Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in candle-making but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Toni Porter, Founder of Toni's Collection LLC., located in Detroit, MI, USA.

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

Toni's Collection specializes in luxury home fragrance products! Handcrafted, eco-friendly, and triple scented! Over 30 exclusive fragrance options to choose from at Toni's Collection! Our candles are made with our proprietary blend of soy wax. We carry 4oz fragrance mists that are perfect for use as a travel-size air freshener or fabric/linen mist! Our wax tarts are perfect if you prefer flameless products. Just break off a couple of cubes and put them in your warmer. And our oil extracts are perfect for diffusers & humidifiers.

Our customer is someone who loves fragrances and loves a comfortable home. Our customers love to enjoy aromas and love for their dwellings/offices to smell nice. Candles are 1 of the best gifts to give, no matter if you're attending a dinner party or for a holiday gift.

Tell us about yourself

I'm a mom and entrepreneur. I became an official business owner after being laid off from my job. I was also in college at the same time and in need of extra money. The economy wasn't the greatest, and lots of layoffs were occurring across MI. I've always burned candles to relax but was having difficulty finding a good brand that actually smelled good. My god mom started making them as a hobby, and I loved them. So, I started selling them at the local hospital that I worked for.

When I got laid off, I asked my godmother if she wanted to go into business together. I was pursuing a business management degree from Wayne State University at that time. However, she was also already an entrepreneur and wasn't ready to start another business on a full-time basis. So I asked her if she would teach me, and the rest has been history ever since. Toni's Collection started in 2012, but I officially had to take the leap of faith on my own in 2013 after being laid off.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest win was the purchase of my commercial building. The factors that contributed were my customers continuously buying my products. I also kept saving & reinvesting my money into my business to make it grow.

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

One of the biggest challenges I faced has just been having working capital or finding lenders. As an entrepreneur, funding is limited to small businesses. You have to seek nontraditional options or exhaust investing your own funds. As a smaller business, the price breaks aren't available unless you are buying in larger quantities wholesale, which is intimidating when you are first starting out if funding is limited. A huge challenge has also been marketing/advertising. You either need to have a nice budget or learn how to do it on your own. I always say that you can have a great product, but if no one knows about it, it won't sell.

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

  1. Researching your industry/profession/product is very important because you need to have extensive knowledge in your field. or be willing to learn.
  2. Staying persistent is essential because it requires hard work to achieve success through trial & error.
  3. Perseverance is also key to running and growing a business, despite the difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I pride myself on offering superior customer service and more eco-friendly products than my competitors. I also believe my customers to feel the love and sense of pride that is put into each product I make. I spend a lot of time researching my industry to ensure I am providing a great product as well as maintaining the industry standards.​ I go through various testing phases and create prototypes, to ensure all products are to industry standards.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.toniscollection.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TonisCollection
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toniscollection/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonisCollection
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-porter-a3695b56/

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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