More Than WE Know

 

When you think of luxury - you immediately think of cars, boats, furs, and jewels.  And while a market for those items does exist, there is another market for smaller luxuries - what I think of as indulgences.  Starbucks is a good example of a business that is built on enabling people to indulge themselves with a small luxury - good, freshly brewed coffee in welcoming surroundings. 

Ashley Meyer’s business The Wildfire: Gifts and Decor is tapping into another indulgence market - handmade custom candles.  Candles are warm, welcoming, inviting - they make us feel good on cold, dark nights, they reflect who we are and how we want to live.  They invoke feelings of romance, intimacy and peace. Candles make our house a home.

Hand-made custom candles with a signature color, scent and design are one step further along on the road to indulgence.  In my mind, The Wildfire has the potential for doing for candles what Starbucks has done for coffee.  

Just as consumers say “I can’t start my day without drinking a double espresso macchiato”

they soon could be saying,

“I can’t end my day without lighting a soft green and pink colored Rosemary & Mint scented pillar candle.”

Or, “It wouldn’t be our anniversary without our signature Napa Vineyard scented candles.” 

Or, ” I always give a Sandlewood bowl-shaped candle as a house-warming present to my friends.”

In other words, it’s not about the candle, it’s about the way buying, owning, giving and using the candle makes them feel.

So take a moment to indulge yourself, and read Ashley’s story:

Ashley, tell me about your business.

I make original, handcrafted candles. My candles are unique compared to most of the homemade decorative candles you see because I do not use paint. Each candle is carefully crafted with carvings and multiple layers. 

My goal is to bring art back to candle making. Personally, I believe candle designs need an upgrade. I take traditional techniques to the extreme to provide unique, functional art for all lifestyles. I’m not too fond of painting candles. You will notice that my creations are all wax; which gives them a clean and stylish look.

I have always had a passion for art. My mother paints whereas I take a more hands on approach with sculpting and playing with clay. I have found wax to be a fun and interesting alternative and I enjoy taking candle making techniques to the extreme.

What is your best holiday item?

I have a few candles great for holiday decor, such as my Mother and Baby candle scented with Frankincense and Myrrh. As for gifts, I have a variety of candle sets as well as the option to request custom candles. Yet, my favorite and the favorite of many others is my tree candle.  

What inspired or motivated you to start your business?

It all started as a hobby for “me time”. I’m a stay at home mom and this was a great creative outlet for me. I started receiving such great feedback from people wanting to buy them, that I decided to see if I could take my hobby to the next step.

What keeps you motivated?

My husband has been a great source of inspiration and motivation for me. It’s his faith and pride he has in me that keeps me striving to succeed.

How did you fund your business?

I am fortunate enough to have a good friend who gave me his equipment. Any expenses from there on out have been funded out of our pocket and gifts from family. I actually asked for money on my birthday… and I got it.

Who is your target market?

Candle lovers of all types, but mainly females teens through mid-aged.

What percentage of your business is online? What is your ideal?

I’d say 30%. I still make sales to people in my community and have just started selling online. Of course, I would love to see that percentage over 50%. I’m finding it a little more difficult than expected to get my name out there. Yet, my ultimate goal is to have my own walk-in store.

Where do you get most of your customers?

Word of mouth and networking. I will soon be renting booths at local flea markets and festivals and expect good things from that. 

What is the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?

Marketing. I’m still trying to overcome it, lol.

What was the best unexpected thing that happened to you?

People telling others about my products. Really. I like my candles, but I wasn’t expecting such a great response from others. I’m grateful because I’ve been able to make a variety of new friends in the process. 

What do you wish you had known when you started?

I pretty much knew from the start what I was getting myself into. Which is why I was hesitant at first. But my husband kept pushing me and I’m glad he did. I’m always up for a challenge.

Do you have kids? Do you work at home?

I have two girls, ages 2 and 4. Yes, I do work at home. My shop is actually my kitchen. I look forward to the day when I have a separate workspace, but with such young children this area is perfect.

What is the biggest challenge of being a work-at-home mom?

Time! When I first started, everything was a jumbled mess. I homeschool-preschool my kids and between that, the candle making, and the housework…. the housework was usually last in line.

It took me following a strict schedule so as not to take away from any areas in my life. I am blessed to be able to stay at home with my children and being caught up in work all day really defeats the purpose.

I am pleased to say I have managed to fit all in nicely. Play time is a must! Kids have a way of making you feel younger if you know how to approach it, which is getting down to their level. I love it!

How have your kids helped you be a better entrepreneur?

As I mentioned before, they really do make you feel younger. When I interact with my kids I’m able to see things through their eyes and not take everything so seriously. That has helped me deal with stress on so many levels.

How has being an entrepreneur helped you be a better mom?

It has made me more organized.

What advice do you have for other Women Entrepreneurs, or Entrepreneur-wannabe’s?

Go for what makes you happy! Money comes and goes and indeed it is good to have… but when you’re pleased with your work, you’ll find others will be pleased too.

To purchase Ashley’s hand-made candles or to place your custom order, visit TheWildfire.

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If you would like your business profiled on More Than WE Know  please contact me at Liz (at) Morethanweknow (dot) com.

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