Testing everything.....making nothing?

[LittleMissSunshine]

I feel like I've been in a total funk lately! I think a lot of it has just been Winter. I go into total hibernation mode. Another problem is that I read this whole big post on another forum saying why "you're not ready to start selling". I mean, I already knew that, but it was pretty discouraging and really made me step back a bit from making stuff. The business side of everything has been extremely motivating for me.

 

Now I'm also in this weird place where I'm just testing everything? Like I will make one or two candles so I can wick test them and then not make anything for days or weeks because I want to test them first. I'm even taking some time to use my scrubs and make sure the preservative holds up, so I don't want to make more of those either. And I haven't gotten the chance to try out my CP stuff with my little one around. I am usually exhausted by the time she goes to bed lately and don't want to do anything. Plus I don't have a store yet, so I don't have orders to fill or craft fairs to prep for. I feel like I have no reason to make anything. You know?

 

Have any of you ever felt this way? What do you do? 

[Shari]

I think part of that comes from the intention to sell.  Many of us started out with just a hobby and ended up selling.   I was making soap over a year or so before I ever thought of selling it.  Same with my other products.  I tested everything for at least a year, just making for friends and family.   When I finally decided to sell, I added things a little at a time.  I work full time plus have a family, so having a business took time.  Over the last 7 years, I've had my products out there and will still sometimes tweak them.  But I wanted to have products I knew were quality so that customers came back.   I think it's the same with candles (I don't make them).  There are just so many variables to them.  Takes a lot of time to find the right wax, jars, wicks, scents etc....   I read every post on several different forums related to what I wanted to do.  

 

So, just enjoy the process and have fun.  Don't stress out or you're likely to quit before you even get started.   Also, keep in mind the markets are over populated with B&B as well as candles so you need to find your niche.

 

Take a deep breath. 

[Kerven]

I'm in the same boat. My setback started with the soy wax issues. I had the product and processing figured out and was ready to start brainstorming business name, structure, labeling, etc.... and then I was put back at square one as if learning how to make candles all over again. Since then, everything has been on hold while I test, rewick, test, reformulate, test, etc. etc.  Casual researching and testing until I find something I like and can stick with.

[LittleMissSunshine]

1 hour ago, Kerven said:

I'm in the same boat. My setback started with the soy wax issues. I had the product and processing figured out and was ready to start brainstorming business name, structure, labeling, etc.... and then I was put back at square one as if learning how to make candles all over again. Since then, everything has been on hold while I test, rewick, test, reformulate, test, etc. etc.  Casual researching and testing until I find something I like and can stick with.

 

Yes!! This is exactly where I am at. I had a 50lb box of 464, spent months working with it. I got it to a point where I felt like I couldn't get it too much better without excruciating amounts of extra testing and whatnot for small improvements. But when I got to the bottom of the box I had to sit and think for a while.....is this worth it? Lol. And I don't mean candle-making. I LOVE making candles. I meant dealing with the soy. So I decided to switch to parasoy. And I also have been figuring out my business at the same time. What is going to be my appeal? What is my flavor? What jars am I going to use? So finally I settled on 6006 and a couple different jars. And now I feel like I am starting over with testing all over again haha. 

[Sarah S]

2 hours ago, LittleMissSunshine said:

....I feel like I have no reason to make anything. You know?

 

Have any of you ever felt this way? What do you do? 

 

It is difficult for me to convey conversational nuances in writing, so please, please do not take offense at what I am about to write.

 

I have honestly never felt this way. I love to make bath and body products, I love to make candles, I love to make melts, and I love to formulate and test new things most of all. Maybe it is in part because selling what I make is not my primary or even secondary or even thirdary source of income so I don't feel pressure to meet a bottom line. But like @Shari, the items that I sell are limited, and I literally only started selling because the demand for what I was making grew to the point where I could no longer afford to give it away. 

This is something I have noticed about candle making in particular. Hobbyists feeling pressure to sell. For many years I quilted as a hobby, and lord! Talk about an expensive hobby! Never once did it cross my mind that I should start selling my quilts to recoup some of the money I spent on supplies. I don't know, I'm not critizing, it's just something I noticed, and I think it's a shame because people seem to lose enjoyment in something that should bring them pleasure.

I only make things that I enjoy and that I personally love to use. So, using candles for example, every candle that I test bring enrichment to my life either through the enjoyment of having and wonderfully scented candle burning in my home, or through gaining some insight on how to make a better candle. Sure, I get frustrated when a scent I love just won't work with my wick series, or the most divine FO ever seizes in my soap batter and ruins the whole batch, but at the end of the day there are very few disasters that I can't salvage somehow and still get some personal enjoyment from.

I know the recent struggle with soy is a different scenario, and I totally get how that can be a total joy-killer. Certainly for established businesses with a large customer base, it has been a nightmare. As someone just starting out, you have the opportunity to learn from this and decide how to proceed, while still benefiting from the experience you gained from making all those candles.

Again, I'm speaking from the view of a hobbyist with a side-business, so please don't think I'm making light of the hard work that goes in to running a profitable business. I just know that the more involved I get in the community, the more I see people feeling like they need to sell to recoup losses from "bad" candles, or excessive testing, or they feel pressure to have a zillion fragrances that they don't even like because their bosses wife's cousin just loooves lilacs and can't you make her a few candles please??

My advice is to ask yourself "why am I doing this?", "what do I love about this", "what do I hate, and can I find a way to hate it less?", "what are my limitations?", and most of all "what do I really, really want?".

I ask myself those questions all the time, not just about my crafty endeavors, but also about my "real" job too. I could write six more paragraphs on how much it costs to stay relevant in the fitness industry, lol!!

[LittleMissSunshine]

@Sarah S Thank you for your input! I really appreciate it. Honestly.  For me, I decided to start with candle making as a hobby, but I really loved it so much and felt so inspired that I quickly decided I wanted to take it further. Part of it definitely was trying to recoop expenses for buying everything, especially when I am at home with the baby right now, not working, and we are living on a budget. But the more I delved into it, the more excited I got. I made a plan, figured out what I want to do, what I want to be. I made goals. And everyone saying, "you're not ready, you're not ready," really was disheartening for me. I like having a goal and something to work for. I thoroughly enjoy everything I make, and I don't think I'll ever stop making any of it. But having a goal in mind for what I'm going to do with it is really motivating. 

[LittleMissSunshine]

Maybe I am wrong for starting out wanting to sell. I probably could have taken it more slowly. But I have my goals, and I am not going to stop reaching for them. 

[Jcandleattic]

3 minutes ago, LittleMissSunshine said:

Maybe I am wrong for starting out wanting to sell.

I wouldn't say that is wrong. What I will say though is that it does put more pressure on you to get things right quicker, which can then make if feel more like a "job" than something fun that you enjoy. 

8 minutes ago, LittleMissSunshine said:

And everyone saying, "you're not ready, you're not ready," really was disheartening for me.

I don't think they were trying to discourage you. (of course I don't know) it's just that the more experienced makers, know how long it takes to make a quality product that will be a safe, reliant product that will also represent the handmade industry in a good light. 

 

7 minutes ago, LittleMissSunshine said:

I have my goals, and I am not going to stop reaching for them. 

That's a great start and never stop reaching for them!  

[Sarah S]

JC summed it up beautifully!

If the business side calls to you, than go for it! Like any job, though, there are going to be times where the job kinda sucks. Starting out, there might be a lot of times when the job sucks. If you love it, and you have an eye on your end goal, I'm sure find a way to get through it and truly enjoy what you do!

[moonshine]

10 hours ago, Kerven said:

I'm in the same boat. My setback started with the soy wax issues. I had the product and processing figured out and was ready to start brainstorming business name, structure, labeling, etc.... and then I was put back at square one as if learning how to make candles all over again. Since then, everything has been on hold while I test, rewick, test, reformulate, test, etc. etc.  Casual researching and testing until I find something I like and can stick with.

It's sooooo frustrating isn't it??

I had a perfect soy candle, my process was down pat, sales were getting better and better and boom-  now soy sucks

I can't make it work alone and I have tried several others - having to wick down suffered my hot throw tremendously, Other soys don't throw or they burn ugly or so drastically inconsistent with each case  

I keep chasing my tail with blends going back and forth and upside down trying to figure out what I like that stays consistent I'm almost there but I seem to hit new road blocks with each and every test 

 

[Kerven]

@moonshine That's why I've almost sworn off soy for good. If I find a fix for it now, who is to say the next order of wax isn't going to set me back again. Lately, my focus has been coming up with something that contains no soy wax; soy additives - sure, hydrogenated soy - nope. Sadly, the options for consumer-available, no-paraffin, plant-derived waxes in the US are limited. I do want to look into priming waxes for wicks to see how much those affect burn temps.

 

 

Edited March 24, 2018 by Kerven

[TallTayl]

Every single day. 

 

You take one one step at a time and take good notes. The pressure to start selling pushes people too quickly. They forget to enjoy the process an actually learn and master the craft. It takes thousands of hours to master a new craft. 

 

If it is to recover hobby costs, as I too see often, why are soap and b&b products the go-to for that quick hobby money recovery? The quilt example is perfect. Maybe because the barriers to entry are so low? Anyone and everyone can jump in and make something that appears good enough to sell. The joy of the hobby is replaced with the deep need to make money. My other hobby is horses. I got second and third  jobs to keep in that hobby. I trained my own horses for over two decades before turning to it to make money to cover board when I moved. Then the joy disappeared. 

 

I’m in a similar boat as kerven and moonshine. Have been selling candles and b&b for a decade, but am at square one with wax yet again. Talk about pressure! This type of pressure to find a solution costs 100x more than starting out. Existing customers have expectations. Without the prior experience and mastery of other waxes the changes would have been devastating. It took many years and thousands of $  to build the customer base and brand. There’s just no quick way to make back a few bucks. 

[Ienne]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one in this boat.  EcoSoya is not my favorite but I have 4 cases I need to get rid of (sweet Husband surprised me with lots of wax!).  I'd love to just pour it all and sell it at the local fair this summer, but I can't even find a wick that works well with a 4oz ball jar (sans color or frag). 

 

Ugh.

[LittleMissSunshine]

Thanks for your input @TallTayl. I'm really sorry that everyone is having to go through all of this. I really can't imagine how difficult it must be! 

 

I wonder why there is such a big push to sell handmade recently...especially B&B. 

[TallTayl]

7 minutes ago, Ienne said:

I'm so glad I'm not the only one in this boat.  EcoSoya is not my favorite but I have 4 cases I need to get rid of (sweet Husband surprised me with lots of wax!).  I'd love to just pour it all and sell it at the local fair this summer, but I can't even find a wick that works well with a 4oz ball jar (sans color or frag). 

 

Ugh.

I’d sell it off on Craigslist or similar and buy a wax that works easier.

 

Why do we always keep throwing good $ trying to make a wax we dislike work? 

 

I am kicking myself for trying so hard hard to make even 444 work. Have spent easily $100 in fragrance alone this month trying to find some consistency within lot numbers, let alone from lot to lot. It would have been cheaper to give the wax away on the curb than go through all this wasted time and effort.

 

I will never spend another penny on GB/AKOsoy or ecosoya ever again. 

[TallTayl]

1 minute ago, LittleMissSunshine said:

Thanks for your input @TallTayl. I'm really sorry that everyone is having to go through all of this. I really can't imagine how difficult it must be! 

 

I wonder why there is such a big push to sell handmade recently...especially B&B. 

There’s always a push because it seems like fast, easy money. Magazines on bookstore shelves promise riches immediately. Pinterest and Facebook do the same. 

 

Anyone can  make a candle/soap/melt/bath bomb. It takes a lot of work, luck and skill to make a profit from them. 

[Ienne]

5 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

I will never spend another penny on GB/AKOsoy or ecosoya ever again. 

 

Me neither.

 

I believe my marketing strategy until this drek is sold is, "These are handmade items, lovingly crafted so imperfections are normal."  You know, kind of like the labels on dyed 100% cotton clothing.  

Edited March 27, 2018 by Ienne

[TallTayl]

5 minutes ago, Ienne said:

 

Me neither.

 

I believe my marketing strategy until this drek is sold is, "These are handmade items, lovingly crafted so imperfections are normal."  You know, kind of like the labels on dyed 100% cotton clothing.  

Lol. Yes market it as such and move forward with life using better quality waxes. 

[Tokoo]

27 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

Anyone can  make a candle/soap/melt/bath bomb. It takes a lot of work, luck and skill to make a profit from them. 

I honestly have know clue how beginners can make money off of soap. Just looking at most of the stuff used, seems really pricey, without buying in huge bulk. However I haven't researched it.

[TallTayl]

Just now, Tokoo said:

I honestly have know clue how beginners can make money off of soap. Just looking at most of the stuff used, seems really pricey, without buying in huge bulk. However I haven't researched it.

It takes a LOT to make any money at it. But I found soap more profitable than candles because at least soap won’t burn someone’s house down. Soap took a lot of testing and refining, but even a crappy bar of soap is safer than an open flame. 

[Tokoo]

7 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

It takes a LOT to make any money at it. But I found soap more profitable than candles because at least soap won’t burn someone’s house down. Soap took a lot of testing and refining, but even a crappy bar of soap is safer than an open flame. 

LOL, true, didn't think of it that way. I have to look into it more, just so many terrible you tube video's, makes it hard to get the basic's sometimes. Bath bombs took me awhile to get because 90% of videos I seen people had no clue what they were doing. 

[Sarah S]

1 hour ago, TallTayl said:

It takes a LOT to make any money at it. But I found soap more profitable than candles because at least soap won’t burn someone’s house down. Soap took a lot of testing and refining, but even a crappy bar of soap is safer than an open flame. 

 

Isn't that the truth!

It is so much easier to diversify my soap line than my candle line!

I test FOs in soap with my standard recipe - I know the soap itself is good, I'm just testing to see how the FO behaves, and if it morphs or anything. I don't have to actually USE the soap if I don't like the fragrance. I'm testing a floral candle right now for a friend, and honest to god, I don't know how I'm going to make it through the whole test burn, lol! Despite the snow on the ground, I might need to crack a window! 😆

It's a nice floral - the pink lilac from Aztec - but after an hour I am so done with it! 😂

[Ienne]

18 minutes ago, Sarah S said:

honest to god, I don't know how I'm going to make it through the whole test burn, lol! Despite the snow on the ground, I might need to crack a window! 😆

 

LOL  That's how I feel about Vanilla Bean - and you'd think with 3 dogs I'd be grateful for any 'pleasing' aroma! 

 

Hang in there.

[Jcandleattic]

2 hours ago, Tokoo said:

I honestly have know clue how beginners can make money off of soap. Just looking at most of the stuff used, seems really pricey, without buying in huge bulk. However I haven't researched it.

 

2 hours ago, TallTayl said:

It takes a LOT to make any money at it. But I found soap more profitable than candles because at least soap won’t burn someone’s house down. Soap took a lot of testing and refining, but even a crappy bar of soap is safer than an open flame. 

 

And you can buy pretty inexpensive oils to make soap with at the grocery store, and use old milk cartons, and stuff around the house as molds, so startup isn't as expensive as startup for candle-making can be. 

 

If I tried hard enough, I could make a 1lb loaf of soap with all ingredients and equipment used for less than $5. 

[Candybee]

I feel so bad for you guys trying to figure out the new soys and the soys that changed. I think I would be pulling my hair out and don't know if I would have the same patience some of you all have!

 

To OP-- RE selling-- I think I know the exact thread you are referring to on the are you ready to start selling. I read that about a yr or two ago. Some of it I agree with and some of it seems off or moot to me. It has some good info but you should not take it all to heart. Everyone is different and not every single piece of info in there will apply to you. So don't let it discourage you. Instead, take from it what appeals to you and helps you on your way. Once you start selling you are going to have to learn a lot of things you just have to jump in and do and can't get the answers to by reading about it.

 

The one thing I do know and try to tell those who have dreams of selling is to follow your dream and don't let anyone talk you out of it! You know if you stumble you can turn that around into a learning experience. You are not afraid to try what you want or something new so go for it!

 

I think you are just experiencing winter blues and try to remember that is just temporary. So don't give up but if you need to pace yourself or take time off. I find when I get in a rut or feel blue a little break does wonders. When you come back to something refreshed and rejuvenated you see it in a whole new perspective.