparation for an MLM course that may be offered later in the year. What's more, I strongly suspect this course will focus on developing MLM company employees, not distributors (it's no coincidence that the one college preparing to adopt this MLM textbook is right in the middle of the highest concentration of MLM corporate offices in the country). Finally, any laser printer can produce a "certificate." This document only verifies you've completed the course. It does not mean the course has been academically "certified" or that the course is accredited (counts towards graduation credits). Not only is the MLM training conducted at the University of Chicago not an accredited college course, it is a for profit business venture developed by an individual, which has been primarily attended by existing MLM distributors from around the country, not U of C students.

By the way, I'm not at all implying there is anything wrong with this course (I've heard good things about it), or the text book (which is an excellent resource). All I'm saying is, they don't offer any evidence that colleges and universities are becoming infatuated with MLM.

Personally, I wish the "powers that be" in this industry would spend less time and effort pursuing this academic dead end and focus on enticing the media over to our side (state and federal regulatory agencies are already being lobbied, and there has been progress made there in recent years). The media has great power (excuse my pointing out the absurdly obvious). You could try to persuade your friend to open their mind to network marketing until you're too old to speak and get no where, but if Larry King (or, God forbid, the Oprah!) were to suggest they check it out and you'd have to rent the Rose Bowl for your next opportunity meeting! Yes, it's true that most media lives and dies by advertising dollars and MLM is an industry that does not typically advertise in the mainstream media. But this little catch-22 has already been solved by some inventive MLMers with the cooperation of adventurous, open minded media people. For example, one radio station owner could have charged a top distributor for a nutritional company $12,000 per month for one hour of weekday air time to promote his products. Instead, he agreed to charge nothing for the air time and enroll as a distributor with the condition that all sales volume generated from the show would go in his downline. Now, two-and-a-half years later, there are over 100 other radio stations in his downline and he's earning over five times what he would have charged for the air time.

Imagine if somebody could pull this off with television stations all over the country.

Getting back to the original subject, we should all understand and appreciate that the reason colleges and universities have not accepted MLM (they've had 54 years now, you know) is not because it's not a worthy subject, or that it's not considered a legitimate form of business, or any other reason due to disrespect, it's simply because there's no demand for it. The industry of network marketing, believe it or not, is still a relatively small, undiscovered business alternative (mainly due to the fact that most of the 7 million distributors in this country are all pitching it to each other). And, once again, the business is just too simple to warrant a college level education based on it, or even one college level class. Furthermore, even if there was a sufficient demand, these educational institutions will be too afraid to expose their student body to it. Not because it's wrong or bad, but because it's too good! If offers to many powerful benefits and advantages over those careers that demand an expensive, four to eight year education.

So, no, MLM is not taught at Harvard or Yale, nor will it ever be – and it's something we should brag about!

[SoyCandleQueen]

I got to thinking about MLM last night. MLM is no different than us going to work for someone else. Do you think you are making anywhere near the same amount of money as the owner of the company you work for? When's the last time you got promoted with a raise? Just some things to think about. :smiley2:

[Vicky_CO]

MLM as part of the business world is fine I don't mind Watkins and a few of the others I can see where you can make money at them if your are diligent even the candle world has a few, Partlite being one, but when it comes to making candles it has no place.

They are encouraging people that if someone buys their kit they can be up and selling with the first candle they make. That is unethical in my opinion. Candles are an item that can burn down your home and destroy lives. Not only that but they encourage the lies about soy they actually want their people to bash paraffin with unproven facts. That is also unethical. There is so much more but in all honesty I am as tired of this argument as I am tired of the soy and the paraffin bashers it just get old. People will do what they want no matter what is said here this is a perfect example this thread was brought back months after it went inactive.

[SoyCandleQueen]

I don't see how INFORMING people of the dangers of paraffin would be considered bashing. Here are some more interesting articles. And if you are tired of being informed about paraffin, why, then, did you respond?

http://home.howstuffworks.com/question267.htm

http://ask.yahoo.com/20030207.html

http://www.scented-soy-wax-candles.com/paraffin-candles.html

[topofmurrayhill]

I don't see how INFORMING people of the dangers of paraffin would be considered bashing.

It's bashing because the "information" is coming from uninformed people.

[PurpleHippie]

Here we go again! I agree with Top, most of the information being spread is not accurate. I just don't get why some people seem to think it is necessary to knock other products just to get a sale. If you make a great product market it as that. No one should have to put down another persons product to make theirs seem better. If it is a good soy candle why can't the seller simply tell customers that their candle produces a great throw, it's attractive...you shouldn't have to bash a paraffin candle just to make a soy seem better. Just as in politics, a canidate shouldn't have to throw mud at another just to make himself look better. State your positive points and what's good about your work and move on.

There are some really good soy candles out there and there are some paraffin candles that perform equally as good. There is room in the market place for both!

[Stella1952]

SoyCandleQueen: I don't see how INFORMING people of the dangers of paraffin would be considered bashing. Here are some more interesting articles. And if you are tired of being informed about paraffin, why, then, did you respond?

You ARE new here, aren't you? I think if you carefully read the entire thread (or just the title) you would find that it is about a MLM marketing company. It is a subject about which opinions run deep and wide. Most folks who are familiar with the topic wince and groan whenever it is resurrected. Vicky compared it to the endless argument about the soy vs. paraffin dispute. I cannot imagine how sick more longstanding members must be of the endless fighting and carping!

But to reply to the hijacking of this thread's topic, the links you listed, Li'l Queenie, were familiar and so is the information they contained. Two of the sources were not even candlemaking sites, but general information sites for general purposes - notoriously inaccurate because the level of expertise in the topics is absent. They are written by professional writers who, if you hum a few bars, can write you a couple of hundred words on anything and not make too many grammatical errors. It's a job. Note that none cite an author or byline (as in exactly WHO wrote those golden words of wisdom) OR the sources for their information. If you have read a lot of sites that hype their opinions of certain waxes, you will find the same words paraphrased (or cut and pasted) over and over and over again with no thought as to the actual veracity of their assertions! Scientific fact is lacking. Simply quoting an EPA report, for example, means nothing unless the data in the report can be correlated to the discussion AND can be verified independently. It's always interesting to note who funded the research, BTW...

Personally, I am a veggie wax woman. It's a personal preference based on absolutely nothing but my own desire to work with veggie wax. Lots of people have worked with paraffin - I am deliberately choosing something a little cruder and less refined. I don't think of it as "better" nor do I need to make up bedtime stories about its "purity" (could I have some heavenly harp music here?) or "100% all-naturalness." I also don't need to justify my tastes by bashing other media!

I have been an environmentalist since country wasn't cool. It's totally cool to be "green" and "natural" these days, but hype doesn't replace scientific methods of testing, facts and independently verifiable test results! In fact, I am generally sickened to read the green hype these days that is nothing more than ignorant rumour bordering on superstition! It makes me feel ashamed of the entire movement and it sounds a lot more like the old snake oil salesmen of the 1800s than it does modern "enlightened" discussion. The kind of crap I read on soy wax sites makes me wanna blow chunks. Those soy lovin' folks should read some real research on their beloved soybean and what it has done over the past 40 years to ENHANCE autoimmune disease, allergies, arterial disease and many other real unhealthy, UNNATURAL problems, starting with putting the crap in BABY formula (every mammal's dream - to suckle a soybean!). Making candle wax from soybean oil is arguably the safest thing that greedhead agrobusiness moguls have done with the new, cheap food product that has found its way into darned near everything we eat or put on our bodies! The humble soybean farmer, my rosy red rear! PuhLEEEZE!:rolleyes2

I appreciate reading and learning about candlemaking. The entire idea is to dispel rumours ("I heard that..."), expose slanted data, correct inaccurate "lore" and incomplete information that simply perpetuates ignorance and to share new discoveries, ideas and research. Learning is a great thing providing that WHAT you learn is accurate and worthy. Otherwise, it's called indoctrination and propaganda.

*...sorry for the rave :embarasse I really TRIED not to reply... Blame it on the hydrogenated soybean oil in my brain arteries...*

[suzanneg]

I don't bash pariffin or soy wax either! but I had to stop making those kind of candles, cause I would get serious migraine headaches! My customers were so upset!!! but since I found palm wax, I dont' have that trouble!

but I had to have candles in my shop, and sorry to say I joined Mia Bella! but I am back to candle making NOW!!!!! I need to take pics of my candles and put them on my website! I sold out the first weekend I brought them in!

I agree.... I wouldn't touch CW with a 10 foot pole! To good to be true!

Take it from one who has experienced it all!!!!!!!!!!!!

[doris]

You ARE new here, aren't you? I think if you carefully read the entire thread (or just the title) you would find that it is about a MLM marketing company. It is a subject about which opinions run deep and wide. Most folks who are familiar with the topic wince and groan whenever it is resurrected. Vicky compared it to the endless argument about the soy vs. paraffin dispute. I cannot imagine how sick more longstanding members must be of the endless fighting and carping!

But to reply to the hijacking of this thread's topic, the links you listed, Li'l Queenie, were familiar and so is the information they contained. Two of the sources were not even candlemaking sites, but general information sites for general purposes - notoriously inaccurate because the level of expertise in the topics is absent. They are written by professional writers who, if you hum a few bars, can write you a couple of hundred words on anything and not make too many grammatical errors. It's a job. Note that none cite an author or byline (as in exactly WHO wrote those golden words of wisdom) OR the sources for their information. If you have read a lot of sites that hype their opinions of certain waxes, you will find the same words paraphrased (or cut and pasted) over and over and over again with no thought as to the actual veracity of their assertions! Scientific fact is lacking. Simply quoting an EPA report, for example, means nothing unless the data in the report can be correlated to the discussion AND can be verified independently. It's always interesting to note who funded the research, BTW...

Personally, I am a veggie wax woman. It's a personal preference based on absolutely nothing but my own desire to work with veggie wax. Lots of people have worked with paraffin - I am deliberately choosing something a little cruder and less refined. I don't think of it as "better" nor do I need to make up bedtime stories about its "purity" (could I have some heavenly harp music here?) or "100% all-naturalness." I also don't need to justify my tastes by bashing other media!

I have been an environmentalist since country wasn't cool. It's totally cool to be "green" and "natural" these days, but hype doesn't replace scientific methods of testing, facts and independently verifiable test results! In fact, I am generally sickened to read the green hype these days that is nothing more than ignorant rumour bordering on superstition! It makes me feel ashamed of the entire movement and it sounds a lot more like the old snake oil salesmen of the 1800s than it does modern "enlightened" discussion. The kind of crap I read on soy wax sites makes me wanna blow chunks. Those soy lovin' folks should read some real research on their beloved soybean and what it has done over the past 40 years to ENHANCE autoimmune disease, allergies, arterial disease and many other real unhealthy, UNNATURAL problems, starting with putting the crap in BABY formula (every mammal's dream - to suckle a soybean!). Making candle wax from soybean oil is arguably the safest thing that greedhead agrobusiness moguls have done with the new, cheap food product that has found its way into darned near everything we eat or put on our bodies! The humble soybean farmer, my rosy red rear! PuhLEEEZE!:rolleyes2

I appreciate reading and learning about candlemaking. The entire idea is to dispel rumours ("I heard that..."), expose slanted data, correct inaccurate "lore" and incomplete information that simply perpetuates ignorance and to share new discoveries, ideas and research. Learning is a great thing providing that WHAT you learn is accurate and worthy. Otherwise, it's called indoctrination and propaganda.

*...sorry for the rave :embarasse I really TRIED not to reply... Blame it on the hydrogenated soybean oil in my brain arteries...*

Thank you so much, I LOVED your post!

[thesoapbox]

Personally I feel the worst part of this whole thing is the lure of making lots of money with this. That alone will draw in people who think they can just make a candle in no time at all and make tons of money at it. That is where I see the danger coming into play. Poorly created candles at the expense of unsuspecting consumers simply because the person creating it was wooed into this line of work simply by promising the $$$. Many are driven by the almighty $ sign and don't realize the science of making candles. I simply stick with only making tarts and tins and some small wickless jars mainly because of the time, energy, money and testing-testing-testing-testing-testing it takes to create an awesome candle that will not only satisfy the consumers but keep them pretty safe as long as the candles are burned properly.

It's great that the president of the company is very well versed into making an excellent candle, but how many of the lower level individuals are that well versed as well? How many really don't pay attention to the proper literature? Is everyone really being trained properly about making a candle or is all the training mainly focused on recruiting (as is typical with MLMs)?

I don't prefer to mess around with MLMs, they are ridiculous. Direct sales is a different venue mainly because the higher ups are required to work hard at their business as well. Not just sit back and reap the rewards of their team or downline as in MLMs.

And I agree with everyone else. Why on earth fill the pockets of these people in this MLM when you can make your very own great candle by using wholesale companies at a much cheaper rate and then fill your own pockets with your own creations?

Who cares about all this crap floating around about the different types of waxes and their harmfulness to us? I sure don't. I dare say that many candle makers that relish in bashing other waxes are probably smokers and have no worries about what THAT does to other people ROFL, however are extremely worried about what wax from one candle can do to people.

It takes all kinds to make the world go round and all kinds to like different types of waxes..so I say cater to them all and keep a thriving business

Just my thoughts on this!

Angi

[suzanneg]

Personally I feel the worst part of this whole thing is the lure of making lots of money with this. That alone will draw in people who think they can just make a candle in no time at all and make tons of money at it. That is where I see the danger coming into play. Poorly created candles at the expense of unsuspecting consumers simply because the person creating it was wooed into this line of work simply by promising the $$$. Many are driven by the almighty $ sign and don't realize the science of making candles. I simply stick with only making tarts and tins and some small wickless jars mainly because of the time, energy, money and testing-testing-testing-testing-testing it takes to create an awesome candle that will not only satisfy the consumers but keep them pretty safe as long as the candles are burned properly.

It's great that the president of the company is very well versed into making an excellent candle, but how many of the lower level individuals are that well versed as well? How many really don't pay attention to the proper literature? Is everyone really being trained properly about making a candle or is all the training mainly focused on recruiting (as is typical with MLMs)?

I don't prefer to mess around with MLMs, they are ridiculous. Direct sales is a different venue mainly because the higher ups are required to work hard at their business as well. Not just sit back and reap the rewards of their team or downline as in MLMs.

And I agree with everyone else. Why on earth fill the pockets of these people in this MLM when you can make your very own great candle by using wholesale companies at a much cheaper rate and then fill your own pockets with your own creations?

Who cares about all this crap floating around about the different types of waxes and their harmfulness to us? I sure don't. I dare say that many candle makers that relish in bashing other waxes are probably smokers and have no worries about what THAT does to other people ROFL, however are extremely worried about what wax from one candle can do to people.

It takes all kinds to make the world go round and all kinds to like different types of waxes..so I say cater to them all and keep a thriving business

Just my thoughts on this!

Angi

Soapbox I am a smoker! I love soy/parrifin wax but I couldn't deal with the migraines!! I get them anyway without making candles!!