My Candle-Making Fiasco Continued

Posted on by chrish

Chrish’s story: From Melting Wax to College Cash (Yeah, I have a Lifetime film, not really, would be cool though, hint hint … hummmm)

So, let me take you back to a time when I was just a bright-eyed high schooler with dreams bigger than my bank account. That summer, my grand plan was simple: make candles and rake in the dough. I thought, “How hard could it be?” Spoiler alert: harder than it looks. Also I got a burn on my left arm that, ’till this day looks like a p*nis, thanks wax!

I am sure you are all imagining me now: surrounded by wax, wicks, and a melting pot that looked like something out of a science experiment gone wrong or a witch’s lair (they live in lairs right?). My first attempt? Let’s just say it resembled more of a wax explosion than an artisanal candle. I had visions of selling these beauties at the local farmer’s market but ended up with what can only be described as “abstract art.” My friends would laugh—mostly because they had no idea whether to call it a candle or modern decor.

I learned quickly that there’s an art to candle making. Damn, I knew it was too easy to be true. There’s also a science. Double damn! Why didn’t anyone tell me that essential oils shouldn’t be added willy-nilly? For your information you add them nilly-willy, this works much better. The first batch turned our kitchen into what can only be described as a “lavender nightmare.” It smelled like grandma’s perfume exploded in there, but hey, at least grandma loved it!

But despite the early flops—oh boy, there were flops—I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. With each misstep (or should I say fire hazard? My uncle’s a member of the local fire department, at least he was until he went into retirement, and told me so), I picked up valuable lessons along the way. Like how not to mix scents from different seasons… because peppermint and pumpkin spice together is nothing short of disgusting, also cinamon works with remarkably little besides cinnamon! And my first attempt at dyeing candles? Let’s just say I learned that having vibrant red pillars isn’t always the best marketing strategy (thank you very much, Red Hulk . . . yeah, he’s a thing).

Fast forward several weeks—and countless trials later, (friend’s all told me they were great)—I finally started hitting my stride! After figuring out the right wick lengths and perfecting my scent combinations (a little vanilla goes a long way, not really as well with cinnamon as you’d think), things began to change for me. Suddenly those wonky blobs morphed into actual candles people wanted to buy! Can you believe it? I did the bathtub money bath, but mostly with loose change, but quarters are still money.

So here’s where the story gets interesting: not only did I sell enough candles at local craft fairs, but I also made way more money than I ever imagined possible once I started offering them online. Who knew that all those hours spent in my kitchen battling molten wax would translate into cash for college tuition? Sure, some might call it luck, I called it lucrative and didn’t really care; others might chalk it up to sheer determination (and maybe professional-grade scented disasters) like I did. But really? It was about learning from every failed attempt and embracing those messy moments along the way.

And guess what? By the end of that summer, instead of dreading college debt like most students do—there I was feeling pretty accomplished with money for the summer, money for tuition, and even some extra cash in hand for more candles. I was sixteen at the time. One summer down, a few more to go. I did it for a few more years, etsy was good to me, ebay not as much. With candle-making under my belt, who would’ve thought I’d blaze through college without burning out financially? Actually, at the start of my second year I sort of retired since I didn’t have enough time to focus on it and my reviews started to look more negative, which you know means I sold less.

The biggest takeaway? Whether you’re trying your hand at small businesses (hey, here I am again) or navigating life’s chaotic moments—embracing failure can lead you down some unexpected paths of success. So if your first <ATTEMPT> ends up being more laughable than lovely, don’t lose hope! You never know; with enough practice (or research before hand) and persistence (and perhaps fewer scented disasters, lavender still triggers me), you might just find yourself lighting your way toward something fantastic, or at least lucrative.

Now here’s a question for you: What have been your hilarious attempts at starting something new (please don’t tell me you’re the creator of Kindergarten: The Musical that would be crazy)? Trust me; sharing those stories makes us all feel better about our own quirky journeys! This was one of mine, for me, a growing experience.

Laughing Through the Trials and Errors

Posted on by chrish

You know, starting a small business is a lot like trying to cook soufflé for the first time. You whip up your batter with all the enthusiasm in the world, only to find that you forgot an ingredient—or worse, you miscalculated the oven temperature and ended up creating what can only be described as a pancake. Trust me; I speak from experience here.

Let me take you back to my first foray into entrepreneurship. Picture this: excited me, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (okay, lacking the hairy tail), ready to conquer the world with my handmade candles (I was turning 16 at the time). Why candles? Well, why not? They’re cute, they smell good, and everyone loves a flickering flame on a cozy evening. It seemed foolproof—at least until I discovered that not every wick is created equal.

On my very first attempt at pouring wax into molds, I was all about precision. In my mind’s eye, I was an artisan crafting exquisite pieces worthy of Instagram fame. Instead? I ended up creating what looked like melted crayon blobs tossed haphazardly onto a tablecloth (and don’t even get me started on the colors, a kid eating said crayons and then vomitting them up would have made better colors). Spoiler alert: no one wants to buy “Firework Fiasco” candles.

But here’s where life—and business—gets interesting. Instead of sulking over my candle catastrophe (though I did consider it for about five minutes), I decided to learn from it! And by learn, I mean frantically googling “how to make candles without looking like an art supply explosion.” P.S. Don’t google that. Thank goodness for YouTube tutorials; they were my saving grace. Sorta. What did people do before YT?

Fast forward to a few weeks later when I felt confident enough to try again—this time armed with knowledge and slightly more realistic expectations. Guess what? My second batch turned out beautifully! Well… almost beautifully (maybe you should read better). The smell was divine (albeit overpowering); however, they didn’t exactly look like something you’d want sitting on your coffee table next to your favorite mug—with their tops resembling something akin to crusty pancake batter instead of smooth candle wax. Hey! Don’t laugh!

If there’s anything I’ve learned on this rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship (besides how NOT to make pancakes), it’s that mistakes are part of the process. Like bad hairstyles in middle school or disastrous first dates—they happen—THAT’S LIFE! What matters is how you bounce back from them, or don’t and then you’re a failure. Hey, don’t look at me like that. It’s the truth. Or as it was in my case, how many times you have your friends come over for “quality control” testing while pretending that each new batch is definitely the one. Hum, maybe that’s why it took so long now that I am thinking about it. So much for brutal honesty.

Sure enough—I made mistakes again! And again! Each time teaching me something new until finally—after countless trial-and-error evenings spent hunched over pans of melting wax much to my mother’s chagrin—I created a line of candles that people actually bought (which weren’t family members (thanks grandma))! Cue triumphant music!

Now here’s where it gets really interesting (or perhaps mildly embarrassing, though I would argue it was already pretty embarasing): just when I thought things couldn’t go wrong anymore… enter stage left: shipping disasters. One day after sending out orders filled with love and care—cue dramatic music—I received multiple emails from customers claiming their packages arrived looking as though they’d been through some sort of wrestling match with a bear, that was when Bearestling™ was born!

Imagine receiving a parcel that smells heavenly but looks like someone stomped on it ten times before throwing it at your doorstep! Then again once more when it was there for good measure. But again, instead of losing faith in humanity or giving up entirely (both tempting ideas), we had another learning opportunity on our hands! And not one on how to promote Bearestling™.

So there we were brainstorming ways to improve packaging—a bit more cushioning here and there—and experimenting with various materials until we finally found the right balance between eco-awareness (I was their before Greta, but I attended school) and durability because I peanutted the hell out of the boxes (who knew packing peanuts could be so controversial?).

What’s the moral here besides don’t wrestle with bears? Life—and running a business—is just one big experiment filled with hilarious hiccups along the way. It might seem daunting at times (most times)—but those moments (become fewest and fewer) when things go awry often lead us toward growth if we let them! Oh, and packing peanuts, even if you really don’t want them.

Embrace those little mess-ups because they are merely stepping stones toward success (at least that is what you’ll tell yourself even in retrospect you feel otherwise about them)—or at least toward making better candles next time around (especially when your friends say these are the one)! So grab your metaphorical whisk (or actual craft-making supplies) and get back in there—you never know what beautiful messes await you! Thanks mom! She always cleaned them up for me.

And hey, if nothing else—at least you’ll have some funny stories along the way… or maybe even an idea for your next small business venture: “Candle Catastrophes – A Collection!” Who could resist? Actually everyone, I tried and it didn’t work.

Diving Into the Deep End Where the Waters Cold

Posted on by chrish

I have been thinking a lot about what it means to start a small business. Do you feel familiar with the moment when you stand at the edge of the pool and look into the water? Some people are uncertain and may try cautiously at first. Are there any more people? They are very committed and ready to plunge into the new completely. Many of us are surprised by how cold the water is when we jump in.

Let’s tell the truth. I thought positively when I decided to start my own business. Bright lights and exciting days full of passion and creativity! Is this really true? Sometimes it was difficult to find money for bills, even as a self-employed person.

Before you jump in the water, you don’t know what the day will bring. Every day has new difficulties. It feels like you wake up every day on a difficult obstacle course that is unfairly designed. Sometimes you work on advertising plans, then you struggle with complicated accounting software that is difficult to understand.

We want to briefly discuss some of the ideas I wrote down at the beginning.

Learning is more difficult than I thought. It’s like climbing a very high mountain. One day you’re talking about search engine optimization, the next you’re talking about difficult customer service issues that confuse you.

It’s important to manage your time well. I thought I had enough time because I’m self-employed. Laughing. There may be more distractions when you work from home than you think.

Networking is a bit like speed dating. You attend events to make contacts. However, it often ends with awkward conversations in which people don’t understand what you do or even think they know, even though they’re wrong.

Sometimes we feel great, other days we doubt our decisions, even if they were good at the beginning. It’s sorta like aroller coaster of emotion.

Don’t worry, it’s not all sad and hopeless! Feels like it at times. But no. Sometimes something exciting happens: you feel inspired when things go well or a customer is really happy with your work. Cold showers aren’t so bad when you feel great afterwards.

Every jump feels different, depending on the situation and your attitude. Do you jump without help or with the help of others? Have you saved money or do you trust that everything will be fine? Various things affect how well you swim when you are underwater.

When we are on this adventure together, it’s okay not to be prepared all the time. It can also be positive. Sometimes you find opportunities unexpectedly when you are active and take risks, rather than staying passive.

Regarding preparation or lack thereof, I have a personal confession to make: I didn’t know how to make a budget. In the beginning, I tried a lot and made mistakes. I searched through spreadsheets aimlessly until I found my own way. This was an important experience that I learned during many late nights. I looked at numbers that made me sad.

And finally, have you ever started or considered starting your own small business? What was it like for you? Was it like jumping off the board or rather gently pushing off from the side?

Let’s share our experiences with each other! Together we can learn from each other as we plunge into the cold waters ahead of us. Sometimes the journey is daunting.

My Little Corner of the Universe!

Posted on by chrish

Hello! It has been a long time since I last wrote. Here is a brief summary of how I am doing right now. Have a cup of coffee or tea and let’s get ready for something new!

Lately, life has been pretty exciting and turbulent. Sometimes you wake up and feel like you’re in a movie. Right now, that’s exactly how I feel. From doing daily chores to achieving goals, everything has been very exciting. But enough of the blah blah, when last you saw me I said something like: “And guess what? I’ve decided to start my business! This makes me nervous and excited!”

The decision to start a business was not spontaneous, but well thought out, least I thought so. I didn’t make it while binge watching TV. That’s a badidea ! I’d been thinking long and hard about what it would be like to create something completely new. What’s my most important reason for doing something? Besides the excitement of being self-employed, it was important to discover my own path to success (and maybe make some extra income).

I’d already learned a lot. It almost felt overwhelming, but in a positive way! I learn quickly: first, boring tax regulations, then I feel like a creative genius at marketing strategies. It’s surprising how much fun it can be to work with spreadsheets. It was just a joke, kind of, I’m weird like that.

It is now even more important to keep my blog up to date, since I am on this path now for some time, I have made plenty of mistakes. Writing helps me to control myself and is like therapy for me. There will be more stories about my experiences as an entrepreneur, tips I have received, and useful resources. Because sharing is caring! I would like to know what you think about all of this. So share a comment!

But let’s not pretend that only fantastic things exist here. There have been times when I was unsure. Is it possible that anyone is interested in what I have to offer? What happens if sales don’t improve? Stuff like that. Some questions are like unwanted visitors at a party you didn’t plan to attend.

Nevertheless, you see every failure as an opportunity rather than something else, and anything but a failure. Every time something goes wrong, I learn to become stronger. This wasn’t so important to me before I plunged into this project.

This is my plan for the future: I want to document the journey as an entrepreneur with all of you! Ever up, every down, the underbelly with all its worts. That sorta stuff. There will be regular updates on progress and problems. Also thoughts about what success means to me. Sometimes I’ll get annoyed that business is difficult and overwhelming for me.

In the end, I would like to thank everyone who has accompanied me so far, oh wait, no not really since it never really went anywhere! We are almost there, I promise! If anyone has tips or experiences to share as a partner or shop owner, please let me know! Your insights might mean the world to someone as they navigate their uncharted waters.

I’m currently working hard on my dreams and trying to keep a clear head despite the life stress and lots of coffee. To be honest, I wish there were many more interesting improvements to be made. Opening my business was exactly what I wanted – and much more.

See you soon! There will be more news from me soon, from my little corner of the universe!

Small Business Printing Notes

Posted on by chrish

I recently posted a “commitment” that I made to myself about my small business plans, and since then I have put a little more thought into the process and direction I wanted to go in. One direction that I was interesting that was seriously thinking about is small business printing. And you’ll that most of what I wrote about was in this direction, but also generally useful information.

So today I wanted to take a moment and collect a couple of the notes together that I had made on the topic.

They focus primarily on printing, and personalized business services.

Business Guide

I linked to the business guide from the SBA, which if you are thinking about setting up your own printing pipeline you will want to pay close attention to the document and guidelines. Still even if you plan on having somebody else do the printing you might find the guides useful.

Here are a couple of points that you can take away from the guide.

Here are a couple of things you’ll most likely be interested in if you are looking into printing. The SBA linked to some of the considerations on the EPA’s website but the link was broken and I couldn’t find the linked page.

Links to Web sites containing regulatory and reinvention information about the printing industry, including lithographic printing, gravure printing, flexographic printing, and screen printing.

You’ll notice that small home businesses will be looking into several of these areas.

For example women who design and sell their wedding and other invitations on Etsy. Or people operating a silk screen printing business out of their garage.

Also if you want to sell prints of your art work you might be dependent on the lithographic printing.

Other options:

  • Outsource the printing to a local printer.
    This is something that I have thought about, and I have even gone and talked to several printers. Their attitude was from disinterested to professional. But they all had several problems which turned me away. Most of them were also too expensive for my budget.
  • Home printing.
    This is the route most of us will think about first. But there is one small problem. There is a lot of initial investment that need to be taken into account. There are also the regulations that we have just looked at.
  • Outsource the printing to a 3rd party POD service.
    This is another option, which is also affordable. One site, CafePress, has a breakdown of what their service entails. Still, I fail to see this route as the best solution. The upfront cost is lower (zero in most cases) but they also offer small returns. I understand that they are covering the costs of printing, allowing you to profit from their infrastructure but it might still be more affordable long term. It would really be beneficial to look at the numbers.

No matter my choice the target platform for now will be something like Etsy’s market place which seems perfect for the small business.

These are definitely not the only options but they have been the ones that have been going through my head. Right now I still need to sleep on which one, if any of them are right at all, and then make my choice once things have settled in. I estimate that I will make decision by the New Year, but it will be a process that should be thought through before I jump and start my own business.

References

  • SBA.Gov Special consideration for print publishing.

So I made the commitment today

Posted on by chrish

I’ve been thinking about my current job and the time I invest into it, and of course what I get out. And instead of talking around the subject I might as well just say that I have been putting some thought into starting a small crafty style of business to use as additional income, or replace the current one.

I put my ideas together in a small business page to try and put a concrete set of notes down. I would be pleased if you would look them over and give me some feedback on it.

My main motivation is for some additional money, but this doesn’t necessarily fit with my available time. Which with everything I’ve read means “no, don’t do it.”

This is another reason why I put it together, maybe somebody else will be able to use the resources I’ve collected together even if I can’t.

Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on by chrish

I know it is a little late, and that is due to my in ability to get the site up on time. It was on the schedule since Friday, and while that wasn’t so far off from the mark I just now found time to write something up. And a delayed greeting is better than one that remains predominately absent. Besides, most of you that will be reading this, family + friends, have already been wished a “Happy Thanksgiving.”

So you’ve found the site, congratulations, and you’re reading this 😀 so thank you. Until next time!