to the girl wanting to start a business...
To the girl dreaming about her business, to the girl with blisters on her hands from rolling up her sleeves and starting her business from the ground up, and to the girl that just made her first sale, this is for you.
Flashback to about 6 years ago when I started making candles in my Nashville kitchen after I lost my mom...
I was just experimenting and I knew I wanted to do something big, but I wasn't sure what it was. After my first few candles, I fell in love with the process and creating scents that take people back to places and memories they love. Did you know that scent is the first human sense to trigger a memory? That's why when we smell certain things, we get a deep sense of nostalgia that we feel in our bones.
As more and more orders came in, I was working day and night to make sure these orders were delivered perfect, running to the post office every day and boxing all orders from my kitchen.
Fast forward to a few years later, I had my own warehouse space to fill large wholesale orders and for people that just wanted to elevate their space. Eventually, I hired a few like-minded employees to come on a mission with me in efforts to make this world brighter, one candle at a time. As exciting as it was, letting go of the reigns was tough because seeing something you love grow so fast is terrifying but beyond exciting.
Fast forward to today. As I look at the under-construction retail space with "nellamoon" on the glass door. it doesn't feel real to be rooted this deep and connected to something I'm so passionate about.
From the outside, it looks like an overnight success. But when you're living it day and night... it looks like waking up at 4 A.M to fulfill orders, going to sleep way too late because you have candles to make while also somehow balancing a personal life. But, it's so worth it! This is a piece of my story that I hope inspires you to KEEP GOING! If I gave up when I didn't see a sale the first month I started, I wouldn't be where I am. It takes work, but it pays off.
To the girl wanting to start a business, do it.
xo,
Arielle