Pour candles in scents people love. Easy to gift, easy to sell.
Candles are one of the few things people buy for themselves and buy as gifts, which means you have two kinds of customers from day one. They're simple to make, they look far more expensive than they cost, and one good scent can carry your whole business. The catch is hot wax, so this one needs a parent in the room.
Get the smallest starter kit you can, or borrow supplies, and make exactly three candles in three scents.
Set them on the table and ask five people:
"I'm making these to sell for [your price]. Which scent would you actually buy?"
Watch what they pick up and smell twice. That's your first product. Do not buy a case of jars before you know which scent wins.
Hot wax burns, and melting wax on a stove needs an adult with you. Never leave melting wax alone, never heat it in a bare pan on high, and always use a thermometer so you know what temperature you're at. Get a parent's yes on your setup before your first pour.
One pot, a few jars, and patience.
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Sophie's rule applies straight to this one: money sitting in supplies is money you can't use. It's tempting to buy the big wax bag and the whole scent rack because it feels like being a real business. It isn't. Take the orders first, then buy what you need to fill them. A closet full of unsold candles is just expensive decoration.
The full Young Founder kit walks you through everything Andre and Sophie learned: how to price a product, take orders, and grow without tying up your cash in supplies. The book, the workbook, the videos, and more.
See what is inside the kitA kid walking dogs in their own neighborhood usually starts between $10 and $18 for a thirty minute walk. Professional walkers average about $21 for the same walk.
Read the answerLess than almost anyone expects, and for a lot of these ideas the honest answer is nothing until somebody has already said yes to a price.
Read the answerTen people who already know them, one prepared sentence, and an easy way for each of them to say no.
Read the answerFind out whether this is not working or just not fun right now. Those look identical from outside and they need opposite responses.
Read the answerThey are not buying feeding. They are buying a holiday where nobody is quietly worried about the cat.
See the ideaSmall money that arrives every single week without anyone having to be asked again. The cleanest lesson in recurring revenue there is.
See the ideaNobody puts it on the list, and everybody notices once it is done. The before and after photo does the selling.
See the ideaForty minutes, a bucket, and a customer who can see the problem from their front door.
See the ideaA program from Founder's Best Friend. Built for kids 8 to 18 who want something of their own.