Each Saturday, we're featuring a different small business owner or content creator! Getting our content, products, and voices out there to the world can be tough, so creating an inclusive and supportive community is incredibly important. As a small business owner myself, lending a helping hand to others is a key part of our business plan - we want to give back to the community that has been so key to our success!
Our eleventh installment is with Casmé at Fandom Focused Creations who creates candles based upon their favorite fandoms!
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I’m a geeky gal from Omaha, Nebraska who loves books, candle making, crafting, and crocheting!
What are your favorite fandoms?
Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Twilight
When and why did you start your business?
Like many people, I found myself looking for a new hobby when Covid-19 shut the world down in early 2020. I began experimenting with making candles in March 2020 and launched Fandom Focused Creations in May 2020.
Talk us through a little bit about your creative process and your products.
I mostly find inspiration for my candles from the source material itself, like if a book mentions a specific scent, otherwise I use my own impressions of a character to create something original. Obviously, my main goal is to make products that people want to buy but I also have to love what I’m creating, otherwise it’s not as fun!
Where do sell your products?
I sell exclusively on Etsy for now while I work on designing my own website.
What have been some of the lessons (both good and bad) that you've learned since you started your business?
You have to be flexible sometimes and get creative with finding ways to adapt to supply chain problems or other obstacles. Beware of copyright violations!
What has been your favorite product to create and why?
My OG candle is Ben Solo and he is still my favorite to make, even a year and a half later! It’s bittersweet because he’s gone from the Star Wars franchise but my candle gives his fans (i.e. me) a way to remember him.
What is your favorite fandom to work on?
I really love my Harry Potter candles! Each one is so unique!
What has been the most popular product you've created?
My best sellers have been Ben Solo and Reylo.
What is one product you've created you wish got a little more love?
I wish my Animal Crossing candles were more popular!
What is your favorite social media platform to use and why?
Twitter has always been my #1 because that’s where I really got deep into the Star Wars fandom many years ago but I’m trying to be more active on Instagram and Tiktok.
Where else can we find you on social media?
Is there anything else we should know about you or your business?
I’m so thankful for the support I’ve received from people across multiple fandoms and in many different countries! I hope to be able to keep making awesome candles for a long time! I have some really fun things planned for 2022!
