Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in candle-making but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Catherine O'Neil, Owner of The Fluffy Bison, LLC., located in Orlando, FL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is sculptural beeswax candles. I hand-pour and demold each sculptural candle with care. My cutest customers are the children who come to the table and ask questions about the candle-making process and talk about which shapes appeal to them most. Some of the customers that have touched my soul most are those who purchase candles for funerals, memorials, and home altars to honor their loved ones. The conversations that surround those candles are some of the purest, most emotion-filled conversations that everyone can't have, and I am so humbled that my candles bring some peace in those moments.

Overall, my customers are those who appreciate the value of 100% unscented beeswax candles because they are home decor, art that can be displayed inside the home, lit at meal times, gifted, and can be appreciated by everyone. If you have an allergy to soy, beeswax candles are the option for you. If you have sensitivities to fragrances, are prone to migraines, or have a newborn at home, beeswax candles are the ones for you.

I also have my scented sculptural beeswax candles with select fragrances carefully chosen for the different sculptures they are paired with to enhance that sculpture's story.

Tell us about yourself

So, there are a few layers to how I got started working on The Fluffy Bison. I took my parents on a road trip to Yellowstone National Park, the Badlands National Park, and so many beautiful places in between there. I fell in love with the bison that I saw on our trip. I saw those beautiful beasts and knew that I wanted my own herd. I started researching all that I could about them. I have also wanted to start my own business for the longest but could never pinpoint what it could be. Once I got home from our road trip, I started thinking about what I could do to help people think of the beauty of art and nature in their homes.

It was also fundamental for me that anything I decided would be something that my grandmother, my Abuelita, could be proud of and would help keep her present. She and I were incredibly close. So, to add more layers to how this started, I also wanted my company to help others honor their loved ones who have deceased and be a voice for those living with grief. I am not a very calculating person, so whenever I post about loss, grief, or death, it's very spontaneous but very real because that's where my mind is at the moment. If you look through my candle line, you will see that the selections are inspired by nature, mythology, art, spirituality, and my faith.

What keeps me motivated each day? You guys do—those of you who have bought a candle, especially those who are repeat customers—also, my dream of wanting to have something that is my own.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I think my biggest accomplishment is still being here today. Seriously, some days are rough. It's full of doubt. Am I wasting my money, my time, and my family's time with this enterprise? My mom goes with me to just about every farmer's market I sign up for, and my dad loads and unloads the car.

Every time I see someone's face light up because a candle of mine connected with them, there's no better feeling than that. I've had people flat out stop in their tracks because they saw a candle that connected with them and someone in their lives. That truly is my biggest accomplishment as a business owner. Seeing firsthand that connection while at a market and that person could have continued on their way. That's my validation.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Just one of the hardest things? Haha, there are at least two: patience and trust. The patience to keep working and testing and trying. Candles require much more work than I imagined when I first started. Trust, I've learned to trust my gut, my instinct, whatever you want to call it. It's a bit surreal to sometimes know that I trusted myself to make a decision for my business that panned out exactly how I wanted it to, and that's pretty terrifying to think that I just might know what I am doing some days and can trust myself to make the right decisions for my company. I'll add in one extra piece - salesmanship. People who know how to market and brand... that's an art, and when you have to understand your company's voice, vision, message, and branding. Needless to say that I am still figuring that out.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Listen to the guidance that your loved one gives you. I am not an organized person. I live in a chaotic organization, but that doesn't work when trying to start, run, and grow a business. My parents know this about me. I should have listened to the tips from people with more organization skills and some business experience rather than trying to "do it my own way."
  2. Ask questions. I just learned recently that the Department of Revenue is actually full of really nice people who are willing to help and answer questions. I was terrified of trying to figure out taxes, but there are actually people out there who want to help and want you to be successful!
  3. Have FUN! I have met so many amazing people in these short six months since I started selling at markets, and it's been incredible to share with them my journey and the energy that flows from us just genuinely trying to support each other.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://thefluffybison.square.site/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefluffybison/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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