Kaitlin's Scents
It's our pleasure to introduce you to Kaitlin, a very talented and creative girl from Marietta, Georgia, US. All her life she has been surrounded by art and culture. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology from Kennesaw State University, December 2018. She previously worked in a music store and today she owns Kaitlin's Candles together with Chris. We got an interview with Kaitlin and she tells us all about her business, her plans and her love for creativity.
How did you get the idea for your business?
I grew up in a very ‘artsy’ home. My father is a musician and my mother is an artist. Each year around the holidays I would try and create something to give family members: potholders, teacakes, jewelry, etc. One year, while walking around a craft store with my mom, I came across the bagged coloured candle wax and fragrance oils. I stocked up on these and with a little help from my dad, made homemade candles in old glass jars to give away at Christmas and for birthdays.
Many years later, my parents were cleaning out their house and forced upon me all my old stuff that was hanging around (I guess they didn’t want it?). In one of the boxes were an unopened bag of wax and some jars. Why not revisit a childhood memory of candle-making? My boyfriend, Chris, and I started making candles to use around our house. This inspired me to start painting again, a hobby that kind of got washed while attending college. I added my first design to one of our candles and fell in love with the warm appearance that the paint displayed while the candle was burning.
What has been your biggest challenge leading up to where you are now?
I would say at first our biggest challenge was making sure every measurement was correct and just really trying to produce the best smelling and a burning candle. Prior to selling candles, it didn’t matter to me exactly which size wick or what type of wax I used because it was for personal enjoyment. When selling, you must worry about how the candle cures, how long does the candle burn for, how does the candle look while it’s burning? We had some candles turn out horrible and some were we just didn’t know what had happened to them. We did a lot of experimenting with different wick sizes, fragrance oils and amounts, and wax types.
All the candles are hand-poured and you are also doing the painting, have you always been a creative soul and do you possess other creative skills as well?
I cannot remember a time in my life where I wasn’t doing anything with either music or art. My dad is the greatest saxophone player I have ever heard. Jazz, blues, and rock literally filled my house growing up. That combined with my groovy sign painting, jewellery and stained-glass making mother made me fall in love with the arts. I played saxophone and guitar for many years, and still do occasionally. I believe my last two years in high school were spent almost entirely in the art room working on etchings, sculptures, and paintings.
Can you tell me a bit about how your candles are made?
Well, each candle’s glass is hand-painted. If it is a design that I have never done before, many times I’ll sketch it out on paper first to sort out my ideas and colours. Once the design is complete on the glass, I let the paint dry for 24 hours. After 24 hours the painted glass is ready to bake in the oven. I bake the glasses to keep the paint from chipping or rubbing. If the design has a set fragrance the candle can be poured immediately. Chris centres the wick in each jar and ties the top of the wick to pencils to keep it straight and upright. The wax is melted, fragrance added, and the candle is poured once the right temperature is reached.
How would you like your business to expand over the next years?
I’m excited about scents. I would love to start expanding into many different fragrances and create my own. The fragrances help inspire my painting. I love how smells can bring up old memories or stories and I love to give visual to those scents.
How would you say, your business stands out in comparison to others?
The design on each candle is my own. Many candles smell and burn well. The candles we offer smell good, burn smoothly and add a little extra flair to your home with the painted design.
Do you have any good advice for others who are dreaming of running their own business
It takes a lot of time. You may not see results right away, but just keep pushing. Also, social media is very important. Be able to use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest Business. Overall, if you believe in your product and you enjoy what you’re doing, don’t give up.
What has been your biggest success so far?
Chris made our website! He’s currently working on the mobile-friendly version, but I count that as a huge success. As far as sales, we had a purchase for 15 candles from the same buyer. They were used as gifts for an office and were a hit. I know it’s small compared to some other shops, but I’ll take it!
We thank Kaitlin for taking the time to share her story with us. If you would like to know more about her or make a purchase, you can find all the info you need at one of the web-addresses listed just below.
(Interview was done by BJ, all photos belong to Kaitlin's Candles)
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