Some Things to Really Think About!

We heard two statements this past weekend that are worth passing on. On the surface these statements seem simple. They seem to just repeat themselves, but dwelling on them with some thought can reveal a different meaning.

We heard the statements during the day and made note of them. That evening we lit one of our "New" pillar candles to help us relieve residual stress from the day. The pillars are "aromacology" which means they help promote various feelings by stimulating portions of the brain with their fragrances.

The house filled with the wonderful scents of Liquorice and Grape Seed. We relaxed, enjoyed the scents and discussed the statements. The meanings to each one of us can be life changing.

The first statement: To change your life, you have to change your life!

The second statement: You're not who you think you are, you're who you think you are!

They do sound simple and to some confusing. Take time to reflect on what they are saying and you could see your life change.

Why M__ B____s Candles became our Candle of Choice!

Really, M B’s became my candle of choice because at the time we joined Howard wasn’t a candle person. I was and still am an avid candle burner. I have worked part-time in an up-scale florist and gift shop for several years. Throughout those years I have seen several brands of Quality candles. I had settled on a brand about 15 years ago and thought I would never find another to match (no pun intended).

One day Howard ask me what I thought about using votive candles in his detailing business. The majority of vehicles he details are high-end such as Rolls, Mercedes, Lexus, etc. He dislikes the car fresheners on the market because he feels they smell like perfumes and he was looking for more realistic smells. I told him that I had never seen a votive that would work because they didn’t seem as fragrant as the jars.

Well, little did I know he had been following the rise of this little candle company for over a year. I know you’re thinking, “Why would a non-candle person be following the growth of a candle company?” He had joined a network marketing company in the late 90’s to be able to purchase the products he uses on the vehicles. He went to their next conference. During that weekend, he kept hearing stories about these three guys that had just left the company. These gentlemen had over 70% of the company distributors on their team. One of these men posted articles on the Internet and Howard kept up with all the postings he could. Later, two of these men partnered again and started a candle company. He would remark ever so often, “What are they doing in candles?”

Anyway, he asked me about using the triple scented gourmet candles. I told him, “It’s your business use what you want. I’m not interested in looking at another candle. I have my favorite already. Besides, I’ve already told you that votive candles do not smell that strong.” He called the company owners and top distributor to find out about the candles. After the conversation, he ordered an Orange Creamsicle jar and Hot Apple Pie votives.

Four days later the candles showed up. I was blown away at the scents radiating from the box. Even the UPS man commented on the smell. I immediately lit the jar and he put a votive in his truck(without lighting it, LOL). In no time, the downstairs of our house smell like the Orange Push-Ups I ate when I was a kid. We went to his truck and it smelled just like grandmother’s house when she was baking Apple Pie. We were amazed and he was becoming a candle person.

I burned the jar for two days. I could not believe how clean the jar and even the candle was. I was starting to have a change of heart about which candle I should be burning. Friends were stopping by and for the first time I could remember they commented on the fragrances in the house. I continued burning the jar to see what was going to happen with the fragrance. I was shocked when the fragrance lasted to the end of the jar. In fact, the wax left at the bottom of the jar smells just as strong today and it has been over two years since I lit it for the first time. Needless to say, I switched and started a business that I wasn’t even looking for.

WHY USE AND MARKET GOURMET NATURAL WAX CANDLES?

Today's candle market is over $3 billion!

"Today a new candle company must offer a real point of difference, either a new type of candle or a totally new marketing approach to find an opening in which to compete."

“Product innovators will be rewarded with growing sales and share of market. Besides new designs the greatest innovation opportunity in the candle market today is to replace petroleum-based paraffin with natural wax and oil-based candles.”

"So much of consumer psychology in purchasing candles is about reducing stress and creating a healthy, clean and nurturing home environment. In today's social and political climate there is something fundamentally inconsistent in burning candles made from imported petroleum-based paraffin. That's why candles based upon soy bean oil and other natural ingredients are finding a growing market for their products.”

Gourmet natural wax candles are clean burning with no sooty residue, and have a low melting point, which means they burn cooler. This allows their long lasting, pleasant aromas to quickly scent the air. Made from a renewable source, using no petroleum-based paraffin, the candles are available in many wonderful scents.

These candles have the potential to be another significant market for soybean oil, which will be very helpful to the American Farmer. When natural wax candles represent just 10% of the existing candle market it will require an additional 55 million pounds of "American Grown" Soybean oil; not to mention the recycled plant and vegetable matter that makes up a natural wax Gourmet candle!

I'm Fixin' To!

Now if your from the South or have visited here you have probably have heard that term. It is used frequently to describe preparing to do something like - I'm fixin' to go fishing, I fixin' to mow the lawn, etc. So, how many of us are fixin' to do something with our Candle Business?

The problem with "fixin' to" is that we are always "fixin' to". We all need to stop "fixin' to" and start doing. We have been at the point where we were always preparing to get something done. The problem was that we were always preparing to do something and never got anything accomplished. "I'll burn those CD's and type those letters when I get my desk cleaned off or my office arranged." "I'll go talk to someone about joining my team when my new Mia Bella shirt comes in.", or my cards, my brochures, or whatever it is. All the while, your competition is out talking to people, selling product and adding to their teams. Your competition is not other Mia Bella reps, it's retail stores or other home based businesses.

The time for "fixin' to" is over and the time for doing has begun. I know people can tell you all sorts of stuff on building a business, but if you haven't figured out your WHY or Where you want your business to go that stuff doesn't mean much. The insights and experiences of the pioneers of our company were put onto paper and they called it the Roadmap to Success. It will guide you to identifying your Why and your goals. You can make money without goals or a WHY but it will probably be a dollar here and a dollar there. Is that what you really want? If it is Great! If not, would you like to make a great second income or full-time income. We are here to tell you - If you don't know where you want to go, it will be a struggle. A struggle to talk with someone, a struggle to show the candle, Bath bar, Body wash and a real struggle to tell someone about the business opportunity.

Have you ever thought about the word FEAR? What we believe the letters stand for are Fasle Expectations Appearing Real. We seem to play out everything in our mind before it happens. Due to passed programing and lack thinking that play doesn't ever seem to come out good, especially if it is something we are doing that is new to us. Why is it that we are always capable of imaging all the scary thing that are going to happen and not the wonderful things? Mainly passed and present programing. No, I'm not just talking about your family. Think right now, if you have watched or read the news lately, can you name me 10 great things that have happened. Probably Not! It is up to us to Know Our WHY, Have Faith it will Happen and make it Happen.

Lisa and I just completed 2 years with our company and have had only one person tell us that they did not burn candles. I wouldn't let it go and found out that their family had allergies. Needless to say, after I told her about Shep's story, about some of our customers with allergies that are able to burn the candles and let her smell a candle, her attitude changed. She didn't buy one on the spot but, she left with a sample and a smile on her face (another seed planted).

I hope you are all taking advantage of the training calls that are made available to us. If you have, you have probably heard, "Ready, Shoot, Aim" and that's what we all need to do. If you don't hit the target, learn from it and adjust. Call the shooters and ask how to adjust if you don't understand what happened. If they have never experienced the situation, they can help find the answer and everyone learns something new.

REMEMBER: You are in business for yourself but not by yourself. Your business can't thrive without your frontline and their teams, Our business can't thrive without our frontline and their teams and the company wouldn't be here without all of us!

Is Your Business Growing!

“Is your business growing?” you ask. A lot of the time you will get the response, “Are you crazy, It is Summer time! This response usually comes from the lack of belief in self, the industry, company or products. How do I know? If you ask that question all year, you will hear basically the same thing from the same people.

Is your business growing?

Are you crazy, it is Summer time! Everyone is on vacation!

, it is the End of Summer! Everyone is getting the kids ready to go back to school!

, it is Fall! Everyone is busy with after school activities and getting ready for Labor Day and Thanksgiving!

, it is Winter time! It is to cold to get out and besides everyone is thinking about Christmas and New Years holidays!

, it is Springtime! Everyone is broke from the holidays and too busy “Spring cleaning”! They are also very busy planning their Summer vacations.

, it is Summer time! OH NO! here we go again!

Does this sound like any of your team members? Does this sound like you?

Lisa and I are growing our business all year as are many Scent-Sations Reps.

Think about this, Is your business growing?

You bet

, it’s Summer time, everyone is more relaxed. They are looking for ways to help pay for vacation or reduce the cost! (tax deductions from business expense)

, it’s Fall, I have great gifts and a way to make extra cash for upcoming holidays!

, it’s Winter, I have great gifts and everyone is getting together so I can show a bunch of people at the same time!

, it’s New Year’s; everyone is making resolutions for improving!

, it’s Spring; everyone is coming alive and starting something new!

Most of the time it is a matter of perception and expectations. If you perceive or expect the seasons to present challenges to keep your business from growing, They WILL! If you perceive or expect that the seasons provides opportunities to present the COTM Club, Business Opportunity or Retail hundreds of candles, THEY WILL!

Candle Warmers and Alternative Waxes

We do not recommend candle warmers being used with our Gourmet Candles.

Most candle warmers are designed to be turned on/off without any heat control. Warmers were designed for soft wax candles with low melting points.
Our gourmet vegetable blend is a much harder wax blend than warmers were designed for. They utilize a double wick system to distribute the heat properly for the harder wax blend.

Candle warmers are like coffee cup warmers and induce the heat from the bottom. The harder wax blend melts slower. There is a possibility of the jar bursting because the bottom will melt long before the top. The top staying harder will trap the excess heat in the bottom of the jar with nowhere to go. These pressures could have a tendency to burst the jar. Will this happen all the time? NO, but why take a chance.

Apparently the natural harder wax candles were not wide spread at the time the candle warmers were invented. The warmer manufacturers seem to have had an oversite of considering all materials when developing the warmers. All the warmers investigated by the company were not made to work with the harder waxes.

There could be a warmer on the market made to work with the harder vegetable waxes, we just don't know of any at this time. Always check the label on the warmer to see if this is indicated. If NOT, DON'T USE IT on any harder wax candles.

Who Do You Know that Burns Scented Candles?

Scented candles have been around since ancient times. They were used to ward off evil gods and witches. Some were made of special ingredients and used by thieves to induce sleep. Boy, have we come a long way with scented candles!

Today scented candles are loved just because they are scented candles. The number of scents and scent combinations has exploded. They can change your moods or help you relieve stress. WOW! Help relieve stress and tension without a potion or pill.

There are 3 candle markets within the industry with Quality or Gourmet Candles comprising the biggest share. Gourmet candles that contain no paraffin burn longer, burn cooler, smell longer, smell stronger and produce less soot. The new wax blends of forward thinking companies are making this possible.

Asking "Who Do You Know that Burns Scented Candles?" will get awesome responses.

What prompts these responses?

Candles - over $3 billion industry in this country
Gourmet candles $1 billion industry
Candles are burned in 8 out of 10 homes in the U.S.
67.6% use candles to put themselves in a good mood
71% use candles to create a romantic environment
54.4% use candles to relieve stress
67% use candles at least once a week for a minimum of 3 hours

A recent poll of women buyers stated, 96% said that they had purchased a scented candle within 12 months.

These facts blew us away. We have always had candles in our house, but never thought of candles as being a multi-billion dollar industry. We inquired about the success of a local candle company and found that they did way over $77 million dollars in business. They weren't even in the top 5 candle companies. We talked with friends in the Northwest part of the USA. They told us of a brand that was a household name there. Not only had we not heard of them, everyone we talk with here had not heard of them. This told us that the candle industry was wide open.

So, who burns Scented Candles? Almost Everyone!