Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in candle-making but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lyschel Bersch, owner of Candle Cocoon, LLC., located in Monona, WI, USA.

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

Our main business is our scents. They are all 2-4X more concentrated than anything else on the market! That saves money and provides a cleaner burning candle. The less you put into a candle, the less junk you get out of the candle, like soot. We are also the original phthalate-free scent company. We take great pride in having the healthiest scents possible. Our scents are not stock; you won't find them anywhere else. Our scents come from my imagination. Each scent takes between 6 months - 4 years to have initially developed to our satisfaction. Each scent is fully tested to ensure that it will give the best possible scent throw in every type of wax.

We also carry a full line of candle making, soap making, and bath and body supplies. Each item is painstakingly sourced to make sure that it is without animal testing, sustainably sourced, and of superior quality. We have even developed our own dye line called Flutter Dyes, in which a portion of our profits is donated to support endangered butterfly habitats. And what is good for the butterflies is good for everyone.

In addition to protecting the Karner Blue butterfly, we also take environmental concerns very, very seriously. Reduce, reuse, and recycle are not just buzz words to us! We reuse tons of plastic, packing peanuts and cardboard boxes that would have gone to the landfill. Our tape isn't even plastic! It is rubber and cellophane, so it is 100% compostable. We use plastic as a last resort. And when we do, it is #2, which is the most easily recycled.

Tell us about yourself

Years ago, my intention was to become an environmental lawyer. I felt that having scientific and environmental understandings would greatly help me to actually know what the heck was going on in cases that I was assigned. So I loaded my courses with chemistry and other natural science courses. I graduated with a BS in Botany, Zoology, and Biological Aspects of Conservation. I would have gotten a chemistry minor had I stayed in Milwaukee, WI, but I transferred to Madison to pick up my Botany degree. Along the way, I lost my grandmother, who I adored. I had a bit of a crisis and decided that I didn't want to sit with my nose in a law book for the rest of my life. I didn't want to miss out on life! I still feel that I can help effect change in other ways, mainly by running my company as cleanly as I can and giving back to those around me.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Helping other small businesses thrive. Before children, I was able to spend hours and hours helping candlemakers get their businesses going. I did this in two ways. One, I provide the best, fully tested products. So it helps to jump-start their own testing. Two, I was able to listen to issues and give feedback on how to save money/save time/view things differently, etc. Now that I have the kids, I am not able to spend nearly as much time, but I do help where I can. And I do still provide the absolute best fragrance oils!

I love getting to know my customer. I love that I am a part of their life story. Because of our company, parents can put food on the table, walls can be built after fires (for electric candles), dance lessons can be paid for, and pride can be earned from doing a job well!

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

Just getting to this point. I come from a very dysfunctional environment. You rarely see people from poverty succeed. The deck is truly stacked against you. You go to the bank with nothing but a dream and a strong will to succeed. Unfortunately, that doesn't get you far. I am lucky that I am simply tenacious and don't know how to fail. I keep looking for ways around roadblocks, and I keep going.

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

  1. Research and test - DON'T try to be everything to everyone. Know your product and sell what you have.
  2. Get a coach.
  3. Make sure you are paying yourself. People in this business are often done after two years even when they do everything well because they don't think their time is worth anything. Or they don't really know the cost of their products. They burn out. It doesn't matter the size of your business, but you need to treat your business like a business!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I would say start small and get a good solid base of knowledge and products. I know the temptation is to start selling immediately to make money back, but that is foolhardy. If you sell a bad product, you end up losing future customers. Remember that a dissatisfied customer will tell ten people. Maybe even 100, but a happy customer may only tell one other person. Don't hobble your future!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://candlecocoon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candlecocoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candle_cocoon/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/candlecocoon

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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