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13-yr old having a candle business


SDM

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http://www.wtae.com/video/27198013/detail.html

Here is a video on him..

Cute kid, creative idea. Reusing Can's like that is very smart!!

I wish him the best of luck!!

I do hope that Mom and Dad are monitoring the testing process and has insurance on him. :confused: That is their responsibility at this point.

https://sites.google.com/site/mancans97/ His website

His You tube video

So Cute!!! :cheesy2:

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Wow it amazes me how most of us have been making candles for years and haven't been on TV or in the papers or even have that many retail locations. But when a child has a business it's news worthy. Sounds like he is a great kid though, he could be the next Y@nkee if he keeps it up. Kudos to him.

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Oh I agree, kudos to him for being motivated enough to want to earn his own money, etc. Most kids only want to sit around and play video games and have everything handed to them. He says he started his business with a $100 investment. Just hoping there was a lot more than that that went into testing, and like others have said, hoping that his parents have gotten the proper insurance, etc. Just found the whole thing interesting....

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I agree about the hazards, which is why I personally would not purchase a candle from his boy. I just don't think that he is a little twit though. I think that it is great that he has such an interest and motivation to earn money. I admire kids like this.

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I saw a piece on the news about this boy this morning. Can't help but think he must have had some help from someone who knows about candles...the scents he used, like fresh mowed grass...how else would he have known where to go to get it? I mean, he's only thirteen...:tiptoe:

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I agree about the hazards, which is why I personally would not purchase a candle from his boy. I just don't think that he is a little twit though. I think that it is great that he has such an interest and motivation to earn money. I admire kids like this.

I personally would never buy one either, but obviously lots of people are. Just goes to show you how uneducated the public is about what goes into the candlemaking process and what a good candle really is. Things like this really hurt those of us who put time, money, and effort into making good candles, though, because they buy a not-so-great handmade candle and think that all handmade is garbage.

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I could be wrong, but I bet more people are buying from him due to his age than anything else.

As far as testing, I doubt much of that was done. In one of the youtube the wick was already mushrooming after a very short time (or so it seems) of being lit. I would buy one just out of curiosity, to see for myself how this thing burned and smelled. Just like I bought a Circle E candle when I was selling GC to know what scent to compare it to and to be able to talk to my "customers" about it. JMHO

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I saw this too. He is cute. But he seems to have borrowed the concept directly from Mandles.

The sad thing is that if it was a grown man making candles out of soup cans, donating the soup to charity, making a line of manly scented candles, it would not have been newsworthy.

I wonder if any people will see this story and think "Wow. Candlemaking is so easy and profitable that even a child can do it and earn a living! Hey, let's get our kids into the candlemaking business!"

Yikes.

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I would definitely buy a candle from this kid! He is a young entrepreneur. I have seen many kids starting up businesses at a young age and doing really well. There are many competent kids out there. In my 11 years making candles I have seen a few candlemakers on boards doing research that were in there teens. I don't think it's fair to just assume that he hasn't done is homework and testing.

Trudi

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I was more interested in the story of him donating soup. Thats something a lot of kids wouldn't think of doing let alone starting a candle biz at 13. Good to see a teen doing something useful and enterprising with their life and learning something. Builds character.

Better than laying around whining and expecting life to be served to you on a platter. Or worse, getting into a street gang or drugs. I get tired of hearing stories about kids like that.

As far as the candles go not sure I would be very interested in buying one. I just don't like candles in cans.:smiley2:

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I wish I was a cute kid asking stores to sell my candles.. has to be easier to get positive responses when cute kid than a middle aged chubby single mommy :(

I hate to admit but dang I am jealous of the free publicity he has gotten. Lot of "little" people became big due to small stories and it spreading on the web.

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My niece who is now 13 did MP soap when I had my candle business. She was very focused and knew what scents she liked and followed the scent trends, she did a fabulous little business. She even knew how to keep records. She has also donated her hair to Locks of Love three times. So, yes there are 13 year old kids who have a good business sense and responsibility to their community. (Yes, I am very proud of my niece).

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Okay.. I am ALOT jealous. He was featured on CNN and Headline News.. exposed to billions and billions of people and is an Associated Press "feel good" story.

Amazing publicity for Free... <sigh>

I agree he probably isnt doing all of the things involved.. but he might have said the original idea that the other candles were too "girly". I seriously doubt he is truly thinking about a Valentine Day Trifecta of "breakfast in bed"???

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I wish him/them the best of luck. I'd buy for the novelty and to help a kid out. Seems like a noble cause when considering the origin of the can.

They probably should have googled the term "man cans" before choosing it for their company name though. :P

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While I think the kids is cute I know he is not pouring the candles he admits it in a you tube video I found, his mom does not trust him to pour the candles but he labels and runs the rest of the business according to the video.

I got no problem with that but hey my kid has run several summer business himself so I know kids can be good at running small businesses I just make him do it all I do not help except to offer up a bit of space in my booths and he has been doing so since he was 8.

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I just wish I could get the free press! I am thinking of sending one of my candles to Charlie Sheen. He seems to be everywhere now. Well not so much since the Japan thing. By the way, I've got dibs on Sheen, y'all keep your hands off, LOL.

Cheers,

Steve

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I just wish I could get the free press! I am thinking of sending one of my candles to Charlie Sheen. He seems to be everywhere now. Well not so much since the Japan thing. By the way, I've got dibs on Sheen, y'all keep your hands off, LOL.

Cheers,

Steve

:grin2:

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I just wish I could get the free press! I am thinking of sending one of my candles to Charlie Sheen. He seems to be everywhere now. Well not so much since the Japan thing. By the way, I've got dibs on Sheen, y'all keep your hands off, LOL.

Cheers,

Steve

Steve,

What scent would you send him?? MJ, Butt Naked, Lick Me All Over....Just curious :lipsrseal

Edited by Pam W
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How can everybody (not everybody) be so critical of this kid? There may be a candle maker in the family as his sister first sold candles at a fund raiser. But we all had/have to learn at some point, so lucky him if he has someone that close to teach him. Kids are capable of a lot more than we give them credit for. Wish my parents would have encouraged me and helped me along the way, rather than tell me "no" all the time and always try to change my mind or show a lack of confidence in me. And...when it comes to candle and soap making, who hasn't borrowed ideas! It appears to be his business and if he doesn't do ALL the work, oh well.

It makes me happy to see this kid doing something good for his self and society. Donating soup and using the cans for his business. He's learning to recycle, do some good for the environment, and feeding those who may need a meal. And at such a young age learning to run a business.

But, I do hope they test and are prepared for anything that may happen...same as any other candle maker

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