We will continue with a series of articles concerning candlemaking as a business. Whether you are interested in just making some extra income or turning your hobby into a full time job, the basic principles are the same. First of all you must decide on your goals and the size of your new business.

Making money with your candlemaking hobby can come in many different ways. Most of us stumble on that idea when family, friends and acquaintances see the end product and discover that someone makes candles. If your like me, most of what I make is used for gifts and tokens of appreciation to people I meet or deal with on a regular basis. Several times a year I am asked to mass produce specific candle products for businesses and fundraisers. The majority of it comes during this time of year, the holidays.
If you do plan on taking advantage of the opportunity to turn a little profit from your hobby then you must be prepared for the season rush. By this I mean having your candle recipes, supplies and equipment primed for the task. I like to have this done by the end of summer. Summertime is typically a slow enough time of year to be able to prepare by testing new candle recipes, products and any new production tools that you plan to use.
Once you have everything in place then you can start your production samples to show and create interest. Producing small votives makes and excellent way of exposing your waxes and scents to everyone. This will create interest and show the quality of what you have to offer with a minimal investment on your part. Keeping a small case stocked with each candle scent or scented blend available will aid you in your selling efforts. This will especially come in handy if you plan on having a candle party. This will be expanded upon in my next article.

If you foresee an order for several candles in advance then feel free to have a ready supply of your most popular candes and candle scents available to provide to your prospective customers. This not only saves you time and effort but takes advantage any sales opportunity that may come your way. Most customers appreciate getting what they want right away.
Even if you have no desire for candlemaking as a business, there will always be opportunities to make a profit on occasion. It still allows you to enjoy your hobby and provide a valuable service to others.

Candlemakers, we light the world one candle at a time!