Fear of competition

I gotta take a moment to talk about how and why we started to doing candles.

We started this project in 2021 as a gift for families for the holidays and really had no intention for turning it into a business. 

I realized after I started that you can’t just throw some wax and fragrance together and call it a candle.

Trust me a we had candles that barely burned, the wicks were wrong, the wax was wrong. It was a whole bunch of trial and error.

We finally started to figure it out. (We still are adjusting)

Year 2 we decided to start doing pop-ups and holiday bazaars.

Actually, at one holiday pop-up I had a husband of another candlemaker almost hit me with this car and then snarkly say “oh I’m not trying to run over the competition.”

He may have been joking, but seriously.

The same candle maker has her candle products in every small boutique in the small town of where I am locatedv-are they good? I couldn’t tell you.

What I can tell you is the fear of competition has made it so  these small shops don't allow other makers into their shops.

I am cool with that.. I know I make a great product with unique fragrance blends that we custom blend. People search me out for my fragrances - that now don't just come as candles but you can find them in my incense, room sachets, room sprays and more. 

Which will make people come back for my exclusive fragrances. 

Think about it...............

Is there only one very kind of shoes, only one kind of milk, bottle of wine, container of yogurt- ummm no,  there’s different things out there so people have a variety and options. 

I got a really awesome phone call asking if  I was a fragrance house  - I am not.

It got me thinking - do I  really want somebody so close to me making candles and then I realized I really have no fear of competition because I know the product that I make is different. I know the fragrances that I blend are different.

I wish someone was there for me to call when I started.  I’m happily would give out tips and tricks.

I was so excited to give out the knowledge that I have learned along the way. The do's and don't - the where get and the where not. 

Now I won't tell you how I blended my wax or my custom fragrances, of course not.

However, I have no problem with letting people know where I get my products from and trust me that is a huge help.

Thank you Matt for the call and giving me the inspiration to make this post. 

Happy mixing - Happy blending - Happy creating

~ leesa

I am NOT an affiliate to any of the companies but this is where I get my supplies:

Wax and Fragrance Oil:

Cierra Candles 

Candle and Soap Making Supplies

Wax:

West Coast Candle Supply | Candle Making Supplies

Fragrance Oil:

NorthWood Candle & Craft | Premium Candle Making Supplies & DIY Crafts

Fragrance Oil:

Wholesale Soap Making Supplies and Handmade Cosmetic Supplies - WholesaleSuppliesPlus

Wicks and Vessels:

Makesy® - shop fragrance oils, candle supplies & more | makesy®