116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Marion teen smells the Candle Barn profit
Various aromas waft around the corners of Emily Pearson's house.
It starts with a few burning candles in the kitchen, but reaches its height near a small room in the basement, where Pearson creates candles.
'I can walk in and tell, 'Oh I know what she's making today,'' said Pearson's mother, Karen Huber.
Pearson and Huber bought Candle Barn in February from a co-worker who was moving away. Since then, Pearson, a soon-to-be high school senior, has expanded her product line to more than 30 scents and enlisted more retailers.
Pearson's purchase of the Marion business — originally suggested as a joke — began to take form since the family has a history of owning small businesses.
'The idea of her owning the candle business didn't seem as far out as an idea,' said Huber, who owns a local Home Instead Senior Care franchise. 'It's was like, 'Well, yeah. You can own your own business. You can make things succeed.' '
Using around $3,500 from her college fund, Pearson bought the company. She continues to pay back the fund.
She said the biggest challenge was learning the basics of operating the enterprise. Pearson's grandfather taught her how to make a profit and loss statement and how to reach out to her customers.
Since Pearson was 16 when the business was purchased, Huber set up a limited liability corporation in Pearson's name and made sure to secure an insurance policy.
Some of the names for the 6-, 8- and 16-ounce candles are derived from the fragrance, while others can result from family input.
'People are always hesitant to smell 'Monkey Farts,'' Pearson said with a laugh.
Hoping to tap into additional audiences, Pearson is experimenting with adding colors to her candles. Her goal is to grow custom orders by allowing customers to choose hues and aromas for weddings and other events.
Right now, markets and fairs remain the best showcase for her products. Pearson's advice to would-be sellers is to remain positive.
'There will be days when we don't sell anything, but then next week we sell out,' she said. 'Just keep going with it, and it will eventually click.'
Liz Zabel photos/The Gazette Emily Pearson, 17, of Marion, owner of Candle Barn, stands in her basement office next to her candles. Pearson bought the business in February and has continued to experiment with candle scents and styles.
Finished Candle Barn candles are stored in Emily Pearson's basement office in Marion before being taken to markets around the area. The candles are named for their scent, such as Monkey Farts, which smells of bananas and citrus.
Liz Zabel/The Gazette Emily Pearson, 17, of Marion, owner of Candle Barn, straightens the wick in her candles before setting them aside to dry. The wax takes two hours to fully dry.
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