How We Built A Sustainable Luxury Candle Product Line That Generates $8K/Month
Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
Hey there! I'm Eva Maganja, and I started a:musé candle I started this company alongside my partner, Urban Bradesko.
As co-founders and a two-person team, my partner Urban Bradesko and I are proud to have bootstrapped this company from the ground up. From designing our website and creating content to testing our products and sourcing materials, we've been involved in every step of the process.
At a:musé Candles, we only use the highest quality beeswax and soy wax, both sourced locally in Slovenia. By buying beeswax directly from local beekeepers, we can support their craft and provide our customers with sustainable and eco-friendly products.
In addition, we are proud to say that for every candle we sell, we plant one tree, and our scents are among the highest-grade candle scents available on the market. We believe that by combining our love for aesthetics and sustainability, we can create a positive impact on the world.
We knew from the beginning that we didn't want to create just another candle company. We wanted to offer something truly special and unique, something that combined our passion for art with our love of candles. And so, a:musé was born.
It wasn't easy, but we poured our hearts and souls into this venture, and the result is a line of sustainable luxury candles that we are truly proud of.
We believe that every candle we create is a work of art, and we approach each one with that same level of care and attention to detail. From the packaging to the scent, everything is carefully crafted to provide our customers with an immersive, multi-sensory experience that transports them to another world.
At a:musé, we are committed to sustainability and transparency, which is why we only use natural, eco-friendly materials in our products. We want our customers to feel good about the candles they are burning in their homes, and to know that they are making a positive impact on the environment.
We may be a small two-man band, but we believe that our passion, creativity, and commitment to excellence set us apart in the crowded world of candle-making. We are excited to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible with candles and to share our vision of sustainable luxury with the world.
Currently, we're focusing on candles, and we have 6 premium scents to choose from, as well as an unscented option that's perfect for people who don't want their candles to have a fragrance.
We're excited to say that we're currently making $8,000 per month!
What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
My backstory is that I've always had a love for design. From a young age, I was drawn to creating art and making things with my hands. In high school, I studied design and went on to work as a 2D and 3D artist in the video games industry.
As someone who loves fragrance, I would always burn candles in my home. However, one day I had a terrible coughing fit while burning a well-known high-quality candle brand. It turned out that the culprit was paraffin wax, which is a non-renewable resource made from petroleum. Unfortunately, 90% of candles on the market use paraffin wax because it's the cheapest option, even though it releases toxic chemicals into the air when burned.
I knew there had to be a better option out there, and that's when I discovered beeswax. Beeswax is not only natural, but also non-toxic, sustainable, and non-allergenic. Plus, it even emits negative ions when burned, which can purify the air.
But when I searched for aesthetic beeswax candles, I was disappointed to find that there weren't many options available. As a child, my family would always have beeswax candles around the house and I remember loving the amazing smell they had. That's when I got the idea to start my own candle company using beeswax and making them as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
The process of sourcing beeswax was not as difficult as I thought it would be. Living in Slovenia, I discovered that there were many local beekeepers who had a surplus of beeswax and didn't know what to do with it. By teaming up with these beekeepers, I was able to source my beeswax locally and ensure that the bees themselves were well taken care of.
Of course, I understand that some people may have concerns about harvesting beeswax and whether it's harmful to the bees. But I want to assure everyone that this is a natural process that beekeepers do to keep their beehives healthy. Beeswax is produced by the bees as part of their honey-making process, and beekeepers simply collect the excess wax from the honeycombs. This process doesn't harm the bees at all, and it actually helps keep the hive clean and healthy.
Take us through the process of building the first version of your product.
Sure thing! Well, I and my partner are both pretty technical, so we decided to team up with Gašper Premože to help us create the design of the vessel for our candles. He came up with an amazing design and models, which then Urban finlized in a 3D program.
Next, we bought a 3D printer and printed out a mock-up of the vessel. We spent around 900€ on a 3D printer. Urban imported a 3D model from the program into the 3D printing software.
However, the challenging part was ensuring that the printer could accurately produce the model. There were about 40 failed prints before we finally got it right! It was a bit of a learning curve, but we eventually managed to create some silicon molds based on the 3D-printed design.
When it came to choosing the right material for our product, ceramic was the clear winner. Its pure white color and beautiful texture made it the perfect fit for our vision. As for the wicks, we decided to go with wooden ones instead of traditional cotton wicks.
Failing fast allows you to quickly identify what's working and what's not so that you can make the necessary adjustments and course-correct.
Aside from being more natural, they also create a satisfying crackling sound when they're lit. We're really happy with how these choices came together to create a product that not only looks beautiful but also provides a unique sensory experience.
We created 10 prototypes, and the positive reactions from our friends and family confirmed that we were onto something special. Our next challenge was the packaging, and we knew we wanted something custom-made. However, finding a packaging company that would work with our low order quantity was tough. Despite searching throughout Europe and the US, most companies were not willing to work with us due to our small order quantity.
Even a company that claimed to be "startup-friendly" wanted us to order at least 200,000 pieces, which felt absurd. But one day, I found a packaging company in my hometown that was willing to help us out. It was such a relief to finally find a partner who understood our needs!
The more you're willing to test and break things, the faster you'll learn and the better your product will be in the end.
I designed the packaging I wanted with our budget in mind and made sure it was recyclable and sustainable. It was a great feeling to create a product that looked great and was eco-friendly.
Describe the process of launching the business.
Launching our business was a true adventure! My partner and I tackled all of the aspects of the business ourselves, with the exception of the vessel design, which we received some help with from a friend. As a startup, hiring a full team of people was just not feasible for us, so we had to think outside the box.
From product and wax testing to fragrance testing, website design and development, content creation, social media design, marketing, and even collaborations with influencers and brands, we handled it all.
As a designer myself, I tend to only buy products with good design. So I hav spent countless hours perfecting the branding and name for my fragrance line. I wanted to give it a high fashion feel, which is why we went with classic black and white colors. I wanted the name to be short, meaningful, and easy to remember. One day, the name "amuse" popped into my head. It has a gentle feeling and pristine pronunciation, and it fits perfectly with our brand.
It's a perfect fit because 'muse' means a person or force that inspires creative artists. We want our customers to feel that inspiration through the storytelling we convey with the fragrances in our candles.
For the website, I initially used EditorX (Wix), but I wasn't satisfied with the builder. So, I learned Webflow and immediately switched over. It was a game changer because Webflow gave me so much freedom in setting up my store the way I imagine it.
It was a demanding workload, but we were determined to rise to the challenge.
To be honest, a lot of people still can't believe that we did everything ourselves! But hey, when you're passionate about something, you just make it work. And seeing our business come to life was such a rewarding experience.
Packaging our first orders ourselves:
When we launched a:musé, we did it with limited resources and a tight budget. In fact, the only major investment we made was purchasing a 3D printer and resin material for creating our mock-ups. We relied solely on our savings to fund the business, but we were determined to make it work.
As a creative couple, we knew we wanted to offer more than just basic candles in generic glass jars. We aimed to create luxury, sustainable candles that provided an art-like experience for each customer.
Throughout the process of launching the business, we learned the importance of testing and failing fast. It's natural to make mistakes when you're trying to create something new and innovative. However, instead of becoming discouraged, we learned to embrace our failures and use them as opportunities for growth.
The more we failed, the more we learned about how to improve and perfect our product. We quickly realized that the key to success was to iterate quickly, test out new ideas, and not be afraid to try new things.
Looking back, we're incredibly proud of what we've accomplished with limited resources. It proves that with some creativity and hard work, you can turn your dreams into a reality.
If we could give any advice to those starting their own business, it would be this: don't be afraid to fail. Embrace your mistakes and use them to make your product better. The more you're willing to test and break things, the faster you'll learn and the better your product will be in the end.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
We initially gained customers through word of mouth, but our social media presence quickly helped expand our reach. With Urban's photography and cinematography expertise, we did a photoshoot in Santorini, Greece for our Fig Garden & Riviera candle scent. Fig Garden was inspired by the beautiful fig trees we encountered during our travels.
Despite no assistants, we were able to capture stunning photos and videos in just one hour, thanks to Urban's skills and my makeup and wardrobe expertise. This content, with its high-fashion aesthetic, was a major factor in attracting our first customers.
Fig Garden - Scent promo campagin. Becouse we are known for doing everythign ourselfs - I had to be a model as well.
Photoshoot on our rooftop in Santorini - Content for our scent Riviera:
Right now, we're primarily reaching out to online stores for retail and partnering with influencers and big brands. We've had some really exciting collaborations so far - one of our biggest successes was a collaboration with Philips. Philips was releasing a new line of eco-sustainable products and they were searching for a local small business that shared their commitment to sustainability. My friend introduced them to our company, and they were thoroughly impressed by our work and mission. Our candles were included in part of their influencer campaign for their new sustainable electric toothbrush, and it was a huge hit!
We're also partnering up with the University of Ljubljana here in Slovenia. The students are going to help us redesign our packaging, and the finished product will be displayed in the capital city hall. We're really excited about this partnership, and we cannot wait to see all the designs that students will come up with.
One thing that's been really interesting for us is that currently we aren't spent any money on advertising so far. Instead, we've relied mostly on word of mouth to promote our business. And honestly, it's been working really well for us!
We've found that when people try our candles, they just can't get enough. They love the natural, non-toxic ingredients, and the beautiful aesthetic of the vessels. And once they've tried them, they're eager to share their experience with their friends and family.
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
Right now, we're primarily selling our candles through our online store, but we're always on the lookout for new opportunities to reach even more customers. We're really excited to announce that we're in the process of finalizing deals with a few European online retailers to offer our candles in their stores.
We're also currently exploring some fun collaborations with other companies. We believe that working with others is a great way to bring fresh ideas and perspectives to our brand, and we're always open to new partnerships. We're looking forward to sharing these projects with our customers and seeing the positive impact they can have.
Looking towards the future, we have big plans to expand our product line beyond candles. We want to create a complete sensory experience for our customers, and we believe that body care and perfumes are natural extensions of that vision. We're excited to continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible with sustainable luxury products, and we can't wait to see what the future holds.
As we continue to grow, we're always looking for new ways to bring our brand to more people around the world. We're currently exploring opportunities to open physical stores in both the USA and Asia, and we're excited about the potential of these new ventures.
For me personally, one of the most exciting aspects of opening physical stores is the opportunity to create a truly immersive and artistic experience for our customers. We want our stores to feel like works of art themselves, with stunning displays and unique features that will give visitors an aromatherapy experience combined with art.
In addition to expanding our physical presence, we're also eager to collaborate with other creative minds in the industry. We believe that working with artists, architects, and brands can help us bring even more innovation and inspiration to our customers, and we're always on the lookout for exciting new partnerships.
Overall, we're thrilled about the future of a:musé, and we can't wait to see where this journey takes us. We're committed to staying true to our values of sustainability, luxury, and artistry, and we're excited to share our passion with more and more people around the world.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
Learning and failing fast is one of the most valuable lessons I've learned in my career. When you're willing to take risks and try new things, you're inevitably going to make mistakes along the way. But instead of shying away from failure, I've found that embracing it can be a powerful tool for growth and development.
Failing fast allows you to quickly identify what's working and what's not so that you can make the necessary adjustments and course-correct. It's not always easy to accept failure, but I believe that it's a necessary part of the creative process. Without failure, we would never be able to push the boundaries and create truly innovative products.
Of course, it's not enough to simply fail. You also need to be willing to learn from your mistakes. This means being open to feedback, taking the time to reflect on what went wrong, and making changes to your approach as needed. When you're able to do this, you can turn setbacks into opportunities for growth and improvement, and ultimately achieve even greater success in your endeavors.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
In terms of the tools and resources we're using to run our business, we're pretty streamlined. We use Webflow for our website, which has been a really user-friendly and effective platform for us.
For our fulfillment center, we're working with a local company here in Slovenia. It's been great to have a partner that we can trust to handle our orders and make sure everything goes smoothly.
Other than that, we're keeping things pretty simple.
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
There's a lot of amazing material out there that inspires me and helps me grow both personally and professionally. One person who has been particularly influential in my journey is my partner, Urban Bradesko. He's absolutely obsessed with knowledge and is always sharing valuable links, books, and resources with me.
But if I had to pick just one book that really ignited my entrepreneurial spark, it would have to be "12 Months to $1 Million: How to Pick a Winning Product, Build a Real Business, and Become a Seven-Figure Entrepreneur." This book is a game-changer for anyone who's looking to start their own business or take their existing business to the next level.
What I love about this book is that it's incredibly practical and actionable. It breaks down the process of building a successful business into manageable steps and provides tons of real-world examples and case studies to help illustrate key concepts. It's the kind of book that you can read and then immediately start applying what you've learned to your own business.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
If I had to give one piece of advice to someone starting out in business, it would be to find something that you truly love and are passionate about. Something that you can obsess over, day in and day out. When you have that kind of passion, it will drive you to do your best work and keep going, even when things get tough.
Once you've found your passion, make a plan for how you want to turn it into a product or service. This could be anything from starting your own business to developing a new product within an existing company. Whatever the case may be, don't be afraid to take risks and try new things. You will fail along the way, but that's all part of learning and growing.
In fact, failure is a natural part of the journey. Embrace it, learn from it, and keep moving forward. With each setback, you'll gain new insights and perspectives that can help you make better decisions in the future. And remember, it's important to never give up. Keep pushing yourself to go further, try harder, and achieve your goals.
At the end of the day, success in business is all about finding your passion, making a plan, and staying committed to your goals. It's not always easy, but it's a journey that can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling.
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
At a:musé, we're always on the lookout for talented and passionate individuals to join our team. We believe that having the best and brightest people on board is key to our success, and we're committed to providing an environment where everyone can thrive.
Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out in your career, if you're someone who's looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity, we want to hear from you! We're interested in learning about your story, skills, and experience.
If you think you have what it takes to be part of our team, then we encourage you to drop us a line. Just shoot us an email, and we'll be sure to get back to you as soon as possible.
Where can we go to learn more?
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
