candle business success stories - positivity only please!

[auntmannys]

i agree with the majority of the posts. you cant post the good without the bad. while i realize your intention was to make seperate posts for the opposites, it may not be the best thing to do.

my biggest concern would be the newbies that come here everyday. the unsuspecting and those with lack of knowledge about even where to begin. remember that we can pick and choose to read what we want. so...chances are, its bad enough that a newbie comes here thinking they can make and sell their first candle in one day and if they choose to see just the positive side of the business (positive thread) to find out how much money they *can* make, they will have a brick and mortar in a week. the negative NEEDS to be seen with the positive in a situation as this.

its not to be discouraging...its the realization that this is NOT a "get rich quick scheme" as MANY newbies believe it to be. I am sure there is a HUGE handful of wannabe chandlers that, once given the reality of it all, would rethink even starting. If someone is truly passionate about what they do...they will continue through all of the ups and mostly downs. And to be honest, the less chandlers we have out there that are not passionate about what they do...the less we have making a bad name for all of us because they dont take it seriously and have no regard for customer safety. its been proven over and over throughout the years.

Stuff like this can be misleading. kinda like those weight loss commercials or the "how you can make $20,000 a week from home" commercials. If you look at the fine print at the bottom, it always says "results not typical".

most of us work our asses off for a little bit of spending money, if that. i do it because i love working with my hands and love to be creative. though im off on other ventures right now with crafts, graphic & web design, etc., im still passionate about what i do. we would all like to think that we are gonna make it big someday and that one person out of every thousand that makes it...i commend them.

thats my weeks salary ($.02)

[coco]

Thanks everyone who shared and kept things positive like I asked!

To everyone else: thanks for your concern but I am disappointed that you did not honor my request to keep this thread a positive place only.

And you are... who? Did you join the forum as a moderator and maybe we missed it?

I actually had some positivity to share, which believe me is rare, as I'm generally pretty b*tchy (hey I'm working on it ) but these comments just threw all that out the window. I can only assume that you are new to message boards in general, so I will offer you some valuable advice in regards to posting:

Do not speak to people as if you are their superior if you wish to have a platform.

I can only speak for myself here, but this made me feel as if I were a child who just got caught with my hand in the cookie jar...

[LynnS]

When I read the post I soon looked to see how long you have been on the Board. It wasn't long. Doesn't mean you are newbie but immediately wanted to know success stories and not the "not so successful" stories. I think you mentioned that was next. Put both together IMO.

I have been making candles and other items for 4 years and not as successful as some but more successful than others. As you may read some have been down in sales this year because of the economy. Hard for them to pinpoint success when other years they have done quite well. Where I live I can say the economy has never been at its worse and I don't expect alot of sales unless on-line or from shows. In fact I have 6 candlemakers within 5 miles of me and see them at shows.

I will not give up but pretty much call this a hobby. I do have candles in a shop and met someone there who has candles too. She said she was the only soymaker but guess what? I do soy. She didn't believe me because my candles don't look like hers. So now I learned something. All soy candles look just alike.

LynnS

[SatinDucky]

Perhaps you would have received your much desired responses if you had only said "I am in desperate need of encouragement." People here are ordinarily highly supportive of each other. However, sometimes they can also be brutally frank.

I have to agree. Or even wording it for anyone who may need encouragement. By pointing out that you ONLY want replies about success and that YOU DON'T want negative responses just draws attention to it and made it the focal point of the post. Also the whole public forum thing making it nearly impossible to get only the answers you want. Just something to think about for your sequel post..

Having said that..

Is my candlemaking a success? Usually

Is my business a success? Not yet. I've been testing and making them for 3 years but don't focus on selling. At some point I will. Nope, I haven't broken even yet, but that's ok for now.

Why did I start the business part? To earn money so I can buy supplies to keep making them. And to pass on the excess "pretties" that kept stacking up after all the testing was over. Burning so much in testing doesn't leave much time or space to burn up the finished ones.

And making them is what it's all about for me. Extra money would be nice, but if I can come close to keeping myself in supplies to play with, I'm happy

[coco]

People here are ordinarily highly supportive of each other. However, sometimes they can also be brutally frank.

I can appreciate brutally frank though I would NEVER take that approach myself :whistle:

It's as my DH says: "Any time you get a bunch of women together in one place there's bound to be trouble" Tread lightly! You never know when PMS may be around the corner waiting for you!

[Sally]

I can appreciate brutally frank though I would NEVER take that approach myself :whistle:

It's as my DH says: "Any time you get a bunch of women together in one place there's bound to be trouble" Tread lightly! You never know when PMS may be around the corner waiting for you!

I have to dispute that little nugget of wisdom, true as it sometimes is, however some of the most ascerbic & witty comments on here come from some of the male members (past or present).

Back to the original question:

1:Started making candles when I was given a kit 16 years ago, developed from there over the years & is now a full blown addiction. Started with soy & scent about 18 months ago & love it but still so much to learn....always.

2: Sales, have always sold at craft fairs along with my other crafts & still do. Also have a couple of shops selling a few candles but not nearly enough to live on. The majority of what I do earn goes back into buying more supplies.

3: I don't earn enough to make a living at it but it is my intention to get my business (very small) up & running this year.

4: How did I know I wanted to turn it into a business....when candle making overtook all my other craft interests & became my obsession.

5:Do I enjoy it...most definately, especially when things work right & when they don't go right I hope to learn the reason why & make it right the next time....or the time after that:rolleyes2

Just remember that whenever you post on here you will get some replies to your liking & some that aren't, such is life.

Sally.

[roxi4112000]

In feb.it will be the start of my third year selling. My first year was great and my second was even better. While that only accounts for 5,000.00 in sales that is not profit. but as a full time student and mom, I was happy to pay one house payment and for christmas. So while I would have liked to have made enough to live on, I would also like to loose weight while sitting on my a$$ eating fries dipped in chocolate.(maybe someday Ill be able to do both:p ) I am happy where I am and considering that I have bearly enough cash flow to make it some times, im just happy that Ive made it this far.

[wood_elf]

Thanks for your stories everyone who has replied so far, a lot of you brought a smile to my heart.

It really is an adventure isn't it. I love the idea of making candles and selling them, it is such an ancient craft and trade. And so very simple too. There is just something so sacred about burning candles, as so many of our ancestors have done in the past.

Wishing all of you who replied success with your business and craft.

--wood_elf

[cybersix]

ah yes, it's really simple! I don't know why I'm wasting time and money after 4 years again in testing!

And yes, I can't think of anything more sacred than selling candles!

[wood_elf]

Hi cybersix!

I am sorry that you are frustrated that you have not been able to produce good candles after four years of testing, that must be really disappointing. I don't know why you are wasting your time or money either.

[cybersix]

Hi cybersix!

I am sorry that you are frustrated that you have not been able to produce good candles after four years of testing, that must be really disappointing. I don't know why you are wasting your time or money either.

well darling, I sell, I have my little business, testing is always part of the game. new waxes, new scents, and so on.

Anyway I'm happy I'm still testing, there is always soemthing new to learn.

Good luck!

[wood_elf]

Good luck to you too cybersix,

peace & light

wood_elf

[Meg_10]

I have to jump in here, I don't think you understand the complex of making candles, it's a life long testing, more money invested, testing and testing, and alot of wasted money and great money earned.

you don't just make a single candle and think that's just it!

every new oil you get from different suppliers always needs testing.

every candle made almost have different wicks, different pour temp, different everything. We all think it's successful if we got customers and repeated customers, it's not about money being made as in huge profit, it's about the love you have for crafting as I put it. It's about making use of your time and talent and of course emptying your wallet while you're at it. Someday it'll pay off, someday it'll be one of those things where you would say "yah I made candles before" WE all have tested for many years before we even think of marketing our products and selling to the public. There will be frustrations and there will be happiness with success. And there will be alot of money invested and alot burned and wasted. it's not that simple!!!

it takes respect for this ancient art, not throwing a wick in a blob of wax!!!

and most of all respect for customers AND other candle makers!

I have watched so many people just jump on here and all of sudden thought they're a master within 2-3 months, EVEN less!! It really burns most of us who have invested few years and tons of money with nothing in return (as in payments, but always up for feedbacks) to get it right and be confident with their products.

So really, this is as positive as I can get about candle making, there's lots of negative and great positive. you WILL get the down fall in this candle making adventures. it's not an over night deal.

Best of luck to you.

Meg

[wood_elf]

Meg_10,

Not sure what gave you the impression that I saw candle making as an "over night deal", but thanks anyways, I guess...?

It is a bit funny. Someone says "lets be positive" and people come out of the woodwork shouting "how dare you! it is HARD this is HARD stuff, you will fail!".

The funny thing is that I never said I thought it was easy

Success begins with positive thinking. If you did not think you could do it, you would never try.

[bugtussle]

I love the idea of making candles and selling them, it is such an ancient craft and trade. And so very simple too.elf

It is a trade, and is not so very simple!!!! The ancients did not have lawyers on every corner to sue your pants off if someone's house burned down. Everyone thinks making candles is so simple, IT IS NOT!! Thank the Good Lord, we have been successful (6 yrs in the business, me FULLTIME.) When I say successful, that means we're not loosing money.

It just tickles me when someone thinks it is a get-rich quick business. It is people like you (oh, that's easy) that hurt all of us. Why don't you spend some $ and see if you can make candles , or even enjoy making them before you start planning to open a business. These threads you've started are definitely putting the cart before the horse. Newbys!!:tiptoe: :tiptoe: Carole

[wood_elf]

I didn't mean it was simple to make candles, just that candles themselves are simple (compared to say a television or something). I'm a bit of a luddite so candles appeal to me in this way.

[bugtussle]

I can assure you a luddite would not go surfing on the web. The internet/www is one of the most technological advances I know of. Think of a candle in the same manner; they used to be simple, but no longer are. Carole

[never4gotten]

Ok I'm going to throw my into the pot and since I'm just starting the process of getting legal after 6yrs of playing in the wax you can judge the info from that perspective.

Yes making candles can be great fun and even simple....when you are just playing and making them for yourself. When you take on the responsibility of selling to the general public though it's a whole other arena. It's not a responsibility to take lightly since you are dealing with peoples lives and possessions when it comes to your product being SAFE.

My first pillar candle was made with wax from the craft store in a pop can mold and colored with cinnamon. I still have it..it's beautiful. It's beautiful because it was an expression of my creativity and enjoyment in what I was doing. Would I ever sell it let alone burn it now that I know oh so much more about the craft? Hell no :embarasse

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that candle making is more than just a formula...it's an art. Just like with all art not everybody has the touch or natural talent. Do you know how many people I know that starting making candles because of my candles only to soon quit or make and try to sell butt ugly half the quality crap and fail? They all thought it was wax, additive, fo, wick and it was just that simple. :pBesides having some natural talent for the art IMO you also need to LOVE it. You can't even begin to know if your even going to LIKE it until you've made your first several batches of candles. My BFF (with my permission and advice btw) tried candle making, she's a soaper so it seemed a natural progression, she hated it. Sure it was fun when she was helping me and we got to girl bond but doing it on her own just didn't give her the satisfaction the a good batch of CP gives her.

Make some candles. See if you even like it. See if your any good at it. See if your friends and family rave over them. That should all have happened before you even THINK of making it a business. Then you must take the next step of deciding if you are willing to do all the work it takes to make it a business, testing, insurance, sales, on and on.

Put your time into researching candle making and perfecting the art rather than researching the business end that will get your further down the road towards a possible business in the future IMHO.

__________________

[SatinDucky]

It really is an adventure isn't it. I love the idea of making candles and selling them, it is such an ancient craft and trade. And so very simple too.

The funny thing is that I never said I thought it was easy

[grama]

Yes SatinDucky I caught the part that said it was so very simple. I only wish. Right now my "vacation" is over and I am having to go back to work tomorrow with several orders that came in during my holiday off time and large wholesale order yesterday and I could certainly use that very simple part. I really don't want to go back to work! No, it is not very simple, easy, or whatever you want to call it. It is a lot of hard work that last from "sun up to way past sun down". A job that is really never done it seems.

I don't usually post in these kind of post but the very simple part just sorta kept eating away at me and I couldn't :tiptoe:

[Meg_10]

Meg_10,

Not sure what gave you the impression that I saw candle making as an "over night deal", but thanks anyways, I guess...?

It is a bit funny. Someone says "lets be positive" and people come out of the woodwork shouting "how dare you! it is HARD this is HARD stuff, you will fail!".

The funny thing is that I never said I thought it was easy

Success begins with positive thinking. If you did not think you could do it, you would never try.

Well, You did say "oh so simple"

Then turn around and said "I never said it was simple"

All I have to say is that it's passion of what you love doing and it will cost you dearly money wise, and time wise, a lot of sacrifices and so much more to be successful.

Yes it does go with positive thinking with an attitude to keep trying until you get it. or you may not like it.

I jumped in before because of when you quoted Sabrina about her 4 years of testing and why she would waste money and time. Sabrina makes beautiful pillars and works very hard on this. She also lives in Italy, she pays 10 times more for candle supplies from USA to her than what We do here. So, I don't know what you expect to hear here.

I just feel that this thread is rubbing some of us in wrong ways.

Again, Best Wishes

Meg

[Sara]

Simple and easy are two different things.

Candlemaking may be thought of as a simple (humble, modest) art form or mode of relaxation. Like cooking, or painting, or gardening. Throwing in the business aspect, and other "complications" renders it less easy.

[cindym]

Hi cybersix!

I am sorry that you are frustrated that you have not been able to produce good candles after four years of testing, that must be really disappointing. I don't know why you are wasting your time or money either.

See here it is. You just picked on a very talented and loved member of this board and I personally take offense to it. I know Sabrina can stick up for herself as can the rest of us. I suggest a break, and perhaps a rethink on your objectives here. At this point all many of us see is a pot stirrer. Again, testing is ongoing, every scent, every wax, etc..... You want positive, keep it positive.

[mizbizzyb]

See here it is. You just picked on a very talented and loved member of this board and I personally take offense to it. I know Sabrina can stick up for herself as can the rest of us. I suggest a break, and perhaps a rethink on your objectives here. At this point all many of us see is a pot stirrer. Again, testing is ongoing, every scent, every wax, etc..... You want positive, keep it positive.

I say you called it right.

[cybersix]

See here it is. You just picked on a very talented and loved member of this board and I personally take offense to it. I know Sabrina can stick up for herself as can the rest of us. I suggest a break, and perhaps a rethink on your objectives here. At this point all many of us see is a pot stirrer. Again, testing is ongoing, every scent, every wax, etc..... You want positive, keep it positive.

Thank you Cindy, at this point I'm believing that there is someone else frustrated by something, and is coming here to sit on a throne, wear a crown and judge us poor people!