Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in candle-making but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Gabrielle McCoury, Owner of MOONSCENT Candle Co., located in Sacramento, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
MOONSCENT Candle Co. is a hand-crafted, 100% soy wax, scented candle business based in Sacramento, California, right out of my apartment's kitchen. The online shop opened in July 2022, and we began selling at local markets the following month, getting to know our community. Our customers are people who love scented candles and supports small businesses. They care about the quality of ingredients, environment-friendliness, and the quality of burn that their candle provides. The high-quality fragrance oil, all-natural soy wax, cotton/wooden wicks, and our happiness guarantee help to satisfy their needs. Our MOONSCENT Calming Candle Tins are made intentionally for our customers who are experiencing stress with the goal of providing relief through the grounding magic of aromatherapy or for anyone who enjoys engaging in a little self-care.
Tell us about yourself
I was inspired to create my own Candle business when I discovered the benefits of the therapeutic properties of scented candles. For example, they can help you feel more grounded through the engagement of the senses. Candle-making became my new craft. Naturally, as someone who has made art their whole life, I poured all of my creativity into it as well as all of my time to be able to perfect my new craft. When my Grandfather, an artist in all aspects of the world, passed away in 2021, I became motivated to create my own Candle business so that I could share my candles with the world the way he aspired to share his art with the world and to honor him by using the talent that he helped me cultivate.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is creating something that people love and knowing that my MOONSCENT Calming Candle Tins might bring a little piece of peace into someone's life. Being able to talk to my customers at the local markets and hear their appreciation for my creations will always be MOONSCENT Candle Co.'s biggest accomplishment.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The hardest thing that comes along with being a business owner, in my personal experience, is learning how to manage accounting/tax law and battling the waves of self-doubt that occasionally come. So far, I do all of my own bookkeeping and currently have an accountant that I am using as a teacher to learn the ropes so that I will be capable of handling my business's taxes myself in the future. As for battling self-doubt, I think it's important to remember the feeling is temporary and never to stop believing in yourself and the possibilities of the future.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Do the Research/Business Formation yourself - take the time to understand the business formation, accounting, liability legalities, and tax requirements in your state. It will gain your knowledge and save you money in the long run, doing your own bookkeeping and business formation. For example, I learned an E.I.N. is free from the I.R.S. if you take 5 min to apply for one on their website versus paying a third party $100 to fill it out for you.
- Make a Plan/Timeline/Schedule of what you want/need to accomplish while forming and running your business. Planning out your goals/deadlines can help make it easier for you to focus on what needs to get done immediately and what can wait til tomorrow when you start to feel overwhelmed with the hundreds of tasks at hand.
- Do NOT stop believing in your power to achieve whatever you desire to accomplish. If you're capable and willing to put the effort and energy into your goals, there is no possibility of failure and only the promise of success and growth through learning opportunities. You've got this!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.moonscentcandleco.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moonscentcandleco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonscentcandleco/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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