Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Standley.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In the beginning of 2020, I was sent to the hospital for what proved to be a rather tricky mix of chronic health issues. By nature, I don’t like to give up or slow down, but my body just couldn’t keep up this time. I was forced to quit my jobs and leave school. Not only was this devastating to my physical health, but my mental health and spiritual health took a hit as well.
By 2021, these health issues hadn’t been resolved. As it turns out, finding cures for obscure medical disorders amidst a global pandemic is easier said than done. I was still sick and had hit my boredom threshold. I figured if I was stuck at home, I might as well find something to fill my time. I poured my first batch of candles late April 2021. By the end of the day, there were candles all over my house. The people in my life had been dying for a way to support me, and with one quick post on my personal IG account, my original batch was sold in hours. I’ve got some amazing friends.
I wanted everyone to try them out and report back, which resulted in my candles ending up in the hands of a few local small business owners. These new friends talked to their friends, and I was quickly welcomed into their community. The small business owners in Coachella Valley swept me up, putting my candles on their shelves and guiding me on my new journey of managing a business. We now sell in over 150 stores around the world, and have the best customers in the world! While I have put my heart into this business everyday, it still feels like our opportunities were graciously given to us by the universe!
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?
Running a business with no experience, financial backing, and a dedication to sticking to our core beliefs has had a lot of ups and downs! I am extremely passionate about creating the work environment for my team that I always wanted, choosing ethical ingredients, and overall having our business make a positive impact in the world is top priority.
There have been options to partner with groups we do morally align with, and trusting that rejecting those projects is for our greater good. I want my team to feel proud of where they work, and I never want to sacrifice the spirit of what we do. We have experienced drastic changes in consumer spending, and I’m learning how to better navigate stability during the high’s and low’s.
There is a lot of problem solving when it comes to running a business. As much as I love the creation and crafting, I wear a lot of hats that can get overwhelming. Learning how to manage financials, legal compliance, marketing, web design, social media, maintenance, scheduling, inventory, production, and customer relations is a lot. But its the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Molly Moon Crafts is known for creating unique clean scent alternatives! Our main focus is candle making, but we also create room sprays, natural perfumes, and incense. I try to put intention and care into our releases, so even if sales wise it isn’t a huge success, it’s something I’m proud of! There is a special honor in being able to scent special experiences in people’s lives.
While we create custom blends for parties and events, there is something so magical about a candle adding to someone’s personal life at home. We get emails from customers saying that a scent brings them comfort because it reminds them of a lost relative, or a precious time in their life, and what an honor!
We also are working on expanding the workshop/scent bar portion of our business. I find so much inspiration when we get to explore scents with the public. On an emotional and physical level each person’s relationship to scent is so different, and I am always excited to see how people create!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
It is hard to choose just one characteristic, but I think kindness, honesty, and adaptability have been crucial for our success!
I try to treat our business practices like a loving relationship. Without my team members, customers, suppliers, and even our postal carrier, Molly Moon Crafts wouldn’t function! I think it is important to treat each person with that level of respect. Adaptability has also been HUGE! With a small budget and big dream, I frequently find new ways to pivot to make a project work. As we have seen huge fluctuations with our material suppliers, customer spending patterns, and cost of living in general, I am always finding new ways to create!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mollymooncrafts.com
- Instagram: mollymooncrafts
- Other: Tik Tok: mollymooncrafts
