When you're a business owner, it is the most heartwarming feeling when you are recognised for your hard work. All the tears, sleepless nights and pure love that goes into designing, patenting and manufacturing a completely new product is all worth it!
If you don't know already, we just want to say "Hi!" We are Shakira and Rick Hanson. Candle makers just like you, who was sick to death of making candles with paddle pop sticks and wasting time on constantly readjusting candle wicks during the pouring and setting process. Rick watching me constantly struggle and swear at candles after a couple set off centre out of a batch or the wick would warp and not be straight, he decided to design his own. At the time there wasn't really any other options around so I was over the moon when he said he would try and help me. After a year of designing and around 10 different prototypes we were finally at the stage of finding a manufacturer.
Our values are very much in being a sustainable brand as well as keeping manufacturing in Australia and supporting Australian jobs. After meeting with 4 different manufacturers we finally partnered with the best in the biz and was able to make our dreams come true using 100% recycled plastic for our new candle making wick holder design.
The process didn't stop there though, we changed our design another two times before giving the go ahead to get our mould made. After getting samples back, there was A LOT of tears after I wasn't happy with the function of the middle holes. We had to fork out even more money after what was already a very costly design and made another two more changes!!
Yes biz owners, nothing is ever easy! But after this extremely long process we came out with an end product we are so proud of!
This year we were lucky enough to be NOMINATED and become FINALISTS in the She-come 2022 Awards in the category "INNOVATION OF THE YEAR AWARD"
The judging for these awards was very cut throat with over 350+ products to be judged across the board. This isn't just any awards, we had to send our product in with props (an empty jar and wick) so the judges could touch, play and understand our product from a candle makers view.
To come out as a Finalist and be recognised as a leader in our field is pure bliss and we couldn't be more proud.
Candle Makers - We see you, we believe in you! Always believe in what you're doing and your products and I promise all your hard work will pay off in the end.
If you'd like to check out our Finalist product click through below.
- Shakira Hanson xx
