#055. Your maker business can be creative and still run on clean numbers. We walk you through Makers Manager, the inventory and costing software we co-founded, and show how it’s designed to replace the messy stack of spreadsheets, notes, and half-finished systems that creep into candle businesses and other handmade brands over time.

We start with the dashboard view that tells you what matters right now: inventory value, profit, open orders, and alerts for low material stock versus low product stock. Then we get practical about pricing. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re actually making money after wax, fragrance, labels, vessels, and overhead, you’ll hear how a target profit multiplier or margin setting can drive a consistent pricing calculator and even support wholesale pricing without doing the same math over and over.

From there, we tour the day-to-day workflow: suppliers and saved notes like discount codes, supply orders you can enter manually or speed up by importing a receipt, and detailed material records so you stop searching supplier websites for specs. We also cover product templates, production runs for batching, and Maker Labs for candle testing, pour journals, and research and development costs that can roll straight into a finished product. If you sell in person, you’ll love the markets calendar and performance tracking, plus flexible sales tracking that can include Shopify imports. We wrap with the financial reporting makers need for bookkeeping and taxes, including key inventory numbers that support Schedule C preparation.

If you’re ready for clearer pricing, smarter inventory management, and a calmer production plan, listen now, subscribe for more maker systems, and share this with a friend who’s still running their business out of a spreadsheet. Leave a review and tell us which feature you want to try first.

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#054. Most candle businesses don’t struggle because the product is bad. They struggle because the systems behind the product are shaky. We’re answering listener-submitted questions that hit the real pressure points: candle safety testing, how to avoid costly mistakes, how to reduce cost per unit, how to stay consistent when you’re doing everything alone, and how to find wholesale accounts that actually respond.

We walk through our wick testing method step by step, including why we test three candles at a time, why every fragrance oil blend can change burn performance, and what “passing” really means when you’re trying to prevent overwicking and serious hazards. We also talk about documentation, four-hour burn increments, and how photos and notes help you make decisions you can repeat confidently across collections.

From there we get practical about candle business profitability. We break down landed cost, why shipping often hurts margins more than materials, and where you can trim packaging without hurting the customer experience. We share examples like swapping lids for dust covers, simplifying labels, and buying in bulk only after a product proves it can sell.

Finally, we share time blocking and a simple wholesale outreach workflow: build a list, personalize your hook, and write emails that focus on how the retailer makes money, not how much you love your candles. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a maker friend, and leave a review so we can keep putting out practical candle making and candle business content.

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#053 We lay out a practical selling roadmap for candle makers who feel confident making products but unsure how to find customers. We break 60+ sales ideas into 12 categories so we can choose the right channel for our time, margins, and goals.
• building online and direct sales through Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, Facebook and Instagram shops, and TikTok Shop
• positioning Etsy listings for gift buyers and using the Etsy Seller Handbook as a guide
• expanding through wholesale with line sheets, catalogs, and pricing that can sustain 50% of retail
• starting local with boutiques, gift shops, decor stores, florists, garden centers, and specialty grocery programs
• using Faire for exposure and letting big accounts find us
• growing revenue with private label for boutiques, bands, podcasters, realtors, breweries, distilleries, and wineries
• creating events and experiences through pop-ups, markets, pouring parties, and Airbnb Experiences
• landing corporate and B2B gifting orders for onboarding kits and client holiday boxes
• building recurring revenue via monthly or quarterly subscriptions and VIP memberships
• driving seasonal sales with gift guides, PR outreach, and Black Friday and Cyber Monday planning
• multiplying reach with collaborations, bundles, and limited edition artist partnerships
• using fundraising and cause campaigns to build community and volume
• selling custom and personalized candles for weddings, memorials, retirements, birthdays, and milestones
• pitching hospitality partners like boutique hotels, spas, salons, vacation rentals, and upscale restaurants
If you have other ways that you are selling your candles, I would love for you to drop those in the comments below. Also, if you find this episode helpful, I would love it if you would like and subscribe.

Grab the free 60+ Ways to Sell Candles Worksheet here: https://www.candlebusinesspro.com/60ways

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WHEN YOU'RE READY

📬 Free Candle Business Supply List

🚀 #1 Candle Making Course

🧪 Mastering Wholesale Course

🧞‍♂️ Join the Inner Circle!

***

CONNECT

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📹 Subscribe on YouTube

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SHOW LOVE

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