How to Start a Candle Making Business

Candlemakers are artisans who pay critical attention to the sensory aesthetics of their product line and pragmatic business people adept at enticing buyers through smart marketing strategies.

You may also be interested in additional low cost business ideas.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

Tailor Brands ($0 + State Fees)

Start a candle making business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Candle Making Business
  2. Form your Candle Making Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Candle Making Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Candle Making Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Candle Making Business
  7. Get Candle Making Business Insurance
  8. Define your Candle Making Business Brand
  9. Create your Candle Making Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your candle making business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Candle Making Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a candle making business?

Depending on local zoning laws, you will probably be able to start your business at home, using your own kitchen heat source and utensils. A starters’ kit of products can be purchased online at many sites including Candle Science and CandleChem. Your candle ingredients shouldn’t cost more than a couple hundred dollars to start. This includes:

  • Paraffin, gel, soy, beeswax or other wax
  • Wicks
  • Jars, tins or other containers (but keep in mind that you won’t need containers if you’re solely marketing pillar candles)
  • Essential oils for fragrance
  • Coloring agents
  • Packaging supplies
  • Shipping costs of raw products in and finished products out

Other start-up costs will include web development, which can cost zero to a couple hundred dollars, depending on your skills in the area, and at least a reasonably good camera. If you plan to exhibit your products at various shows and festivals, a booth can cost $100 a day and you’ll have gasoline and related travel costs.

You should also first talk with an insurance agent. Since there’s some potential for fire accidents, it’s important that you make sure your operation is insured for fire and also that you have a fire extinguisher on your premises. You should also have an initial discussion with a lawyers to see what your local requirements are for licenses or permits.

What are the ongoing expenses for a candle making business?

The business revolves mostly around the various forms of wax, your containers and color and fragrance additives. Once you’ve started small and proven your business model will work, you can buy these products at lower per-unit costs in bulk. For instance, wax can be found for as little as a dollar a pound when bought in 25-lb quantities. Wicks can be bought by the 100-ft. spool. Containers, including glass jars, mason jars and tins, can also be found in bulk quantities.

Who is the target market?

Your end customer is anyone who wants candles. Some individuals have pragmatic needs—such as for illumination in the event of power blackout—while others are looking for more of a sensory experience. Other great customers include churches that use candles for decoration of prayer offerings or retailers who want to add a dramatic effect to their showrooms.

You might also appeal to resellers who can buy your merchandise in bulk. These will include store owners in your local area or beyond. You might meet such customers at arts and crafts trade shows.

If you like meeting your customers face to face in a venue where they can fully experience the aesthetics of your products, consider renting booths in arts and crafts shows, flea markets, festivals and fairs, and related environments. Entrepreneur Magazine has an informative article about selling at arts and crafts shows.

How does a candle making business make money?

Candlemaking businesses sell to candles either directly to consumers, or indirectly through resellers, such as boutiques, gift shops and other arts and crafts retail venues. Candlemaking is a very general field, so create differentiation through the kinds of candles you sell (pillar, floating, votive, tea, etc.), or through the quality of your offering. Experiment with scents, colors and molds to create something with a unique appeal and worthy of premium pricing.

Furthermore, constantly be on the lookout for raw material suppliers at the lowest possible cost for maximum profit margins on your sales. Also consider associated products or types of candles to expand your target audience.

How much can you charge customers?

Your products might sell for as little as a few dollars apiece or as much as $20 or more. Your pricing will depend on the quality and breadth of your product line, your audience, marketing strategy and competition. If your strategy is to be the lowest seller, make sure you’re getting your raw materials at very competitive prices and that you know exactly what your competitors are charging at all times. You’ll probably want to buy wax, wicks, coloring agents, scents and other materials in bulk, to take advantage of maximum per-unit savings.

If your goal is to sell a more premium product line, price is of less concern as long as your products stand out aesthetically. You’ll also want to consider deep discounts on pricing if you find a retail reseller who can move a lot of your merchandise.

How much profit can a candle making business make?

Profit margins of 50 percent or higher are very possible. Cost of materials is not particularly high, but make sure you can fully invest the time required to make your business profitable.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Once you become adept at the basics of candle making, consider branching out in the types of products you offer. For instance, you can increase cost and profit potential by learning how to mold or carve candles to any shape. Or start marketing fancy oil lamps using liquid candles. Also look at such associated sensory products as scented soaps and incense. In some cases, you can learn how to make these additions to your growing product line, or find out where to buy them for resale.

If you have a studio with necessary space, consider offering candle making classes. In this endeavor, you might approach your local community center or community college to see if they’d be interested in adding your class to their curriculum.

And finally, is your business successful enough that you can think about franchising the model? Start by reading this informative article on steps to franchising a business.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your candle making business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your candle making business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

Ready to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Reality?

Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state business permits or licenses may be needed to go into business as an Ebay entrepreneur. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Candle Making Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Candle Making Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a candle making business

Your most important step is figuring out the audience you wish to attract. Is your typical customer a pragmatic shopper only into cost savings, or is she more interested in the sensory experience? If your customers are the former, be able to boast competitive pricing. If the latter, you should have a beautiful presentation of your product line and make sure your use of colors and fragrances are appealing.

Consider establishing a presence on such online marketplace platforms as eBay, Amazon and Etsy. You’ll find a lot of competition at these sites, so keep your prices as low as possible.

There are many additional arts and crafts sales platforms, though not as well known as Etsy (and therefore potentially less populated with competitors). These include ArtFire, Big Cartel and Craft Is Art, among many others. Here’s a list of 14 potential alternatives.

How to keep customers coming back

Your goal is not only to draw customers, but to make repeat customers of them. Since candles are disposable items that need to be replaced frequently, your existing customer relationships can be lucrative over time. So make sure you satisfy their needs, that they enjoy the quality of the products they get from you and that they know how to contact you when supplies run low.

That’s why it’s important that every order contains easy contact information, whether it’s your website, email address or phone number (or all three). You might include a business card or label with this information as part of the packaging. When meeting customers in person, such as during crafts shows or flea market encounters, make sure buyers and lookers alike get your business card. And try to get their names and permission to add them as subscribers to an email newsletter you send out perhaps before prime candle-buying times such as year-end holidays or Mother’s Day.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

The ideal candlemaker should love the craft of candle making and have skills involved with sales and marketing. Candlemakers can begin modestly—in the kitchen and storage space of your home or apartment, and with a limited budget and inventory. Since candles are often thought to be commodity products, you must constantly seek ways of branding your line to differentiate yourself from competitors. Showcase your product line attractively through excellent image photography, a strong online presence and savvy sales skills.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a candle making business?

Here are some of your key responsibilities as a candlemaker.

  • Ordering and storing the raw products you’ll need, including wax, wicks, containers, essential fragrance oils and colors
  • Constantly researching and reaching out to possible sales venues online and/or in the physical world
  • Creating and regularly updating your website and pages on the sites of arts and crafts dealers
  • Meeting or making contact with your customers, whether online or in personal encounters
  • Creating your candles and related products as needed
  • Photographing your product line to maximum advantage so that your merchandise looks appealing online
  • Promoting your business through Facebook, Instagram and other social media outlets

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful candle making business?

Most start this business as hobby candlemakers. You should love the aesthetics of making candles and related items and know how to brand your business. You should know the basics of ecommerce and how to establish an online presence. Display presentation skills are important both online (in the quality of your photos and your written product descriptions) and in physical displays if you sell from booths at shows.

Personal sales ability is critical if you plan to sell your product line in person, either to customers directly or to resellers. You must believe in your product and be able make others catch your enthusiasm.

What is the growth potential for a candle making business?

A typical full-time successful candlemaker might gross $25,000-$50,000 per year. However, you could exceed this amount by selling to a major reseller. Also, consider franchising your business once you’ve grown successful enough that others might want to emulate your business model.

Not sure if a candle making business is right for you? Try our free Business Idea Generator and find your perfect idea.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

How and when to build a team

Candlemaking is a business that can easily be undertaken alone. But perhaps your goal is to get so popular that you require help with crafting, selling and/or shipping your products. Start with bringing on friends or family members as needed, such as to meet seasonal surges in sales. Don’t bring on permanent full-time help until you’ve seen enough sales cycles to know that you’re likely to have business throughout the year to comfortably meet payroll. Also, check with your accountant to learn all the hidden costs associated with employees.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading