We recently connected with Trista Gangestad and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Trista, thanks for joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

At Clever Cow Candle Co, we pride ourselves on offering a clean burning candle so everyone can enjoy a candle without worrying about soot, toxins, headaches or allergy issues. The candle industry is full of companies offering the cheapest versions, which are not safe, clean or healthy for anyone. I started making my own candles after a bad experience with a candle I had purchased, which left a black ring of soot on the ceiling of my home. When I saw the soot, I started researching what would cause that. I discovered most candles are typically made from Paraffin wax (which is a petroleum bi-product), contain lead in their wicks and are made with toxic fragrances – all of which release carcinogens and other harmful things into the air.
I loved burning candles, but I wasn’t going to continue exposing my family to the toxins in them. So I researched and learned about clean candle options. I found clean ingredients and started making my own candles using 100% soy wax (which is a natural product made from soybeans), 100% cotton wicks and “clean fragrances” that don’t contain any carcinogens, phthalates, or other dangerous chemicals and toxins. There are so many benefits to clean candles and we are proud to be offering them.

Trista, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi! I’m Trista and I’m the designer and candle maker behind Clever Cow Candle Co.
When the pandemic hit in 2020 and I was home all the time, I began burning candles much more frequently than I had previously. One day, I was sitting in my living room enjoying one of my favorite candles and suddenly noticed a big black ring of soot on the ceiling above where this candle was burning! I pointed it out to my husband later and he got up on the ladder and tried to clean it. It wouldn’t budge! I was sad I could no longer enjoy my favorite candle and disgusted at what the candle had done to my home. And I began to wonder what it had also done to my family’s lungs if it could do that to my ceiling!

So, I began researching clean burning candles. I found some that I liked, but I struggled to find the look and scents I wanted. In my research, I learned how clean burning candles are made and decided I would just create what I wanted.
I love Farmhouse décor and had the idea to pour candles into enamel campfire mugs with fun designs on them. I had the graphic design skills to create the designs, but I had to figure out how to get the mugs made. With the help of my husband and a little trial and error, I learned how to sublimate (heat press) the mugs with my designs and we were off and running! Since the designs are heat pressed, they are permanent. They’re not a sticker or label. They won’t peal, rub or wear off.

All of my candles are hand poured in small batches with 100% soy wax, cotton wicks and clean fragrances. They won’t emit any soot or chemicals into your home. They are vegan, cruelty-free, phthalate-free and petroleum free. You can enjoy burning and smelling these amazing candles without worrying about what they’re doing to your home, your family or the environment. And you get to enjoy a fun mug design too!

Did I mention the mugs are reusable? When you’re done burning the candle, you can clean out the mug and then you’ve got a mug to drink out of!

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

I’ve been in business for just over 2 years and the company is still very small – just me (and help from an occasional VA). I do make all of my products. Well, I don’t make the mugs themselves, but I create the designs for the mugs, sublimate the mugs and pour the candles myself. When I first started out, I had the idea to put designs on the mugs, but I didn’t have the knowledge or equipment to print the mugs myself. So I partnered with another local small business owner and contracted with her to print my designs on the mugs. That worked out well initially, but as my business grew (and hers as well), she could no longer produce the mugs quickly enough for my orders. So, I spent time researching the process and equipment I would need to bring this part in house and do it myself. I invested in the equipment and spent some time learning how to sublimate the mugs myself. It definitely took some some trial and error (I wasted a few mugs to get through the learning curve), but I’m so glad I did it. Doing everything myself can be a bit overwhelming, but it also allows me to have full control over the process and turnaround time. I’m not reliant on someone else’s availability. And it’s up to me if I want to take on a rush order depending on my own schedule.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In the beginning, I was focused on direct to consumer sales of my candles. I built my own website and have an Etsy shop and spent a lot of time doing social media marketing, advertising, trying to find ways to build my email list, etc. It was all-consuming and exhausting chasing after individual sales. Plus, since my candles are made to order, it was also more time consuming to make individual, one-off candles. After about a year in business, I decided to start offering corporate branding on my candles and marketing them to companies to use for corporate gifts, employee gifts, giveaways, etc. I started networking and meeting people in different industries who might them and the idea really took off! This year, I made the decision to spend my time focusing on this arm of my business. While I still have the website, Etsy shop and social media presence, that is no longer the focus of my business. This pivot has been very successful for me so far.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.clevercowcandleco.com
• Instagram: clevercowcandleco
• Facebook: clevercowcandleco
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trista-gangestad-0701477/

Image Credits
Eleni Thayer Photography