Do you ever feel......

[Holly]

like you can't work fast enough? What do you all do who have built a good sized customer base to get big orders out without taking so much time? How do you work fast enough when it is just you? I feel like it takes me forever to get several candles done. I have learned a few things to make things faster, but I still feel pretty slow.....and I am usually a fast moving person. I have a friend that says I only have one speed...."fast". I guess not in all things, especially with detailed things. How do you all keep up with big orders or craft shows????

[heirloomoriginals]

I am running into that same problem. My cousin gave me a decent sized order for Christmas and I am having trouble getting that done. It doesn't help that I don't have a good work area set up, yet, so i am hoping that will help when I have a permanent area. I guess being efficient just comes with time!

Steph

[wildangel112]

And it seems to get harder with the holidays approaching. I'm hoping my new Turk n Surk will help with that problem though. I've been so stressed between customer orders, shows, wholesale orders, Christmas shopping, preparing for Thanksgiving and pre-planning for X-mas that my doctor has prescribed Zoloft and Atarax. For all the good it does since I hate taking meds. I love this time of year, but sure will be glad when the rush dies down .

[Lorrie]

Yes, I feel the same way. I got slambed with all my wholesale accounts ordering and I just got those done. Now, I have two really good sized orders that need to be done and a huge candle supply order. But what I have found that helps me is to try and stock up on things before the holiday rush comes up.

But I so love this time of year.

[Trish]

I find it's about finding a method...

When I'm doing pillars, it's usually 45-60 at a time, or jars 5 or 6 cases at a time. Do you have several pour pots? Have everything ready when you start, pull out your notes, the containers, wicks, FO, dye, etc so it's all there and you don't have to go look for anything in the middle.

[David Fields]

Boy, reading the posts brings back memories. You want more sales, but more sales requires more production time. You reach a point where you physically cannot make more, so, you increase production space/equipment to make better use of the time you have. Everything is OK for a while, but you now have more $ invested in equipment/production space/storage, so, you start finding ways to increase sales to justify the outlay to increase production capacity. Christmas rolls around with all of the new sales orders - back to a crunch in time. It is a never ending cycle. But fun.

[Tess]

I find it's about finding a method...

When I'm doing pillars, it's usually 45-60 at a time, or jars 5 or 6 cases at a time. Do you have several pour pots? Have everything ready when you start, pull out your notes, the containers, wicks, FO, dye, etc so it's all there and you don't have to go look for anything in the middle.

Amen!!! A good sized, clean organized works space is a must. Get a more efficient system down. When you have a minimized all your steps as productive as possible, and you are STILL overwhelmed, it is time for employees.

I feel like this everyday I work on candles. Business is great, but this is getting hard.

[bugtussle]

This time of the year is tough. Wish I could spread OCT-NOV-DEC into the rest of the year. Finished a small Fundraiser Monday. Got results from 2 big ones today. Over Thanksgiving and next week, my husband & I will pour 2600 tins, 589 double-wicked 11 oz tureens and 498 clamshells. We need to pack them next weekend. I have 1 more fundraiser left for delivery Dec 14th. It's tins only. I always think I will ease up next year, but it just keeps on growing. Maybe too much of a good thing and very overwhelming, but I love making candles. Carole

[cindym]

I really have learned. I started at the end of the summer. I made a ton of votives in my most popular scents. Soap was already to go. I poured 4 cases of each of my most popular scents in 16 oz apothecary's. Then went through another 5 cases of container wax. All the potpourri was made. Actually am now filling special orders for my wholesale accounts and working on orders from friends, which skyrockedted this year. My biggest thing really was getting all the votives out of the way, made a huge difference. I have about 4 dozen left, and I know they will go. It does get better, but it never ends it seems. Also reorganized everything this year, and had everythig ready the night before for pouring the next day. Not saying the place didn't get trashed every day, cause it did. Hmmm a few good burns, funny how those burns don't hurt til after you are all done. LOL

[Holly]

Thanks everyone for the replies with suggestions and sharing what you experience, etc. I give all of you a lot of credit who have built a good sized customer base and keep up with it in a timely manner. I know that many of you are way ahead of me and even what I have to keep up with is a lot of work and time-consuming. I have been learning ways to get things moving faster. The most time-consuming thing for me is wicking the jars, poke and repours and the MISERABLE labels (warning labels). Of course, the tying and tagging is time consuming, but I feel like that part goes by pretty fast for the most part. I changed to the Labels By the Sheet and they are always off center. It drives me nuts and it is very time consuming. It looks like I will have to go back to Label Universe labels again and give up my waterproof labels for inkjet printers. I prefer the texture and look of the waterproof labels, but it has wasted a lot of time lately and has created a lot of headaches! I have made a template to lay my jars on to make the wicking faster -- I double wick. I ordered that wick setter last year but it never worked right for me. I do have quite of few pouring pots. I have found that I keep ordering more -- mostly small ones for pouring small orders or tester candles, etc. but do have several big ones too.

David, what you said I am sure is so true......enjoyed your post. I want and strive to increase business but at the same time I think, "will I be able to keep up with it." If not, then I guess it is like what Tess said, "employee time." Although, I am not at that point yet.

Thanks again for the great responses, and Happy Thanksgiving!

~Holly

[Tess]

Lemme ask;

When you talk about poking and repouring and all thse little PITB things, are you doing this like per every small batch? Here is how I do mine. I have as of right now, 6 (totally needing to buy more) Melt Pots. So lets say I want to pour 6 FO's and 2 cases of each. So pour them all and leave the excess in its pour pot. So after you pour all the FO's go back and tighten the wicks like with a clothespin or whatever you do. Then when you poke, do everything at one time. Same with the repour. You see what I mean? Make a one step proccess for each scent.

Kinda like waiting tables. If you get triple sat, then take it like one big table. Take ALL the drink orders at one time. Take them out. Take all the orders at one time. Take all the salads at one time. Get my drift? If you do not do this already, try it. It really helps out a lot, and it is less stressful too.

[Holly]

Lemme ask;

When you talk about poking and repouring and all thse little PITB things, are you doing this like per every small batch? Here is how I do mine. I have as of right now, 6 (totally needing to buy more) Melt Pots. So lets say I want to pour 6 FO's and 2 cases of each. So pour them all and leave the excess in its pour pot. So after you pour all the FO's go back and tighten the wicks like with a clothespin or whatever you do. Then when you poke, do everything at one time. Same with the repour. You see what I mean? Make a one step proccess for each scent.

Kinda like waiting tables. If you get triple sat, then take it like one big table. Take ALL the drink orders at one time. Take them out. Take all the orders at one time. Take all the salads at one time. Get my drift? If you do not do this already, try it. It really helps out a lot, and it is less stressful too.

Hi Tess,

Yes, I do it exactly the way you do it -- the pouring, poking and repours, etc. Although, I am not quite at the point yet where I make 2 cases of each scent, but may have to in the near future. My biggest amounts are for crafts shows, but I still have not had to make two cases of each scent. I have not gone to any HUGE shows yet. I do pour to order often but my orders are starting to become bigger and come more often. I am now pouring more of each scent that is ordered, so I will have extra on hand and the time it takes me is not just for a few. I try to always have the most popular scents on hand though. This helps. I am just so particular...so careful about straight wicks, nice tops (for soy that is) and the special details. I have a really critical eye and sometimes this trait can drive me nuts.

I love your analogy of waiting tables. I was a waitress in my college days and what you said is exactly how a server needs to operate to be fast and efficient.

Thanks for the tips and that is great that your business is going well! Your hard work and dedication has paid off.

~Holly

[stephnms]

During my busiest time of year (September through March) I have help from my sister-in-law and a cousin of mine. I make the products and they help with labeling and packaging. They are a Godsend.

[David Fields]

Holly, we made labels on our inkjets for years and then tried labels printed by pros and we've never looked back. The chunk of cash you have to pay upfront is stiff but worth it for the professional look. Plus, if you actually figure all of your costs (except time) the nice, professional labels are cheaper. Again, it's the big initial outlay. You might look into it with several printers to get bids.

[ah-soy]

NG has a great production tutorial on their site. The link is near the bottom of the index and I think is titled 'candle manual'...

[KristinesShower]

How do you do it?

You stop coming on the computer and posting to the boards, reading interesting things that have to do with your business, and pretty much stay away from the computer.

Then if that doesn't work and you still feel overwhelmed - get some help!! I can't stress that enough. If I didn't have help, I would literally rip my hair out until it was all gone.

Right now I am sitting here on the computer tonite because I am out of a key ingredient to make my bathbombs with. I sit here with thousands on order, but I don't fret - because I know the delivery will be here on Monday and the cycle will start over again back on track.

You have to have gumption

You have to want to work and be grateful for the stuff you do accomplish instead of worrying about the things that need to be done

You need to make a list and ahere to it

Don't bitch about all the stuff that you have to do - just roll up your sleeves and dive in - things get done so much faster than way (and this coming from THE bitch herself - me!)

And last but not least - get help if you need some. You wouldn't believe some of the help you can get if you just ask around. Most of my holiday help works for product!!!

Good luck and get going!

[cleanglow]

How do you do it?

You stop coming on the computer and posting to the boards, reading interesting things that have to do with your business, and pretty much stay away from the computer.

Then if that doesn't work and you still feel overwhelmed - get some help!! I can't stress that enough. If I didn't have help, I would literally rip my hair out until it was all gone.

Right now I am sitting here on the computer tonite because I am out of a key ingredient to make my bathbombs with. I sit here with thousands on order, but I don't fret - because I know the delivery will be here on Monday and the cycle will start over again back on track.

You have to have gumption

You have to want to work and be grateful for the stuff you do accomplish instead of worrying about the things that need to be done

You need to make a list and ahere to it

Don't bitch about all the stuff that you have to do - just roll up your sleeves and dive in - things get done so much faster than way (and this coming from THE bitch herself - me!)

And last but not least - get help if you need some. You wouldn't believe some of the help you can get if you just ask around. Most of my holiday help works for product!!!

Good luck and get going!

I'm too tired to type so I'll just say ditto... except for the "bitch" part, of course;)