Owner of The Scented Market finds success by burning the candle at both ends

“I was burning a candle one day in my bathroom and noticed there was soot all over the ceiling.”

After a search for a “healthier candle” led to a dead-end, local homepreneur, Kristy Miller decided to make her own. She recalls waking up one morning and proclaiming to her husband, ” I am going to start a scented business and I am going to call it The Scented Market.”

One year later, her handmade candles would become overwhelmingly popular in over 60 stores, across Canada – as well as a retail store located inside the St. Jacobs Market.

How does a bad candle experience lead to a successful business? Miller says, “I had a direction and a brand.”

It’s a soot-free family affair.

“My husband is referred to as the wax-man, my 16-year-old son wicks jars, our 8-year-old cuts twine and our 3-year-old applies the safety sticker to the bottom of each candle.” At times, the Millers struggle to find work-life balance, “it’s is not always glamorous; being a mom boss, but we sacrifice for the greater good of the family.”

As a wife and mom of 3 boys she felt a responsibility for the products in her home, questioning and reading labels. Making healthier food choices for her family made her reconsider other products she was exposing her family to. “These candles are made in my home using all-natural soy wax and contain premium cotton wicks for the best and cleanest burn.”

Miller says she knew her candle business, that started on the kitchen stove, needed room to grow when they no longer had space to eat dinner as a family at the kitchen table. “So, my husband graciously sacrificed his man-cave to the candle cause. My oldest boy set up my Etsy shop, website, Facebook and Instagram accounts.”

After celebrating her first year in business, Miller was invited to audition for Dragon’s Den. “I was told to come back next year when I have a full year of sales under my belt.”

Miller says her biggest misconception, about developing a home business, was thinking it would mean more time with her family. “I could (work) from home and be available to the kids before and after school, on snow days, etcetera, but found myself so far away from home.” She refers to it as a blessing and a curse, “how ironic was it that I wanted to be closer to the family, but in the garage I was so far away.”

The pressures of being in high-demand haven’t changed the process, she still hand-pours the all-natural soy wax candles in her home. To ease some her burden, Miller says they now have two employees and are “quickly outgrowing our garage.”

Popular scents like ‘But First, Coffee’, ‘Oh, Canada’ and ‘Summer Nights’ are part of the signature collection. ‘Oh, Canada’ is described as “that maple syrup dripping down your pancakes and the side of bacon.” If you’re not a fan of the local mosquito population, the ‘Summer Nights’ candle contains lemongrass and eucalyptus – to repel them. Miller also says they also do custom orders with private labels – custom created to suit the buyer’s needs.

She takes pride in providing a local product that is renewable, biodegradable and never tested on animals–also offering a jar recycle program. “I want to inspire women, that they could also create a six-figure homemade product business with hard work and a solid foundation.”

Find out more about Kristy and The Scented Market here