Intentionally Inspired
If you would’ve told me ten years ago that I’d own a candle company, I’d have laughed hysterically at the ridiculousness of the notion. Yet, it wasn’t long ago that I had transformed my basement into a candle manufacturing factory. I morphed into a combination of Martha Stewart and Walter White, and I’m almost sure my neighbors suspected I was running a small drug operation. To their credit, they never called the cops.
As Wixology Candle Co. grows, more people ask me how it came to be. I suppose I don’t fit most people’s image of a candle maker. They often assume I’m a candle fanatic who wanted to create a business around my passion. They’d be correct on the latter, but the passion is usually misidentified. The origin story of Wixology shows that inspiration isn’t always what it’s made out to be. Not every idea results from a random epiphany or prophetic vision. And most great ideas don’t result in well-executed businesses. Felix Dennis described this best, saying:
“The belief that you have a great idea is not worth cuckoo spit. Ideas are ten a penny while the ability to execute counts for a great deal more.”
Before I get into Wixology, it’s important to understand a few things that happened first.
Wixology wasn’t my first attempt at entrepreneurship. I started a real estate investing business that flipped properties and held others as rentals when serving in the Air Force. During this time, I hit the books to understand the basic principles of bookkeeping, financial analysis, marketing, etc. Fortunately, we were mostly successful, but eventually, my business partner and I got inundated with our day jobs and families and pumped the brakes on the business. The experience lit a fire that has raged since and given me the confidence to pursue other fruitful endeavors.
While learning the ins and outs of real estate, I started writing. I was a total noob and came across a real estate investing community that included first-timers like me and seasoned veterans alike. The site’s blog and forum were full of great information. I became a sponge and soaked up as much knowledge as possible. I spent my spare time reading, analyzing hypothetical deals, and asking questions. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment in time, but eventually, I found myself regularly authoring pieces for the blog, providing the perspective of an upstart investor. I even made an appearance on the site’s podcast, which has since featured wildly popular folks like Grant Cardone. Not being afraid to put myself out there (or doing it despite the fear) helped me learn more quickly and make meaningful connections.
I’ve re-listened to that podcast episode a few times and always cringed. It’s hard to hear yourself, to begin with, but it’s even harder to look back at old content after years of learning and a different perspective. But I’m very grateful that I was on that show. Years after it dropped, I got a message on LinkedIn from someone who had heard the episode and recently moved into the area. He was also interested in real estate and wanted to meet over coffee. What started as a Venti White Mocha led to the creation of Wixology Candle Company.
Now that you have some background on how I met Alex, the co-founder of Wixology, we can get into the concept of inspiration. Alex and I became fast friends. Our second meeting ended in bourbon cocktails and tequila shots — we vibed from the get-go. Like me, Alex is energetic and enthusiastic about life and business. We partnered on some real estate deals, but more importantly, we served as sounding boards. We had countless brainstorming sessions, usually with cocktails in hand. Nothing was off-limits. We conjured up some of the most ridiculous ideas ever conceived.
A lot of people think a great idea gives birth to a business. Alex and I took the opposite approach; we decided to start a business first and were determined to back our way into an idea. Being from Ohio and living in Kentucky, Alex appreciated the community spirit (pun intended) behind the region’s bourbon and horse racing industries. Kentuckians are very passionate about these two pastimes, and Alex wanted to create a product that captured the essence of that culture.
With that in mind, we continued our booze-assisted idea sessions. At some point, Alex called out, “what about candles?” I quickly dismissed the idea, not being particularly fond of candles. But a few minutes later, I asked to revisit the idea. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of starting a candle company. A candle biz would have low barriers to entry and be relatively easy to scale. But there are thousands of candle companies; what would make our candles better?
We spent subsequent ideation sessions focused on candles, with the Kentucky culture element in mind. The answer was bourbon. Since candles are often in glass containers anyway, why couldn’t we use whiskey glasses instead of generic containers? And maybe each scent could reflect the notes of our favorite cocktails? And we can include a recipe card that the customer can use to make that cocktail. The ideas came pouring in.
It took months after those initial conversations to iterate numerous prototypes, create the brand, and develop a strategy. Being motivated and actively seeking opportunities helps you see them. If you’re waiting for the perfect idea to come to you, you might wait forever. If you’re intentional about developing ideas, you might find great ideas in the strangest places.
