When most people think of investment, they think in terms of money. Others maybe think of it as time, or energy. In candle making, the truth is there’s no separating the three. Every step requires all of them working together.

To sell, you need quality candles. To create quality candles, you need testing. Testing requires ingredients and equipment—and that takes money. Beyond money, it takes time and energy to research suppliers, understand shipping requirements, and refine your process.

In short, candle making is a cycle of continuous investment: planning, budgeting, and action. And it all starts with the first step.

I’m no gatekeeper—I truly encourage anyone to try candle making at least once, even if only as a hobby. Honestly, if I can do it, you can too. Making candles is for anyone. I’m not worried about guarding or protecting my process. If anything, I hope sharing my insight helps someone else along the way. Even if it’s not about candles, maybe there’s something valuable you can take from my journey.

This excerpt from my brand bible shows how I think about investment for Brighter Blaze. To be transparent, I didn’t start with strict budgets or dollar amounts. Instead, my mindset has always been about pacing myself with realistic expectations—investing fully in my dream over time. It’s less about putting a price tag on it and more about showing up every day with what I can give. Time, energy, creativity, and love. That’s the real investment.

Beginning in September, I felt the spark to return to candle making and started sketching out a plan. I can share more about the “why” later—honestly, I’m still processing that myself, and my feelings about it shift from day to day.

What I did know right away was that the setup and startup costs wouldn’t be small. But I chose to look at each purchase as an investment, one step closer to turning an idea into reality. Making those choices reminded me of the difference between dreaming and doing. Once you start acting on a plan, intention becomes undeniable.

By the first week of October, I had already crossed off most of my startup list. Researching suppliers, comparing quality, and planning my budget made the process surprisingly quick and efficient. Over just a couple of weeks, I added items to my carts piece by piece until I had nearly everything I needed.

One lesson I’d share if you’re thinking about selling or scaling: keep records from the very beginning. I saved every order confirmation and receipt, then logged each one in a simple CSV file that I can update as I go. Not only does it keep me organized, but at the end of the year I’ll be ready to report everything for Brighter Blaze to the IRS 😅. And yes—the write-offs are definitely a perk worth looking forward to.

One of the things I love about candle making is how accessible it is. The barrier to entry is low—you can start with any budget, at any time. Over the past few weeks, I’ve picked up a few lessons worth sharing:

Curate your own starter kit.

If you want to make quality candles, you need quality materials. Investing up front may feel like more, but it pays off in the long run—and you’ll often only need to buy those essentials once. By building your own kit piece by piece, you get to decide exactly how much of each material you want, and you’ll have the flexibility to experiment. This approach has given me more freedom (and more candles!) than if I had bought a pre-made kit.

Work on free goals in between purchases.

Sometimes budget means hitting pause on carts or waiting for shipments. During those in-between moments, I shift my focus to free goals: sketching logo ideas, exploring fragrance concepts, or mapping out logistics. Progress isn’t always about spending money—it’s also about planning, imagining, and setting yourself up for the next step.

Start small.

In the beginning, everything is new—and honestly, I don’t know what will work best yet. That’s why I’m starting small. I’ve been buying materials in sample sizes until I figure out what fits my candles’ needs. For instance, I ordered both cotton and wooden wicks in small sets so I can test different sizes. Since wicks affect burn pool and timing, sampling gives me the chance to learn without overcommitting. Once I know what works, I’ll feel more confident investing in larger quantities for bigger batches.

Buy in-store if you can.

Shipping costs add up! After ordering so many items online, I can’t help but notice the high shipping costs ranging from $8-$11 for my area so beware. I highly recommend ordering online and picking up in store if you can. I did this for Michael’s and Home Depot and it saved me time and money. Items in-store on aisles are often cheaper than online. Also, coupons coupons coupons!

Bonus pro tip: If you use Google Chrome, download the Honey app extension–it’s free. At checkouts, Honey will automatically look up and generate promo codes and apply them to your carts. I’ve saved quite a few more bucks than if I didn’t have Honey! 🍯 🙌🏾

So far, my total setup and startup costs have stayed under $600—and most of those purchases were one-time investments I won’t have to repeat. The rest I will have to replenish every so often. (We’re gonna need more wax!) 😆

Now comes the testing phase. I’m taking my time and teaching myself a new, but promising, candle math formula that I believe will make batch planning much easier and more efficient. (Stay tuned!)

Candle making has shown me that every investment—whether it’s money, time, or energy—matters. Each purchase, each plan, and each test is a small step that builds toward something bigger. Progress doesn’t always come in leaps, but piece by piece it adds up. My hope is that by sharing my own journey, you’ll see that investing in your dream, no matter the pace, is always worth it. 🕯️

Brighter Blaze Blog

Plan to Invest or Invest to Plan? Both, actually!