We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amanda Varvak. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amanda below.

Amanda, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I started watching youtube videos and researching how to make candles. I bought the bare necessities and started to play around with the formula. Candlemaking is definitely a trial-and-error process and it took me months to figure out a formula that I was happy with. The only thing that could’ve made the learning process quicker was if I spent more time per day working on the formula. Persistence is a very essential skill when it comes to candlemaking because there are so many variables that can affect the formula so not giving up is very important.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Amanda, I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York but moved to Memphis, TN for work. I am an IT project manager, Latin dancer, kickboxing enthusiast, and candlemaker. I first got into candle making about a year into the pandemic when quarantine was still in effect. I was going stir-crazy after working remotely for over a year and wanted to learn a new craft. I make handmade soy wax candles in a variety of shapes, colors, and scents. My product allows customers to have a fully functioning candle that also doubles as a decor item. What sets me apart from other candlemakers is the variety of options I offer. I am the most proud when customers come up to me and say they still have an love their candle that they bought in the past, it makes my heart so happy. I want customers to know that customer service is very important to me and I really aim for full satisfaction when purchasing from my candle business.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

It costs absolutely nothing to like, comment, and share on a creative’s social media. Word of mouth can also helps to shine light on creatives and their work.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I would’ve found a mentor before I got started.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RoseloCandles
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roselocandles/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roselocandles