Today we’d like to introduce you to Avery Techeira.
Hi Avery, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I have always loved candles. My mom is the one who inspired me to start making candles. She made them for herself and always said I would do great if I started making my own and selling them, and I was like, you know what… I want to take a chance, and I did. I was able to create a candle I have always wanted to find in the stores. Pretty, looked good in my home, smelled amazing, and lasted a long time.
Coming up with my business name was super easy. NineThirteen is my birthday, and a number I see all the time. It’s like my eyes just happen to catch the clock when it’s 9:13, and I’m like it’s a sign, so I went with my first instinct, and I thought that it would be very different to have a candle business named after numbers. Fun fact, this was the first and only name I came up with. I didn’t have any candidates. I just knew in my heart I wanted NineThirteen to be the name.
Once I started making candles, I was super nervous to launch. I remember crying to my boyfriend the day I launched and was like, “No one is buying candles.” He told me to be patient and it will happen. I kid you not; the next few days, I sold out. I was so happy. It was such an amazing moment for me to see how much support I had, still to this day I have the same customers who bought candles from me a year ago, still buying candles from me today, and so many new customers. It brings so much joy to me because I DID THAT. I made that candle. Hand poured with love isn’t just a look for my label. It’s the truth. Every candle I pour I put my whole heart into it. I really try to perfect my craft so my customers can get the same kind of happiness I get from my candles. It is so worth it because the feedback I get is unreal. I end my day with shock that my dream is really coming true, like I am really doing this.
After a long day at work, or when it’s time to wind it down and relax, or even after doing a deep cleaning, and it’s time to light a candle, I want my customers to get a sense of peace and happiness. I want my customers to be taken away when they walk in a room and smell my candle burning.
I could not have made it this far without the amount of support I have from my friends and family, and I am just extremely grateful and thankful for everyone who has supported my dream.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I first started candles, not going to lie. I had too much dip on my chip. I had way too many scents to start off with, too many different kinds of jars and labels. I wanted to do it all at first, and I had to learn patience. I needed to give my business time to grow. I needed to give myself time to get my name out there. I even had to take a step back from selling candles for months and reevaluate everything in order to get the candle quality/look that I have today.
If I could give any advice to any first-time candle makers or anyone interested in making candles, I would say this.
DO YOUR RESEARCH. Learn and understand what it is that you are wanting to do, TEST TEST TEST before selling, and do not be shy to join groups on Facebook. That is one thing that helped me a lot. If I had questions about ” why is my flame so small when lit,” I would get so many answers back telling me to try “wicking up,” and I did, or they would be like what kind of wax do you use, and what kind of wick you use, and they would respond and tell me oh you need to try this wick. The wick you are using is good for this kind of wax vs. this kind of wax. I learned so much about my wax because of the candle Facebook groups I joined, and there are so many people on there willing to help you perfect your craft.
I would have also started off with four scents.
1 masculine
1 sweet
1 clean
1 fruity or floral.
starting off with 13 scents was just entirely too much for me. I wasted a lot of money on scents that I never even used. You can start off with four, then introduce new scents as your business grows. That will also help you save money when starting out.
I had a lot of trial and error when I first started, but that only made my business stronger and made me more knowledgeable.
I work from home and make candles from home. So, I had to learn to shut my brain off and just rest. I could literally walk into my office, and both my day job and business are there staring at me like, “Avery, come make more candles, Avery come check emails,” all at the same time. My job is 8-5, but my business is 24/7. I get orders all day and night, and I just had to learn when to focus on work, when to focus on NineThirteen, and when to focus on myself; now have the perfect balance.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I have now been making candles for a year, and in December, it will make two. My candles are made from soy wax. The wax is derived from vegetable soybean. It is a natural and renewable resource which is better not only for the environment but for your home. Before I got into candle making, I ran across the issue of burning through candles within two to three days. I wanted to create a formula that not only gives you a strong candle but a long-lasting candle. After a lot of testing, I found the perfect formula that will allow my candles to burn for 60 plus hours, and still provide a strong smell when lit. I also wanted to create a candle that matches my customer’s home/decor. I will never forget when I first met my boyfriend; he had a back wall painted red and a bright pink candle lit. It bothered me only because I am weird about colors. I like everything to match and flow in my home. That was one of the first memories I had when I was picking how I wanted to design my logo and pick my jar. I decided to go with the natural color of the wax, which was an off-white copper lid, and the font color to match the lid. I didn’t want my labels to be anything to crazy or cluttered, but I wanted it to be eye-catching. Simple, yet elegant. For people who love color, I offer color candles, custom candles for baby showers, bachelorette parties, custom labels, and much more. I can make any candle desire my customers are wanting, but for my core candles, I just feel simplicity is the way to go.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shopninethirteen.com
- Instagram: _ninethirteen_
Image Credits
Jaylon Hough
