Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in candle-making but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kiyana Clark, Founder of Candid Candle Co., located in Bethlehem, PA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I created my candle business during a time of self-discovery. I was looking for my voice, my self-esteem, the love for self; I was looking for peace. I was essentially looking for me. I was searching for a greater purpose after coming out of an unhealthy relationship that I had lost myself in. I had realized that candles provided me with that safe space to explore my thoughts and emotions, and in doing so, I realized that I didn't know how to love myself. So, I eventually started to learn how to love myself, starting with the physical aspect because it was the easiest through working out, practicing my make-up, doing my hair more, etc., but I noticed that when it came to taking care of my skin, I hated it lol. It was such a chore to put on lotion or moisturize. That's where candles came in.

I love candles, and I thought, what if I could make a candle that was also a body oil, I wasn't even sure if that existed, and I didn't care. So, I messed around with some recipes and created Candid Candle Co., A luxury candle line that was made for the skin. Using my candles has literally put the fun back into loving on myself physically. From there, I got into actual natural skin care products such as my body cream and moisturizing body bar, which is body butter on the go.

My products are for any woman who has lost touch with what it means to love herself. It's for any woman that is tired of putting on a facade for the world and just wants to be herself completely in all her flaws and glory. My products are for the healing journey. I want my products to be a reminder to women that it's ok to be vulnerable, it's ok to feel, to connect, to lean into those hard moments, awkward moments, and uncomfortable moments. It's ok and necessary to be candid about who you are and what you're going through because, at the end of the day, it all creates this beautiful masterpiece that is you. It's ok to be Candid.

Tell us about yourself

What motivates me is my why. My why is being able to one day guide all the young women that are coming up behind me through their journey into womanhood the way I wish I had someone to guide me. It's hard being a woman, and it gets confusing. For me, I had my son at 20, and I was in a serious relationship and 2 hours away from home in an unfamiliar small town and in college for my bachelor's degree. So, here I was, trying to be a mother, a student, playing wife, trying to figure out how to be a woman in an environment that said I wasn't woman enough. My son's dad wasn't faithful, so I believed it, and at that age, you have social media telling you what it is to be a woman, how to feel, how to look, how to think, how to act, and often times it all goes against who you really are, and it's so easy to lose sight of that. I want to build a brand that can build out resources for young women who are just trying to find their way, women who have gone through trauma and have no idea where to begin to uncover the mess that is their past. That is my why, and that's what keeps me motivated. I won't lie and say I'm motivated every day because, candidly speaking, I'm not. I believe it's unrealistic to think you'll be motivated every day, but I hold on to my why, and that is what gets me through when motivation has left.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

So far, my biggest accomplishment was getting into my first brick and motor during my first year of business. I was elated, especially because it was a spa called There She Glows in Harrisburg, PA. It's aligned with my company's mission.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Staying consistent. I feel like that is a hurdle every business owner has to face, staying consistent. Especially now with social media, we are always getting pumped with messages like "you have to post 3-5x a day every day". That gets hard. It gets hard to get in and develop products, test recipes, create content, and literally be every role for your business. So something is going to slip. I might get everything done, but I only posted once, or maybe I posted one time in 2 weeks. I had to learn to give myself grace...not excuses..but grace. I had to learn not to be afraid of small beginnings, including setting smaller goals daily and weekly so I could first build consistency in being present.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Start small, and don't be afraid or feel stupid for starting small. Everything great started small.
  2. Give yourself grace, you've never done this before, and you will be a lifelong student no matter how long you've been in business. You will always learn something new so give yourself grace.
  3. If you consider yourself spiritual, make sure you have a strong prayer life and faith.
  4. One last tip: get comfortable with being uncomfortable and get comfortable with making mistakes, knowing that it is only making you an expert in your field.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://candidcandleco.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candidcandleco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candidcandle.co/

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.

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