Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in candle-making but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ashley Bester-Barnett, Owner of Scents & Such, located in Round Lake Beach, IL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Scents & Such is a scented soy wax candle and candle accessories company, but at its core, we are a community of people prioritizing mental health, self-care, and living with intention.

Tell us about yourself

I began candle-making as a self-care practice to combat my anxiety and depression. It was a creative outlet that allowed me to channel all my emotions I didn't have the vocabulary to explain into a functional piece of art I could share with family and friends. Ultimately my friends encouraged me to sell my creations, and that is how Scents & Such was born. Community is my biggest motivator to continue on this journey. Scents & Such has shown me how so many of us have shared experiences but no way to express them. When customers hear or read my inspirations behind my scents, and it not only connects with them but transports them back to a place in their lives is my ever-present gentle nudge to keep going.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner was starting. I gave myself permission to believe in the possibility and went for it. I gave myself permission to believe in myself and my story.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

One of the hardest things that I've been actively growing through is infrastructure versus scale. I am 3 years into this entrepreneurial journey, and I'm still creating a firm foundation that will allow Scents & Such to scale steadily with minimum bottlenecks and pain. That foundation includes trademarking, accounting, administrative responsibilities, social media presence/messaging, etc.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

The three tips I'd give to anyone starting out on this journey or even currently on it are:

  1. Make sure your intellectual property is protected BEFORE you blow up.
  2. Make sure your accounting/bookkeeping is handled properly, from monthly budgets, taxes, and procurement to forecasting revenue, as well as slow cycles.
  3. Remember your WHY because it's going to get hard, and you won't always be motivated. You will want to quit. Constantly remind yourself why you started, and give yourself permission to feel, learn, and grow.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.scents-nsuch.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063219699930
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scents_n_such_studio/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-bester-msm-906a43142/

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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