We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lindsey Tenhunfeld. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lindsey below.
Lindsey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
In 2018 I purchased a Candle Making Kit from Amazon. I love candles and always spent way too much money at Bath & Body Works so I thought, “I can make my own, right? Save a bit of money?” Right around that time I enrolled in a Masters program and things picked up with my full-time job. So, the kit sat in my closet collecting dust while I continued to buy my candles from large retailers or the occasional vendor at craft markets. Fast forward a couple years to 2020, we’re issued stay-at-home orders. What do I do with all of this free time? I started knitting, working through various craft ingredients that I purchased over the years but never got around to. Low and behold, I came across the Candle Making Kit that I had stashed away! What better way to test my sense of smell during the pandemic (remember, loss of smell was a symptom?) than make a few candles that I can ultimately burn in my home!
The instructions were pretty simple: use a double burner to melt the wax, add some scent and dye if you’d like, pour it into a jar with a wick and voila, you have a candle! (Yes, there are a few more steps and caveats to that, but you get the idea.) It was so simple, I thought, “why haven’t I been making my own candles this whole time?” I immediately ordered more supplies.
I scoured local thrift stores for old candle jars, mugs, and even tea cups that I could use as vessels. I made so many candles that I didn’t need to keep them all, so I started gifting them to family members, friends, and coworkers. Everyone loved the style and scents of the candles that the idea, “You should sell these!” kept coming up again and again.
I mean, who doesn’t love a little extra cash in their pocket? That was my first thought, completely oblivious to how expensive starting a candle business is. But we’ll get to that part….
I researched various candle supply companies and ordered small batches of materials from each company to start testing. I finally settled on a wonderful candle supply company who I still use to this day. I continued to experiment with different vessels, scents, wax types, and more. It wasn’t just the candle pour that needed to be tested; the burning of it needed to be seamless as well. Let me tell you- trial and error is a very expensive part of starting a business.
Once I landed on a jar style that worked well, I dubbed that as the style I would carry. Part of my business model was, few jar choices and lots of scent choices. That’s still the model today. I usually have 2 jar options but about 30 scent options in stock at one time. And, if a customer requests a specific scent, I do my best to find it and offer it.
When it came time to actually sell the candles and manage orders, I knew that I needed a POS system and inventory management platform. I had shopped from Etsy previously and had heard enough about it that I figured it was probably the best place for me to start. I set up a Seller profile, took some amateur product photos, and listed all of my candles for sale. I created an Instagram account and Facebook page, told friends and family members to follow the pages, and announced the launch date: November 1st. I had just a few weeks to buy boxes and packaging materials, add all of the details to the Etsy listings, and pour candles in anticipation of Launch Day.
Launch Day was such a success! I went Live on Instagram at 9am and the orders just started rolling in! Given that the business was brand new AND peak season for candles, I was swamped with orders. I was packing a dozen or so candles every day- it was wonderful! I carried on with the holiday season and was absolutely exhausted come NYE rolling into 2021. Fortunately, orders slowed down a bit and I was able to spend time curating Spring and Summer scents, and launch a new scent line to align with the brand- Cowboy candles, which are a bit more masculine and outback than the other candles. The business continued steadily through 2021 and 2022, testing new scents and jars, and pouring candles along the way.
In Fall 0f 2022 I was invited to a craft fair to sell my candles. I hadn’t attended one before but I thought it would be a great way to meet new folks, allow customers to smell the candles in-person, and just promote my business in town. The craft fair went amazing and I found so many new customers from that one day. Since that first one, I’ve been invited to dozens of craft fairs and even had a feature on the front of our local newspaper! Craft fairs can be absolutely exhausting, but they’re as equally rewarding and one of my favorite parts of owning the business.
Wrapping up 2022, I’ve been looking into what the next year may hold. I’m planning to launch some fun, unique candles and continue experimenting with different themes and styles. I’m also looking at moving my website from Etsy to my own site that I can have more creativity and flexibility with. I plan to change my packaging to be as sustainable as possible, and am looking into starting a buy-back program so we can reuse candle jars.
It’s wild to think that it’s been just over 2 years and I’ve accomplished so much. I can’t wait to see what future years hold!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Lindsey Tenhunfeld and I am the owner of Country Candles Co. I hand-pour 100% soy wax candles that are phthalate-free and non-toxic. I’ve perfected a ratio of candle ingredients that allow the scent to fill your space without being overpowering. And, as all candles are non-toxic, they are much safer to burn in your space. In addition to candles, I also offer wax melts, which use the same ingredients as my candles.
I offer some specialty candles but most are in glass jars without dye. They are simple, minimalist, and appealing. Since I pour all of the candles in small batches and there are no additives to most of the candles, I can offer competitive pricing, allowing me to stand out from most other candle manufacturers.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Leave the home. Sounds silly, I know. But get outside, attend Farmers Markets, craft fairs, hand out business cards… Whatever it takes to get your name out there. There is so much that can be accomplished from online marketing but at the end of the day, your community is also there to support you. Some of my best customers are those who I struck up a conversation with at a craft fair and that connection led me to further connections. Get outside of your comfort zone and you’ll gain a community you never thought possible.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
My business started as a hobby. People don’t get paid to do their hobby, right? Well, that’s where I was wrong. Once you have a. business, you need to be paid for your time. When I set up my pricing structure, I only accounted for my supplies and added a very small markup. I don’t think I even made a profit when I took into account office, shipping, and other expenses. But, the price of my candles was always very attractive to my folks. I now know that the price was a “great deal” but people really loved everything else about my candles. I now include my own labor cost and price my candles appropriately so that they’re still competitive but it’s more than just a “hobby”.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CountryCandlesCoShop
- Instagram: @countrycandlesco