Susan Murphy
Mum of 2
The Candle Shop
Tell us about your business:
The Candle shop makes luxury candles from soy wax and premium fragrances. It has two ‘collections’ at the moment (Everyday and Bespoke) and I am intending it to be a multi-shop experience with different collections for people to choose from.
What is your WHY?
I used to practice law but people weren’t that happy about paying for legal services!! Making candles for people is so rewarding – people love receiving candles. Candle-making is a mix of art and science…making the perfect candle is very satisfying.
What brought you to this point in your career?
When Covid 19 forced NZ into lockdown, it gave me the opportunity to re-think what I wanted to do moving forward. I had made candles for friends and family over the last 18 months prior to lockdown, and I decided I really enjoyed it. I also liked the idea of running my own business – the autonomy and knowing that everything you did was to further the success of your business.
What is the best thing about owning your own business?
Owning your own business means that you are able to choose what to concentrate on each day. In Addition, the multi-dimensional aspect of a business means that every day is not the same…you have to learn different skills and apply them successfully to be able to move your business forward.
What is the hardest part?
The hardest part about owning your business (especially as the sole owner) is that you can’t just run an idea past someone and chat about which approach is best. You make the decisions and sometimes things don’t turn out the way you want them to. Another difficult aspect (which also makes things more interesting) is that you have to be multi-skilled; dealing with finance one minute, then marketing and sales and lastly the actual production of your product.
Also…I just can’t do social media and its essential for today’s business😨
What do you do when you’re lacking motivation?
Do something different – go for a walk or go shopping. Give yourself a break and allow yourself to without feeling guilty. Running your own business is a 24×7 gig and you need to give yourself some time off.
How do you manage the juggle?
I’m a great fan of afternoon naps to put things into perspective!!
How does MIB Networking impact your business?
It gives me the ability to meet other entrepreneurs who are mainly running a business single-handedly like myself. It’s great to be able to ask for advice and feedback and also get encouragement.
I love seeing women pursue their own interests and being in charge of their own destiny.
Tell us two little known facts about you:
1. I’ve spent a night sleeping under the stars in the Western Libyan Dessert.
2. I worked on a German freight ship for a month from NZ to Philadelphia for free passage.
What are you passionate about?
Design and fragrances!
Who do you admire?
People who are generous with their time and support…it is something I am learning to do.
Will you still be doing this in 10 years?
I hope to still be doing this in 10 years time – in one form or other. Since starting in October 2020, The Candle Shop has morphed significantly and I see it ‘pivoting’ more over the next year or two.