We were lucky to catch up with Judy San recently and have shared our conversation below.
Judy, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
How did I overcome imposter syndrome? It was a bit difficult in the beginning of my business because I kept asking myself what am I doing and why am I doing this? There are so many other makers doing the same thing and are so much better. But having a solid support system and believing in my work changed everything. People tell me all the time that they love my product and they are quality products, so I believe in my work and overcame imposter syndrome because I can do anything once I put my mind to it.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I don’t consider myself a crafter but making candles is very therapeutic and I enjoy the mixing and pouring process. People think that making candles is simply mixing fragrance oils and wax together and pouring it into a jar and it’s done. There’s a lot of science behind making candles because you have to heat up the wax to a certain temperature, pour the oils, etc. Everything has to be precise or you will have a candle catch fire if there’s too much fragrance. Candle safety is our number one priority, that is why we tested our blend for so long. I think my products sets me apart from a lot of other makers is the wax blend and the wick. I use a wooden wick, which creates a nice crackling sound when burning and it gives you the coziness of a wood burning fireplace. My products are handmade in small batches, so every candle can be quality checked before selling. One thing that I am most proud of is that people like my candles. I am always amazed to see returning customers buying more items. It truly makes my heart happy to know that people like my products. I get customers who message me and tell me that the candles reminds them of their grandma and that makes me so happy because my grandma was the best entrepreneur I ever met.
I have a self care gift box set that I just launched on my website, which is a perfect gift for the holidays.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three most important qualities that were most impactful in my business journey were consistency, accountability and learning. I am constantly learning new techniques to better my products and make the flow of business more efficient. I hold myself accountable for everything that I make and if a customer is not satisfied with a product, I will take care of it and make sure they are happy with their purchase. Consistency is key for almost everything. It takes a lot to start a business but if you keep at it and not give up, it will definitely show amazing results.
The advice I would give to someone starting in this journey is to do as much research as much as possible and to join facebook groups to learn from others. There’s a lot of testing involved with candle making and people think it’s easy, but it’s not an easy process. It took me six months to finalize my vessel and wick before I started selling my candles. So, research, learn and test are the best advice I could give to someone starting their candle making journey.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
The number one obstacle that I am currently facing is not having enough space to work in. I work in a corner in my basement and I’ve outgrown it. I’ve been in business for a little over two years and I have accumulated a lot of supplies. The challenge of working in a small space isn’t the most efficient when it comes to making products and meeting deadlines. I am constantly cleaning and organizing my space because I am always making new products but I have no where to put any of the finished products, so I’m taking over other rooms in our basement. I am in the process of deep cleaning and decluttering the basement studio, so I will have a work space that is more efficient and will be streamlined, so I can be more productive.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hellostink.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hello.stink/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stinkhello
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hellostink
- Other: Tik Tok: @hello.stink
Image Credits
Photos taken with iPhone by Judy/Stink! Owner
