How to Make Money Making Candles

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

"If I can do it, anyone can do it," Denny says, "and, for that matter, candles are certainly not the only craft with which you can make money. It just happened that way for me and I don't believe that the fact I make candles is as important as the fact that I found the right market and the right method of selling. If you're into another craft that you like better, great! I think you could go the same route I've gone, providing you can produce your item in sufficient quantities to make money.

"Of course, if you don't have a craft and you want a go at candles, this is a good time of the year to get started. Christmas is coming and it's a big candle season.

"There isn't much sense in me telling you how to make candles. All you need to start is a small basic stock of consumable supplies (wax, wicking, coloring, scents—which are very important—and the, additives that give a candle a better finish and increase its burning time) and nonconsumables (molds and a heating source). Any workable stove will furnish the heat and any old pots work well for melting wax. The choice is yours on molds and—oh, yes—pick up whichever hardback book on candlemaking you find easiest to comprehend.

"Personally, I get the most enjoyment from making creative candles but they take a lot of time and there isn't that big a market for them. If you need the bread, you'll find it's best to stock with decorative candles that you can rapidly duplicate in molds. You'll have to do some experimenting just as I did (and still do) to discover the best sellers for your area.

"At present I have sixteen regular colors and six or seven alternate colors that I offer during different seasons. I sifted through 35 to 40 color combinations (some of which looked more like diseases than candles) to find these 'best sellers'. Bright colors—especially bright reds and orange—seemed to move the fastest earlier this year and, judging from last winter, I expect browns and the darker colors to sell better and better as Christmas approaches.

"Watch clothing fads if you want to stay on top of most popular colors for candles. Candles that closely reflect the currently-in tints and shades for clothes always seem to sell best. If you happen to come up with a color you like but which doesn't move, save the candles and try them again later. They may prove to be your big sellers in another season. Keep on trying. Keep on experimenting. That's what works for me."

So there you have the secrets of Dennis Murphy's success . . . a success that can't be measured in dollars and cents alone. Asked why he doesn't expand, put on a crew of candlemakers and really blitz the market in a several state area, Denny says, "That may be the way to go for some people . . . but my priorities are a little different. I personally don't want to keep going higher and higher. If I can make a thousand candles a week by myself for five or six weeks running and then live off the profits for six months or so, I'm happy. The candles I make and sell give me everything I need. My customers are happy, my friends are happy and I'm happy. That's what counts."

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print