Small businesses have been recently booming on the internet, especially across social media platforms. If you are considering starting one, a candle business is a great business idea that yields promising profits and results.
Starting a candle business can be a rewarding venture for those who are passionate about crafting beautiful and aromatic candles. Malacware is your one-stop destination for sourcing high-quality raw materials like candle jars, candle holders, and lids for affordable prices and bulk quantities.
This article will explore a step-by-step guide to explain how you can start your candle business from scratch in 2023.
Research and planning
Starting any business on a whim and without planning is already setting it up for failure. That’s the absolute last thing you want to do.
If you are interested in starting a candle business, the first step is to research. This includes understanding the market demand, your target audience, and your competition. You also need to identify your niche, for example, scented candles, decorative candles, or eco-friendly options.
Once that is out of the way, the next step is to plan things. How do you want to start? Where do you want to start? Do you want to trademark anything? Do you want to acquire a trading license? These are questions that need proper planning.
Sourcing the supplies
So, once you are set that you want to start your online candle business, the next step is to find your raw materials.
For a candle-making business, you need to source your high-quality wax, luxury candle jars wholesale, lids, wicks, etc. You will also need to source the dyes and scents, which should be from good-quality and reliable sellers, so your customers don’t have to worry about their health.
Besides these, you’d also need to source the tools and equipment that you’d need to make these candles. This includes a melting pot, thermometer, stirring tools, and safety equipment.
- Creating the recipes
Making candles isn’t as simple as melting the wax and transferring it into a fancy candle jar. If your business plan is to do that, be assured that no one is going to buy from you.
Hence, you need to curate unique candle recipes that make your business stand out. The best way to understand what works and what doesn’t is by seeing what your competitors are doing. This is a great way to understand what the customers are responding well to.
Besides that, we’d also advise that you experiment with different dyes, textures, types of waxes, and scents. As you experiment, don’t forget to keep a record of all the formulations so you can come back to them in the future.
Furthermore, with every new candle recipe that you test out, don’t forget to do a burn test to evaluate the burn time and the overall performance of the candle.
- Manufacturing process
When you are starting your candle business, start small. You don’t need to have 50+ varieties of candles available in the shop on the first day. Instead, start with 2-3 options and work your way up.
As a new business owner, chances are that you will be either working from your home space or have a small space to start with. Prioritizing comfort and flexibility in the manufacturing process is key. You don’t want to do too many things at once.
Hence, set up a dedicated workspace that is not only well-ventilated but well-sanitized too. What this will do is ensure that everything is done ethically and in a clean and hygienic setup.
- Quality control
After the manufacturing process comes quality control, what you want to do is ensure that you are maintaining consistency in the quality of the candles you are manufacturing.
So, with every batch of candles you manufacture, conduct regular quality checks to ensure that the candles meet your established standards. This involves checking the fragrance strength, appearance, and burn performance of the candle too.
- Packaging and pricing
The last step in the process is to focus on quality packaging. You want to create a compelling brand identity for your candle business. So, focus on designing the packaging in a way that looks attractive and modern and retains the attention of potential customers.
As for pricing, this comes down to you. How much profit margin do you want to keep? How much did it cost you to manufacture each jar of candle? Once you have an answer to these, you can sit down and personalize the pricing structure, too.
Conclusion
There’s no better time to start a candle business than now. With the landscape of small businesses booming across the internet, now is the time to create unique products that stand out and attract the attention of customers. The tips we have shared will help you build your business from the ground up and turn it into a profitable venture.
