Tom Jansen and Amanda Buhse, best buddies and design enthusiasts, love to showcase their vibrant personalities through their work. But, while most artistic types use paint or photography, Tom and Amanda use wax – a high-quality blend of soy and vegetable wax to be exact. What started out as Tom’s hobby has blossomed into the Coal and Canary Candle Company – Winnipeg, Canada’s hottest small business, specializing in small batch, hand-crafted candles for the hip and modern professional. Through hard work, a touch of luck, and a kick-butt Instagram profile, Tom and Amanda got a huge surprise recently as their candles were selected to be included in the gift bags at the upcoming Academy Awards and Grammy Awards! With such good fortune, Amanda and Tom were excited to shed a little light on how they turned a hobby into a business.
WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR BUSINESS COME FROM?
After noticing a gap in the market for quality, hand-made candles that catered to design-conscious young professionals, and over a glass of wine, decided to take matters into our own hands.
WHAT IS YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH?
Coal and Canary specializes in high-quality, small batch, hand-poured artisan candles for the design-conscious modern professional. All of our candles feature a wide wooden wick that burns clean, free of smoke and soot and produces a soft crackle when lit.
WHAT IS THE BEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED THUS FAR?
Don’t underestimate the amount of effort, perseverance, and discipline required to be successful. Be sure to enjoy the journey and stop thinking about the destination!
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SUCCESS?
Finding out that our candles had been chosen to be in the gift bags for the Academy Awards and Grammys was AMAZING! We still can’t believe it! When we first started the company, our 5-year goal was to get our candles into a major award show gift bag, even though we knew it was lofty and seemed impossible.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN?
Don’t be afraid. As long as you work hard and believe in your product, things will work out!
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
We’ve been so grateful for the amount of success we’ve encountered in such a short period of time. We’re extremely confident and proud of the product and brand we’ve created, and will go wherever it takes us!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Tom and Amanda’s story is just one great example of how a hobby can be turned into a successful small business. Just keep in mind that this isn’t the typical timeline for most small business ventures. That being said, their hard work and determination are paying off. They saw an opportunity to take their hobby to the next level and the went for it. So, what are you waiting for?