Choices
Never Settle
Won't scaleand hand making the products myself
So the promise is that this guy will free you up so that you can only focus on designing new candles, while he takes care of manufacturing, marketing and sales, and you get some commission off each sale.
If that's your goal go for it!
If not, start thinking how to automate the candle creation.
- get a wax pourer
- make molds of your sculptures
- let your machine pour the wax into the molds
- you should now be able to do $45 x how many candles an hour your machine can output
- hire someone to break the candles from the mold and package them
- have the AU Post or something come pick up your candles at set intervals
- need for your candle grows? Just add another machine & employee.
That's a business.
Not sculpting things.
That's a hobby. (unless you can sell them for thousands a piece)
You work more. You learn more. You earn more.
And you get to keep control.
And you help your local economy.
Beautiful country, wanna visit at some point.
What's your marketing like?
What type of wax/fragrances do you use?
Are they even slightly toxic to people? Is it gonna potentially trigger allergies?
If yes, use hypoallergic & non-toxic materials and put this in your marketing materials.
If not, put that in your marketing materials anyway.
You can now still say that they are "Made in Australia".
Your employee is still touching the candles when breaking the mold, so you can still market them as hand-made....technically.
You say you've had a troubled upbringing. And yet here you are, starting businesses, "moving the needle". Awesome. Congrats!
Let's talk about your relationship with your mom.
The more you keep this in the back of your mind, the less you are focused on your life and business.
Here's what I'd do:
Try to talk to her about how you feel.
- if she starts crying and apologizing, great, take it from there...
- if she starts getting defensive and/or aggressive....
...then let her know that you love her but this type of relation is hurting you, so you will have to distance yourself from her.
Both of these will be very hard. That's how life is sometimes....
You can keep avoiding your problems, or you can choose to face them head on.