Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Taylor Evans, Owner of Candle Ghoul, located in Dallas, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I sell sculptural pillar candles and container candles using vegetable wax and employing various artistic methods like linocut, embedding, and painting. I make everything myself in my home studio in Dallas, TX. My customers are mostly millennial women who are interested in small brands that make unique, handmade products. Generally, the stores that stock my candles are single brick-and-mortar shops in large coastal cities.
Tell us about yourself
I started making candles right after I moved back to Dallas in 2017. Back then, I was just making container candles in thrift jars and selling them to friends and acquaintances. In July of 2019, I started teaching candle-making workshops and taught dozens of classes before the pandemic began. At that point, I pivoted to pillar candles and began exploring wax as a medium. I love experimenting with different concepts and perfecting methods.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I'm most proud of having my candles stocked in stores in over half the states as well as in Europe and Canada. It's such an honor that people have taken an interest in my work and chose to support me. I genuinely never thought that making candles would be anything more than a hobby.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I've really struggled with setting and sticking to a routine. I've gone through phases where I just want to make candles 12 hours a day, and I forget to eat dinner, and phases where I don't want to make candles at all. Finding a happy medium between those extremes is a struggle.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Form relationships with other business owners even if they're doing something totally different. Tell everybody about what you do. Maintain brand integrity and don't capitulate to the expectations or suggestions of others if they don't sit well with you.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I have a Candle Club through Patreon where people can sign up to receive an experimental pillar candle every month. In the past, I've done lava lap candles, checkerboards, and limited edition colors.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.candleghoul.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/candleghoul
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candleghoul/
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