Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in candle-making but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Halina Tran, Founder of Hallie Candle Co., located in Mississauga, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Hallie Candle Co is a small business specializing in eco-luxury decorative candles. We are proud to be Canadian-owned. Our consumer goods are hand-crafted in small batches and are made with North American soy wax (which supports soy farmers), essential oils, paraben, and phthalate-free fragrance oils. Everything in a Hallie Candle Co candle makes it safe to be around pets and your loved ones and contains fewer toxins than your traditional paraffin candle. If you have a moment, Google what paraffin wax is made of.
Our customers range from all ages and genders! You'd be surprised to see who buys what. A lot of our customers also purchase our candles for gifting.
Tell us about yourself
I come from a Marketing and Business background. Having worked with three major brands (Lexus, Toyota, Canada's Wonderland) and others along the way, I have learned a lot of things that were applicable at the start of Hallie Candle Co!
One day I was just in my kitchen making candles for fun, and then the next thing I knew, my marketing light bulb went off. It started with a logo, then spiraled to packaging, and branding, built me a website, and here we are! What truly motivates the continued growth of Hallie Candle Co is the support and wonderful feedback our customers provide.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
In our first year alone, during the pandemic, our team was able to do wholesale orders with other small businesses and shops and attend numerous markets. Landing a spot at 6X8 Market in downtown Toronto really took off our business. The icing on the cake was securing a spot at Vaughan Mills in Vaughan and Yorkdale Shopping center in Toronto.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Probably wearing multiple hats and maintaining a work-life balance. I wake up in the morning, and suddenly I am the business's photographer, packer, production worker, sales director, marketing and web director, bookkeeper, and delivery driver. The list goes on and on. I still wouldn't trade it for anything!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Focus on you! It's so easy to compare your business to others and think that the grass is greener on the other side. Take a step back and celebrate your own accomplishments. You don't know the behind-the-scenes for other businesses you're comparing yours to.
- Enjoy the process, be grateful for all the opportunities that come your way, and show gratitude to those who helped you along the way. You never know who you're going to cross paths with.
- Work-life balance. If it's overwhelming, don't be afraid to take a step back and reevaluate. After all, if there is no you - there is no business.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://hallie-candle-co.square.site/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HallieCandleCo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hallie_candle_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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