Not many people grasp what they want to do for the rest of their lives when they're seniors in high school, yet schools want us to decide right before graduation. Little did I know, but I knew full well what I wanted to do for the rest of my life without completely realizing it. I encourage you to sit back, relax, grab a nice cup of whatever, and enjoy the beginning of how I started Loni's Candles when I was just seventeen years old.

For Christmas, my junior year, my grandmother gifted me a beginner's candle-making set and extra wax and containers. I never thought much of it at that point because she didn't know what to get me for Christmas. It was no problem; it would just sit around for a few months. 

After those few months of it sitting around in my room, I got bored one day and decided to pull it out and make a candle. Now, my set had the double boiler method in the instructions. It works; it was just very time-consuming. I melted the wax, added the fragrance, and carefully poured it into the container. The process was not just about making a candle, but about creating an experience. I enjoyed the process. It was fun to smell the new scent come together and out like a candle. I burned it right away, as I was unaware that soy candles need two weeks to cure and not just when they become a solid candle. Still enjoyable.

I made up the rest of the kit and the extra wax, giving the other containers as gifts to family members and friends. I am unsure if they were just being nice or enjoying the candle, but it was enough to convince me that "hey, they like it; what if I made more for other people"? So, in late September 2020, I brainstormed the idea with my grandmother, who got me the kit, and we started to make a plan. 

Being that it was 2020, we did this all over Facetime when we figured out what jars we'd get, the wax supplier, coloring, and anything else we needed for me to get my business on the road. Everything at the time came off of Amazon since ordering wholesale didn't seem logical. My grandfather was also a great help in figuring out financials because, without him, I would've been losing so much money without even making a single cent for myself. Along with the physical production, something must be personalized about showing that this is who we are. So, I used Canva to create the business logo and went with Wix to make my website. All the final pieces were coming together, but it wasn't without its challenges. We faced issues with product quality, shipping delays, and financial constraints. However, we persevered and overcame these obstacles, which only made our success sweeter.

When coming up with the name, it was probably the first thing that came to my mind: "Loni's Candles." Think about it: How many people do you personally know who have the name Loni? However, when I was in 3rd grade or so, I started a business called "Kiss Co. " I realized I should've kept that now, as I've grown past making candles, but it's okay. The name stays. 

Come October 12th, 2020, Loni's Candles is made official and ready to get the show on the road. It started with just 12oz, 7oz, 4oz, and 2oz. We've expanded in both products, shipping destinations, and team members! We ship to 12 different countries now, including Canada and the United Kingdom. Our team has grown, and Lyn has been my proud supporter and best friend since the beginning. With all of her help at vendor shows and helping with marketing, I invited her to come and officially join the team earlier this year! This journey has not only been about building a business but also about personal growth. I've learned valuable lessons in leadership, teamwork, and resilience that have shaped me into a better person.

As we reach 100 orders, words cannot describe how much joy and thrill the love and support of everyone have brought the two of us. It's incredible, and we can't wait to see where this will take us!