Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Janelle George. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Janelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
When my dad unexpectedly died in 2018, I was really looking for things that brought me joy over the next year. I had a friend who had just started making candles, so I asked her to teach me the basics. I wanted to do something creative that I could do at home – I’m a big homebody. I really loved it and ended up taking a deep dive into candle making and learning everything I could. We started going around all over Central Indiana hosting candle making workshops and doing a few pop-ups selling candles at markets. It was very successful very fast, but then Covid hit. We weren’t able to host workshops anymore, so I spent the next couple of years just making candles at home for myself and gifts for family and friends. After some time, I decided to create a new LLC and started selling my products at local markets and events. At my first vendor event as Eave Collective, a retailer approached me and asked if I’d be open to having my products in their store. I of course said yes, and things have really grown from there. I continued to grow my list of retailers, and the volume I was selling at events and online was increasing. I walked by the storefront I now occupy in downtown Franklin one day and saw that it was vacant. I immediately called my fiancée and told him I needed to see the space. I was not actively looking for a retail space at the time – I thought I’d have a shop in the next 5ish years – but it just felt right. I met with the landlords, saw the space, and knew it would be perfect for what I had in mind. The space was highly sought after, so the landlords held several interviews for people wanting the space. I waited on pins and needs for a few weeks. When I heard I was chosen for the space, I resigned from my career of 11 years the next day. I was scared and excited and am so grateful they gave me this opportunity to open my first storefront.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
When I first started out making candles, I was making them in a double broiler on my stove in my kitchen. I was using paraffin wax and fragrances that were not nontoxic. I noticed one day that the inside of my refrigerator had some black inside of it. After some time, I figured out it was from the paraffin wax. If that’s what it was doing to the inside of my refrigerator, what was it doing to our bodies (and my pets). Since then, I have continued to learn about toxins in candles in different types of waxes and fragrance oils. After lots of research, I decided I wanted use 100% natural soy wax and nontoxic fragrances. I do not think it is widely known that there are nontoxic fragrance oils – not just essential oils. The fragrances I use are free from phthalates, parabens, carcinogens, hazardous chemicals, and other harmful toxins commonly used in the fragrance industry. This is extremely important to me and a crucial part of my brand. I love offering products to people that are a safer option. I was not sure if other people would care about the nontoxic nature of my products, but it turns out they really do! My candles and melts have proven to be tolerable to those susceptible to headaches, migraines, and other sensitives.
Besides being nontoxic, I wanted to create candles that look good in any home. I’ve spent the last couple of years really working to create a recognizable brand. I am a very particular person in general, which is a blessing and a curse, but has served me well in this business. My brand is built around thoughtful, minimalistic design. I am also particular with my scents. I am not a candle shop that has 50 or 100+ fragrances. I offer a curated collection of about 12-15 scents year-round and also create limited releases about once every season with 4-6 scents in each of those collections. My products are hand poured, thoughtfully designed, and made in small batches. I think my brand comes across as very personal, because it is. I have said before that I won’t make something just because I think it will sell well. I create things I truly love and I hope this shows. The response to my scents, branding, and use of nontoxic ingredients has been better than I could have ever imagined. It keeps me excited and determined to keep going and growing.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Using nontoxic ingredients and creating a recognizable brand has been a big part of it. I think there is something else though that is important. This might sound a bit strange because it isn’t any kind of real “business” advice but just being kind to people. I really think just being a nice person has gotten me far. I have met so many customers and other business owners who I would now consider friends, even though I have never seen them outside of my shop. I love getting to know them and hearing about their lives, while also offering them a place they can buy products I proudly stand behind.
If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?
I have a storefront which is the mainstream of revenue, but I also work with businesses and entrepreneurs to create custom candles for their brand. I also sell to retailers do pop-ups at markets and events. Not only is this additional revenue, but its great exposure for my small business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eavecollective.com
- Instagram: @eavecollectivecandles
- Facebook: Eave Collective Candles
Image Credits
DL Photography and Janelle George