Tracy Welsh has always loved candles. What Welsh didn’t know is one day, amid a global pandemic, Welsh would not only begin to make candles but would start an entire small business made from 100% natural products.
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In this edition of our Small Company Spotlight series, Welsh joins us to talk about Litwickscandle , Welsh’s candle company based out of Miramar, Florida, plus its wide range of beauty offerings, the lightbulb moment that inspired Welsh to start a business and the particular importance of educating people on the benefits of natural items .
Exactly what inspired you to start a business?
I know it sounds cliché, yet I wanted to work just as hard for myself as We did for someone else. I would often think of what type of business I actually could be successful in and I started deep diving into my hobbies and passions.
I used to shop a lot at Bath & Body Works. When COVID-19 hit and we couldn’t go to typically the stores anymore, I had in order to figure out how I was going to get my supply of candles. The lightbulb went off, nevertheless only after I realized how much I was spending on candles! I decided to be able to look in to making candle lights myself and even Litwickscandle was born.
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Once you knew you wanted for you to start a business selling candles and natural soaps, how did a person prepare yourself to help enter this industry?
My partner and i prepared simply by doing a lot of research. YouTube has been my best friend. I might watch countless videos upon candle making. It became an obsession. I had formed many failed days upon entering this candle quest, although I did not give up.
I turned my kitchen into a candle clinic together with my friends were this patients. We would try all different types associated with candle techniques and am received plenty of feedback. Eventually, I was referred to seek the mentor in the industry and We were put in touch with a new young entrepreneur named Tiana. I watched her YouTube videos endlessly and studied her craft until My spouse and i felt comfortable to fly solo.
Can you tell us more about your candle and beauty bar collections?
All of our products are totally natural, starting with our wax lights which are made of completely soy wax. Our additional product products include certified organic soaps, body butters, body milk, incense and additionally lip balm.
We try to ensure the ingredients used are chemical-free not to mention allergy tested so we can have outstanding results from our customers. As a Melanated woman, I just struggled with keeping my skin moisturized. I fought to find goods which would stay on for the duration of the day. Our candlestick wax can be applied to your skin — rubbed on simply like oil — and also our body butter base is made out there of shea and almond oil creating lasting moisture barriers. The same applies to all in our other products. We want to make sure our customers are getting the best eco-friendly merchandise available.
Some of our customer favorites include scented candle (raspberry, watermelon, refreshing spa, morning rain and citrus basil), entire body butters (cashmere cocoa butter, champagne toast and pineapple papaya) as well as body milk in honey oat and mango passion.
What were some regarding the challenges Litwickscandle faced and overcame amid often the COVID-19 pandemic?
During COVID-19, When i struggled to decide if I should have clients come to the house to pick up their orders. I struggled to obtain materials plus products and support customer demand. There were times I thought Litwickscandle may no longer be a thing because I need some sort of strategy in order to keep people’s attention.
I had to quickly turn your frown upside down in addition to bring a positive mindset in an already sad world. I was determined to succeed. I started to regain momentum and view things as progressive. We switched our own marketing strategy to focus on making people happy and providing sustainable solutions to our consumers.
Our own sales began to grow and our company started to be able to become a local favorite. The only thing left was to become a household name. Although all of us still have roads for you to travel, we are seeing the benefits of pushing through and steering the course.
How offers inflation impacted your business?
Inflation has taken its toll on our business. All of us fight to get low-cost material to assistance our growing business. We all seek out ways to keep our costs low and even our buyers happy. Countless hours have been spent negotiating for lower cost candle light supplies, cutting out tariff cost and freight fees.
By eliminating the premiums of doing business during the inflationary market, we can keep the product price affordable. Since establishing Litwickscandle we possess only experienced to apply one expense increase and it was very marginal. We are thankful to be sustaining during these volatile times.
What is the exact most rewarding aspect of being a business owner?
To me, it’s knowing we have been helping people learn regarding and understand how organic products work just because well as commercial products and solutions without the harmful additives. Educating shoppers on the benefits of natural products is very rewarding.
I remember the first time someone came back to help give comments on each of our products There was an elderly client (roughly concerning 70 years old) who had an allergic reaction to the particular COVID-19 vaccine. Her MD prescribed a good topical cream to use about her arm and nothing was working. In fact , it was getting worse, I actually recommended all of our natural Aloe Body Butter and she tried it for seven days. After the seven times, not only did the rash clear up nonetheless her skin regained elasticity. She had been so overwhelmed with joy! It is results like this that will fill your hearts together with keep us motivated.
What advice would an individual give to somebody who wants to start their own business?
Never give upward! Don’t merely do this for the likes. Do it along with passion.
Believe in yourself so you don’t have to wait for others to believe in you, My partner and i won’t lie: building a business takes time and additionally dedication. If you can envision typically the end of the road, you can keep traveling it until you meet your desired destination. My biggest piece of advice is to find your great mentor, join small business groups and meet up with like-minded individuals and entrepreneurs.
What does the future hold for Litwickscandle throughout 2022 and beyond?
The future holds growth and success for Litwickscandle. We have been currently in discussions with large retailers regarding product placement. Our company is focused on launching a few new product lines before year-end 2022. We will be offering natural liquid soaps, face cleansing wash and beard oils. The goal is to offer a full line product providing of normal, chemical free, eco-friendly, sustainable products.
We want our products to remind everyone to stay grounded, centered and live a healthy lifestyle. The particular stars are usually aligning and there is only one way upwards, so the greatest way is to shoot intended for the stars.
Visit the Litwickscandle website to place an order and learn more about the products!
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