We were lucky to catch up with Ana Trsic recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I’ve worked 11 years climbing the corporate ladder and 3 years running my small business, and only 6 months of that full-time. The biggest difference between the two is that you’re either working for someone else’s dreams with their rules, direction, and time or doing it all for yourself. For me, I learned quickly that working for myself led to happiness. I was always a high achiever wanting to exceed goals and impress everyone thinking that would lead to faster promotions and salary increases, but that’s not always the case. More often than not, high achievers are rewarded with more work in the corporate world. Which only leads to more anxiety and stress because, of course, I wanted to always be the best at my job.

Once I took my business full-time, I was in charge of everything from strategy to execution. I became the boss, the worker, and everything in between. Yes, I work more now than I ever have before, but my work and my vision always align with my own beliefs and the reward that comes with my work is tangible. I can see my hard work reflected in my rapid business growth. I have happy returning shoppers who love my products, and I’ve grown my wholesale accounts to numerous stores across the country.

I have learned a lot of skills in my corporate career that are applied to my small business, so I will always be thankful for the road that got me to where I am today. Following my passion and my dream did come with sacrifice, but in the end, it made me happy. The biggest compliment is when people tell me I glow when I talk about my business. It’s my baby, and I thrive knowing my hard work is succeeding in the community. And the time freedom that comes with it is worth it. I work on my own time, wake up when I want to, and travel as much as I want whenever I want.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi! I’m Ana with Scentana Candle Co. I am an avid hiker and nature lover, and in the middle of the pandemic when the world stopped and we couldn’t go anywhere, I turned to many new hobbies to keep busy. One was candlemaking and I quickly fell in love with this therapeutic process.

With lots of research, I learned the importance of candle ingredients and started my own clean, nontoxic, nature-inspired candle brand. I wanted to create my love for the outdoors in a candle while creating a home fragrance line without any harmful chemicals for your homes.

I love getting to know my customers and ensuring they are happy with their new product, whether it’s a candle, home diffusers, or my viral car diffusers. All of my products are made with pure soy wax, and phthalate-free and paraben-free fragrance oils.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

To grow my small business, I have tried different methods of getting my name out. Two of the best sources that have helped grow my business are social media and local markets.

Social media is a free marketing tool all business owners should use. It’s a way of connecting with our audience and letting them get to know us and our business. I primarily use Instagram and Tik Tok, and in the fall of 2023 my videos had gotten millions of views on Tik Tok which resulted in over 10K new followers. I enjoy making and sharing videos showcasing my day-to-day life, the way my products are used, celebrating milestones, and showcasing orders that are going out. Business owners can get lonely especially if they don’t have a team, so sharing my business on social media with my audience is a nice way to hear feedback and answer any questions people have about my products.

Another favorite source of growth has been local vendor markets. I’ve participated in hundreds of markets throughout the years, and by returning to a market year of year, I was able to not only keep in touch with regular shoppers but also get to know new customers. I enjoy markets because it’s a simple way to pop up my business and people can get to know me in real life. Shoppers can also smell all the candles in person making it easier for them to decide what they like.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

One of my favorite marketing stories was actually an accident. I am pretty engaged on social media and there was a video that someone made showcasing brands that celebrated that creator’s birthday. I commented that I would give away a free candle for her birthday, and my comment went viral. I had people reaching out telling me that their birthday was coming up and how to get their candles.

I didn’t expect that comment to turn into a strategy but I quickly had to turn it into an incentive. I have added a section on my website that allows customers to sign up for exclusive deals, especially on their birthdays. So now if you sign up online, during your birthday month you will be emailed a $10 off coupon for any order placed, which is equivalent to a free small product.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.scentanacandleco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scentanacandleco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScentanaCandleCo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anatrsic/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@scentanacandleco

Image Credits

Lexapop Photography
Like The Planet Photography