We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shannon Fitzgerald. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shannon below.
Shannon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. 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
Well, I started making candles as a hobby in 2012 because I love aromatherapy but was having a hard time finding clean candles. I had no intention of taking it further than a creative outlet that helped me cope with the stressors of life. But as the years passed and I improved my skills more and more, I began to let myself daydream that I could perhaps start a business after retiring from teaching. It was a fun daydream and a safe one because retirement was still over a decade away. Then came the spring of 2018 when my whole world was tipped upside down. My husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. That’s a whole other story ending with his death in 2020 and my near nervous breakdown. I could write a book about what an amazing man he was and how fearless he was in the face of death while chasing his own dreams until the very end. It would be a great book, of that I’m sure. But the lesson would be simple – don’t wait to go after what you love, you may not have the time you think you have. So even though it took me about two years after his death for that to click, once it did there was no turning back. So in September of 2022, nearly four years to the day of Jason’s passing, I started Asha Candle Co.
Once I made the decision to go for it I was terrified and certain I was way out of my depth. I knew absolutely nothing about sales, marketing, social media, shipping, payment, legalities, etc. Worse yet, I had no one to ask since I was the first person in my family to venture out like this. So I just researched every topic I could think of and slowly began to learn. I couldn’t look at the big picture because it felt way too overwhelming. Instead, I just started with the most important items like obtaining a sales tax license and how to start an Etsy. I reached out to the Michigan Small Business Administration and learned they have lots of free resources for small business owners. I took webinars, watched endless YouTube videos, and got out into the community to meet people. It was daunting and a true exercise in vulnerability but it worked. I started my business!
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?
Asha Candle Co. offers premium soy candles at an affordable price. Each candle is hand-poured using clean ingredients and sustainable practices. They are made with 100% soy wax, IFRA certified fragrance oils free of phthalates, pure cotton wicks, and no additives or dyes. The candle jars and tins are recyclable and recyclable/compostable packaging is used whenever possible. My goal is to provide customers with a premium aromatherapy experience enhanced by the ethical practices behind the product. This has not always been easy and is certainly not the most cost effective way to go, but it’s important I stay in alignment with my values. I’m proud that I won’t compromise on that.
I often get asked about the name Asha. My niece nicknamed me Asha when she was a baby. I’ve been Asha to her and her sister for 17 years, so I chose to name my business Asha Candle Co. in honor of the love and connection I share with them. Love and connection are two core principles of my brand, hence the heart logo. Smell is directly connected to memory so my intention for each candle is to create an inviting ambiance that brings people together to create new memories. Or to awaken meaningful memories from the past such as my Cedar Closet scent which is based on my childhood home. It immediately transports me back in time. Or to provide the peace and tranquility needed to go within and reconnect. I use Morning Meditation when I journal and it’s made my practice that much more special. So I guess I really want Asha Candles to become a part of people’s experiences. After all, that’s all that really matters in life.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
For me the most effective growth strategy so far has been word of mouth. I’ve purchased ads on Etsy and done some giveaways on social media but those haven’t yielded much for me. But the referrals I’ve gotten from happy customers have been huge. Often people will buy a candle as a gift which then introduces a new person to my brand, and it kind of grows organically from there. I don’t think there is a workaround or quick fix when it comes to growth, at least not in my experience. So I’m just focused on building my brand one candle at a time.
How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.
I began my business on Etsy and while the fees are extraordinarily high, the exposure is great. I am in a saturated market since soy candles aren’t exactly unique, so there is a lot of competition for me on Etsy. However, I would have had a hard time reaching customers from all across the US without a nationwide platform. After a year I created my own website using Squarespace. I spent a lot of time choosing that platform and don’t regret it one bit. I have no coding experience and they make it super easy to design a unique, beautiful website. The next thing to master is SEO which has been a learning curve for me but is an important piece of the puzzle. But luckily I’m a teacher so I enjoy learning!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ashacandleco.com
- Instagram: @ashacandleco
- Facebook: @ashacandleco
