Emma’s Story – Starting and Growing a Candle Making Business After Redundancy
Meet Emma, the founder of an artisan candle making business which she started out of boredom during lockdown. Today marks the 12-month anniversary of Emma starting her business after she was made redundant from her role at a PR firm in London. Aged 27 and unemployed, like many young women, she felt despondent about her prospects of getting a job because of the panemic. This felt like a make-or-break moment, and Emma embraced the opportunity to turn her hobby into a business.
Working with early-stage businesses is one of my favourite things. In this instance, I was delighted that I was able to help Emma transform what had been an anxiety provoking situation into a positive outcome.
Running a business doesn’t come with a playbook. A business consultant/ coach can direct you away from making common mistakes before you get in too deep and save you a lot of time, not to mention money. Here I explain the common business challenges Emma faced and overcame. You can read the full case study on my portfolio.
The Common Business Challenges
Like so many founders I have the pleasure of working with, Emma’s biggest business challenges were actually very common ones. She struggled with:
Writing a clear and cohesive business plan which grabbed the attention of potential funders.
Finding her market before her seed money ran out.
Managing the exponential growth which she experienced.
The Solution
Working through the step-by-step business building process that I teach, Emma wrote her business plan, defined her brand strategy and prepared her marketing plan. With the important thinking done, Emma was able to focus on manufacturing her candles and ramping up production as the sales started to come in.
The Benefits
By being strategic and intentional from the outset, Emma was able to find her market quickly and cost-effectively and stop being a startup. The benefits were obvious.
Her marketing strategies were successful from the outset.
She was able to lean into Christmas and Valentine gifting and exceed her sales forecast.
She has been able to pay herself a liveable income.
She has outgrown the kitchen and is looking for a studio so she can take on staff to assist with the making of the candles and progress her business to the next level.
You Can Have These Results, Too
Have you been thinking about starting and building a business and doing your own thing? Now’s the time! Business consulting and coaching can help you grow faster, saving you time and money. If you’re ready to get the guidance you need to build your business, book a consultation call, and we can discuss how we can work together and bring your vision to life!
Related Post: How To Start A Candle Making Business In 2021, A Step-By-Step Guide