The first blog, lets talk...
Welcome to the first ever Mysa Homeware blog!! It's so lovely to have you here. Let me introduce myself... Hi, my name is Hannah. Writing this, I am 19 and it's 2022. When you read this, chances are, I will now be 20 years old. Despite being young, I am proud to be the owner of Mysa Homeware.
My goal is for you to understand me on a more personal level. I want you to trust my business, my products and my processes and understand that this business, for me, is a passion and a way to express my creativity and personality more than anything.
I want to create a blog that you can relate to, find advice, tips etc. Being a young, business owner or even a business owner in general, does come with its struggles. But in these blogs, I want to talk about the ins and outs of business, especially at my age. Some people see me, a business owner at 19, as something amazing, incredible, the list goes on, some have doubts in young business owners, but that's for another blog. First, let me tell you my story.
So how did this begin?
Let's get in to how we got here. From very young, I was obsessed with candles (even though I wasn't allowed to own them at this age!!). Every shop I went into, that sold a candle, I would be straight to it. I remember begging my mum to let me have a candle but I was never, allowed to have one. She always thought that I'd end up burning the house down!
Fast forward a couple months, she gave in... We were on a family holiday in the UK and ended up passing this shop, that was floor to ceiling COVERED, in candles. I begged and begged and begged to have one and finally, and there it was in my hands, my first ever candle! Apple scented (no idea why that's the one I chose).
My obsession took over my bedroom. I had candles everywhere. They were on every surface, stored away under my bed, neatly decorated next to each other, pushed into corners. Everywhere.
But then how did I end up making candles?
2018 me hadn't a clue what she wanted to do with her life, what her passions or interests were, or what to even do in college. I honestly didn't have a clue what I was going to do or what my future looked like. I knew I didn't want to go into A-levels as exams defiantly were not my strong point. I ended up looking into doing a BTEC.
Me and my friends, at the time were all obsessed with makeup. We were always asking for the new eyeshadow palette or the newest contour product. One of my friends, then went on to applying for my chosen college's makeup course. Me, then not having any idea what I wanted to do, decided that I wanted to do that too. So I did. I applied, I interviewed, I got a place, I didn't do it.
Makeup wasn't my career passion. It was a hobby that eventually, I ended up losing interest in. Being from Suffolk, I went to the Suffolk show (as pretty much everybody does) and there was my chosen college, at a their own stand. I thought I'd just have a quick chat with them considering I had no idea what my plans were. They suggested business. Doing a business course meant I would have 2 years to figure out what my passions were whilst completing a course that would still leave me with a lot of open doors.
This was fate. Quite literally, there is no other explanation for it. Then going into my second year of my business BTEC, we were given an option. "Complete 1 of 3 pathways for your final year"
View pathway options:
- Marketing
- Finance
- Maybe accounting? (I can't really remember, oops)
Marketing was my chosen pathway. And I am glad it was. We were given a project. Our big project. This was, in short, to create a product being as sustainable as possible, research the market, create a stall and sell this product.
I bet you can guess the chosen product...
We were stuck... What on earth do we chose? We had only a few days to decide what we wanted to create a business around and we hadn't a clue. However, me being me, obsessed with candles all of a sudden had a light bulb moment... Candles. It was obvious, our chosen product was to make candles.
I thought it would be easy. "Everyone makes candles, surely it can't be that hard" Was I wrong? Yes. But i did it. I made a candle. Went miles over the budget given, but there it was, the first ever candle I created.
From there it was great. I loved every minute of it. Creating the products in my kitchen, researching the market, creating and designing a website, creating our first market stall.
Project coming to an end, our product was finished. I created the website, stocked the candles up on the stall and it was time to sell.
The photo to the right was our finished product and finished market stall. I ended up being awarded 3 certificates for this project. First was for highest value sales, second, best project engagement and third, best website design. I felt really proud, passionate and like I'd found my thing.
So what now?
College was done. Now what. it was time to go into the real world, get a job, but what job. I ended up back at square one. I felt stuck. I had a couple jobs within this time to now and each job I just knew was not for me.
Making candles ended up being pushed to the side. At this point it wasn't a business, I struggled with the space I had, and my focus was on finding a career path.
How did you get back into it then?
So, how did I get back into it? This was when I was in my second job. This job made me really unhappy, i felt stuck, hopeless and passionless. I am a very creative person and this job was far from creative however, this job was what I needed to get me back into making candles, the thing that I loved and had a huge passion and love for. And guess what... my passion for candle making was still there. Lots of research, time, money and effort went back into candle making.
I wanted to make this a business. I knew I did, it was always my dream to have a business that was my own. Me, being candle obsessed, wanted to give my products to others and there is a reason why. I have had plenty of candles in the past that have come from big companies. These candles gave me headaches, made me wheezy, sneezy, the whole lot. Mine didn't. I did tonnes of research into the best materials and products, what were most sustainable, what weren't, and I had landed on the most amazing, candle supplier. They provide materials that ensure safety first always. Their customer service was outstanding, beyond anything I have ever seen and a bonus, the owners treat you like you're their friends. This felt like everything was falling into place.
This to me, felt like fait. I wanted to keep creating and making and wanted to give others the same experience I felt when I lit one of my candles.
Turning my candle making into a business was a no brainer. But me, being super, super shy, had no idea how I was going to sell when I didn't want anyone to know it was me behind the products.
So, what changed?
When you find something that becomes your passion, you do everything in your power to make sure you can keep pursuing this. I have a distinction in Business and Marketing, I received 3 certificates for my products, sales and engagement. To me, turning my hobby into a business had fallen into place so perfectly.
I got in contact with an organisation who helps small business thrive and succeed and they were also amazing! I learnt how to do my taxes, how to market my product in ways I wasn't taught before, understanding my customer, the list goes on.
I had all this knowledge, all this experience and this huge passion. So I did it. I made the leap, I launched Lavender and Lilac Candle Co. now known as Mysa Homeware and I am so glad I did. I am proud of the products I have made and the business I have created and the customers that believe in me.
My dream is for Mysa Homeware to be my future. To continue creating new products, providing you with amazing quality and standard of products. Everything is handmade, by me, in my little studio in small batches. This ensures top quality.
I have a goal, that one day, I wish to stock a huge range of self-care products. (I won't give all my ideas away for now) but my ideas and dreams are big. I love everything self-care and wellbeing and this is my focus. I want to ensure that I can give you amazing products that help you thrive with self-care and that make you feel amazing. I want you, as my customers, to know that not only do I have big dreams for my business, but my no.1 priority I ensure I give quality and perfection every single time and that is what makes my business, what it is today. I am so excited for what the future holds for my business and I can't wait to take you along on my journey.
