Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Swati Sawant, Owner of 5-Star Candle Company, Inc., located in Calgary, AB, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is natural, handmade soy wax products like candles and tart/melts. All products are hand-poured, and all ingredients come from within Canada. I serve only Canada at this time. For further details, please visit my website.
Tell us about yourself
My husband and I love candles, but we have difficulty finding a particular/specific fragrance at a reasonable price. In this economy where inflation keeps rising, we realize that everyone will want to have good quality candle products that are reasonably priced.
I have the necessary knowledge of candle making. Thus, I started thinking that I could have my own candle products. We offer quality custom candle products at a reasonable price. In this way, everyone can enjoy the candles all year round.
Motivation - I have a passion for candle making, and I feel motivated when customers like my newly invented customized products, which are unique. I want to introduce a variety of fragrances as Canada is a multicultural country. I want my customers to try our customized scents and feel relaxed, energized, and refreshed.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We are a new business, so we need more time to gauge any accomplishments. However, we are contributing a portion of our sales to the multiple non-profit organizations that support our communities. We thank everyone for supporting the good cause and always want to keep that going as our community support initiative. For further details, please visit my website.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Good question. It sounds great to know that you are the boss, but with it comes many responsibilities. It is not a day job anymore. As much as it is about investing money into your business, it is equally about investing sufficient time in various business tasks. So for me, time management is critical, and a tough ask since I manage the business around my family.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
You can do many things to develop your customer base, such as competitive pricing, unique products, offering time-to-time promotions, email marketing, and social presence through Facebook, Twitter, etc. I focused on the following vital aspects before and after launching my business.
I planned a few months before the launch about whether to operate digitally or have a physical location. I knew the choice would have a significant impact on the initial investment. I have decided to go digitally since it gave me time to grow without the burden of too much money getting tied up upfront. It also allowed me to invest that capital in marketing and pop-up events to spread the word.
Second, in this digital world, all businesses should have their website and social presence, as it will play a vital role in growing your business. But one more thing which will help your business is to have your blog posts on your website or through other online mediums. It keeps customers up to date about new products and promotions and upcoming vendor events where customers can come and meet you in person. Regarding vendor events, we not only got inquiries for custom orders, but people visited our booth and provided feedback about which fragrance they like to see on our online selling platform.
Lastly, but importantly, be patient. Things don’t happen overnight. Once you have launched your business, celebrate your achievement and be proud of it. Always remember, never compromise on the quality of your product. Customers today are well-informed and very knowledgeable. They are always trying a variety of similar products. They are comparing not only price-wise, but they are equally concerned about the quality. So if you can offer a quality product at a reasonable price, you will have a higher chance of customer retention.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.fivestarcandles.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/5StarCandleCo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/5_starCC
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.
