Things I Didn’t Expect When I Started a Candle Business

When I first decided to start a candle business, I had a pretty simple idea in my head.

Make candles.
Make them smell good.
Put them in cute jars.
Sell them.

Easy, right?

😂

Well… not exactly.

There are quite a few things I didn't realize came with starting a candle business. Some are funny, some are frustrating, and some I probably should have figured out before I bought approximately 900 different supplies.

Here are a few things I didn't expect when I started Story Wick Co.

I Didn't Realize How Much Testing There Would Be

You don't just pour wax into a jar, put a wick in it, and call it a candle.

There is testing.

And then there is more testing.

And then you think you've finally figured it out… only to realize you need to test something else.

Different waxes. Different wicks. Different fragrance loads. Different jars. Different cure times.

And then there's the part where you burn the candle and stare at it like you're conducting a very important scientific experiment.

"Is that mushrooming?"

"Is the melt pool deep enough?"

"Why is it tunneling?"

"Was that wick better?"

At some point, everyone in your house learns that they are not allowed to casually move a candle because you're testing that one.

My House Slowly Became a Candle Factory

There are candles everywhere.

On counters.

On shelves.

In boxes.

In the room where they definitely weren't supposed to be stored.

And there is always at least one candle somewhere that is labeled with something like:

TEST #4 — DON'T TOUCH

Starting a candle business means your home starts looking less like a home and more like a tiny production facility.

Except instead of machines and conveyor belts, there are fragrance oils, wax, jars, labels, shipping boxes, and approximately seventeen things that need to be cleaned.

I Didn't Expect How Much I Would Actually Enjoy the Making Part

This was probably one of the biggest surprises.

There is something incredibly satisfying about starting with a pile of supplies and turning them into something finished.

Melting the wax.

Adding the fragrance.

Pouring each candle.

Watching it cool.

Adding the label.

Packing it up.

There's a weird little moment when everything finally comes together and you think:

"I made that."

And honestly, that's pretty cool.

But Making the Candle Is Only Part of the Job

This was the part I REALLY didn't think about.

Because apparently, running a candle business also means:

Taking product photos.

Writing product descriptions.

Figuring out shipping.

Ordering supplies.

Keeping track of inventory.

Updating the website.

Answering emails.

Posting on social media.

Trying to understand SEO.

Packaging orders.

Doing bookkeeping.

Planning markets.

Making displays.

Creating labels.

Taking MORE product photos.

And somehow remembering what you were supposed to order before you completely run out of it.

At some point you realize:

I didn't just start a candle business. I accidentally started twelve businesses.

I Didn't Expect to Become So Opinionated About Jars

Before starting Story Wick Co., I don't think I had ever given much thought to candle jars.

Now?

I have opinions.

Very specific opinions.

About jar shapes.

Jar colors.

Jar sizes.

Lids.

Labels.

How the label looks on the jar.

How the jar photographs.

How much wax fits in it.

And whether the whole thing looks right together.

You see a cute container in a store and suddenly you're thinking:

"Could I put 10 ounces of wax in that?"

This is apparently who I am now.

Not Every Product Is Going to Be a Hit

This one has probably been one of the biggest lessons.

You can love a scent.

You can think it's going to be everyone's favorite.

You can make beautiful labels and take gorgeous pictures.

And then…

Nothing.

Meanwhile, the scent you almost didn't make becomes the one people keep asking about.

Customers will always surprise you.

And that's actually one of my favorite parts.

Because it reminds me that Story Wick Co. isn't just about making the things I like.

It's about making things that help other people find a scent that feels like them.

Markets Are Their Own Adventure

If you've ever seen a maker market from the customer's side, it probably looks pretty simple.

Set up your table.

Put out your products.

Smile.

Sell things.

The reality is more like:

Load approximately your entire house into your vehicle.

Drive to the event.

Unload everything.

Set up.

Move something.

Move it again.

Wonder why you brought so much stuff.

Talk to people.

Watch people smell every candle on your table.

Try not to stare while they decide.

Pack everything back up.

Drive home.

Unload everything.

And then realize you forgot something at the venue.

😂

But even with all of that, there's something really special about meeting people face-to-face and watching them discover your products.

I Didn't Expect to Care So Much About the Little Things

When someone places an order, I don't just see an order number.

I think about the fact that someone chose something I made to bring into their home.

That's a pretty cool feeling.

Maybe they're buying a candle for themselves.

Maybe it's a gift.

Maybe they're trying a scent they've never smelled before.

Maybe they're creating a cozy little evening at home.

Whatever the reason, I get to be a tiny part of that.

And that's something I don't think I'll ever take for granted.

I'm Still Figuring It Out

The funny thing about starting a small business is that there isn't really a point where you suddenly have everything figured out.

I'm still learning.

Still testing.

Still changing things.

Still trying new products.

Still figuring out what works.

Still making mistakes.

And probably still buying things I absolutely did not need because they were "for the business."

But that's also what makes it exciting.

Story Wick Co. is growing, changing, and becoming something I never could have completely planned from the beginning.

And honestly?

I'm okay with that.

Because when I look at where it started and where it is now, I realize that the part I didn't expect most wasn't the amount of work.

It wasn't the testing.

It wasn't the markets.

It wasn't even the fact that my house would slowly become a candle warehouse.

It was how much I would genuinely love creating something that people can bring into their homes.

Something that smells good.

Something that makes a space feel cozy.

Something that can become part of someone's everyday little moments.

And maybe that's the part that makes all the wax, wicks, labels, boxes, testing, and occasional chaos worth it.

Welcome to the behind-the-scenes of Story Wick Co.

It's a little messy.

It's a lot of work.

And there's probably a candle testing somewhere that you're not supposed to touch.

🕯️