Although a good number of people learn How to Start a Candle Making Business because it has relatively low set-up cost and is simple to operate, the vast majority of people start making candles simply because it is fun. Melting down wax, adding in the colors and scents, and creating imaginative molds and shapes is fun way to make a living compared to a lot of the options out there. If you would like to give your creative side a chance to have some fun while making serious money, then you need to consider learning how to start a candle making business of your very own!
Estimated Start Up Costs:
Before you begin, you want to ask yourself whether or not you want to make paraffin candles or those made out of natural beeswax. The reason is that the start-up cost of a beeswax operation will be higher than that of a paraffin candle making outfit. But you might make up for it by drawing a higher caliber of customer and selling the final products for more. The additional costs relate mostly to materials and the total difference might only amount to around $100 when the difference between a paraffin and beeswax starter kit is added up.
Some of the essential equipment you will need in order to start a candle making business is: paraffin or beeswax to melt down, molds, wicks, dyes, scents, and a pan to melt the wax. The largest expense will definitely be the molds as some of them can run as high as $20 each. All told, you can get started making candles for less than $200 but you will still need to consider a computer, office equipment, and perhaps even candle making software if you intend to take your candle making business to a profitable level.
Recommended Experience, Skills and Training
Learning how to start a candle making home business really just boils down to doing it. While there may be some craft workshops offered on candle making in your area, the best and most practical experience you can gain is simply had by making some candles. Using candle making software can really cut down on the time it takes to learn how to make great candles, but just a little practice will get you there as well.
Marketing Tips
A candle making business is definitely a word-of-mouth type of business with your own past success with previous customers being your best weapon in the fight to grow your candle business. Ideally, you will want to try wholesaling your candles to small shop owners and to this end you should always have an eye out for business cards from shop owners. Collect these and never be afraid to just call them up and see if they might be interested in selling your fine candles in their shop.
Other than that, candles tend to do quite well at Christmas craft fairs and other such venues. You will need to rent a booth for a day and try to sell your candles to the public. But, if you make quality candles and are good with people, your list of small shop owners selling your candles will grow, along with your reputation and business.
Financing Sources:
Honestly, you should not have to worry about financing options if you want to learn how to start a candle making business. The start-up costs are so low and your biggest expense will be learning how to make candles that people will want to buy and that is going to take some practice. Fortunately, you can melt down your failures and simply try again so even this trial-and-error portion is relatively inexpensive.
Income Potential:
As for income potential, the truth remains that you probably are not going to rich making candles but you can definitely earn a living at it if you are professional and determined to succeed. As a part-time hobby, a candle business might earn you $10,000 to $25,000 per year. If you want to make it a full time vocation, there is the potential to earn $50,000 or more per year if you are dedicated and good at what you do. No matter how much you intend to earn, the fact remains that learning how to start a candle making business could be the first step in a long and rewarding career path that pays you to do something you love!
?Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.
Randy has dozens of home based business articles such as Medical Billing Business. You can also sign up for Randy's free newsletter and 8 different FREE e-courses: Profitable Home Business Newsletter.