Laura creates beautiful eco-friendly candles made with soy wax. They are 100 % free from paraffin, bees wax, pesticides, herbicides, palm wax & petroleum.
Laura also makes pillar candles for a variety of occasions from Birthdays to Weddings and if you are creative yourself and have a candle design in mind, contact her and she will make it for you 'if you can think it, we can do it!'
I found out more...
Why did you decide to set up Creative Candle as a business?
In January 2014 I was looking for candles to have as centre pieces for the tables at my wedding. Having shopped around I found them to be quite expensive. I decided to try and make my own. I put photos on my facebook profile and friends began to ask me to make some for them. After a while I decided to open my facebook page and an ebay store. That's where it all began! Needless to say I got too busy to make my own centre pieces for my tables and ended up with tulips in vases!!
What were your first steps when deciding to set up your own business?
Research, research and more research. I read lots of books on candle making, business and accounting. It was important to understand how to run a business and make it successful.
What was the most challenging part of setting up your business?
I have never worked for myself before or had any need to keep accurate records of accounts. I took a crash course in trying to remember my GCSE IT lessons and remember how to use Excel!! Once I got to grips with it I found it ok. I set up this business when my son had just turned 1. Learning to juggle a full time job, the business, a one year old and housework seemed nearly impossible. Somehow I have muddled through and am still here to tell the tale!!
What is the most rewarding thing about your business?
A while ago a friend said she had been to someone's house and they had one of my candles, It made me feel warm and fuzzy! My repeat customers are the biggest reward I could ask for.
Where do you get your ideas for what candles to create next?
'Necessity is the mother of all invention' said Plato.... My customers are my inspiration and whatever it is they ask for I always try my hardest to deliver!
What advice would you give to someone setting up their own business?
Research, research and research. Think about what it is you would like to sell and whether there is a market for it. You only get out what you put in! Make sure you have a target audience and set yourself small goals. Enjoy it! You have to love your product!
Did you face any challenges while setting up your business?
Creating a work/life balance. Its easy to get sucked in when you work from home and suddenly realise you haven't organised anything for dinner or run the hoover round for a week!!
How do you promote your business?
I promote my business though Ebay, Etsy, Facebook along with attending local craft fairs when I can. I always include a business card or flyer with every purchase.
What would you say were the first steps to taking up candle making as a hobby?
Making candles can be great fun. Invest in some proper kit you don't want to realise that you have used your last saucepan and now have nothing to cook the carrots in! Shop around as the price of wax and oils varies. I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for and cheap oil means cheap candles. Avoid using Paraffin wax, it has so many nasty chemicals in it and you have to heat it so high you could easily burn yourself.
Where do you see yourself in 2 years?
I only like to set myself small goals which I believe are achievable with hard work. So 2 years time seems like a lifetime away!! Like most small craft businesses I would like to make my business into a full time job however I think I might need a bit more than 2 years for that!
Check out Creative Candle on Facebook or log onto www.creative-candle.co.uk
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