Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Lowe.
Hi Lauren, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My husband Josiah and I decided to open a retail shop for handmade goods after we graduated college. We opened up shop in a little house in North Campus. We had so much fun working with artists, hosting neighborhood events, and introducing customers to more handmade products. Along the way, we started making candles and they took off! We made them with funny names because we hadn’t seen any candles with those and wanted a way to make candles giftable and light-hearted. We soon found that candles could be a full time job, and we didn’t have that same passion for our retail shop anymore. We also now had a two and five year old adding to the madness, so after nine years, we closed our retail shop to fully focus on candles. The candles are sold in over 2000 stores worldwide!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all! We had no business experience, so we’ve had to teach ourselves everything. Figuring out pricing, trying out craft fairs that flopped, choosing candle names that wouldn’t sell, and not being able to keep up with the demand. That last one has been a huge struggle for us every Christmas time and what an amazing/silly struggle it is to complain about! We literally can’t keep stores stocked in the time they need. We’re constantly trying to stock up earlier in the year so we can stay ahead.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Our main goals are simple: make something that smells good and that brings a smile to people’s faces. More than that, we strive to be a brand that is kind. We’ve made multiple candles in 2020 where we donated all the proceeds to people in need and donated over $20,000 from those. All our shipping boxes are made of recycled paper, and our packing peanuts are biodegradable and made of cornstarch. We’re also a family brand. Our kids come to “Candle Land,” our candle studio, with us frequently. All our candle names are ok for all ages. Our social media shows the real-life, behind-the-scene moments, whether that’s how we pour and package, to having our kids there with us and playing in the packing peanuts.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Don’t look at what your competitors are doing. Focus on making the best product that you can. Looking at those similar to you might make you feel discouraged or accidentally copy them.
Pricing:
- Candles are $16
- Wax melts are $6
Contact Info:
- Email: Lauren@theburlapbag.com
- Website: theburlapbag.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/theburlapbag/
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