Chandler Business Best Practices

Your goal is to be a Village Chandler, not the Village Idiot! ;-) Success as a microenterprise businessperson is more than just making beautiful and environmentally-friendly candles. You need to be able to run a successful craft business. In this section of the handbook, community members document and share their lessons of hard knocks learned along the way to becoming an independent and creative Village Chandler.

Product Liability and Warning Labels... another good NG tip!

The good folks at Nature's Garden have an excellent web site full of helpful candlemaking information. In today's 'sue-happy' world, product liability is a real issue for Village Chandlers. Lesson-ette #10, Product Liability, at the Nature's Garden web site is particularly insightful (and based on information provided by product liability lawyer, David Austin). Especially helpful is the suggested Warning Label to include on all your candles. Like the Nature's Garden folks say, and we say this too about ourselve... we're not lawyers. This information is provided to you without any warranty that we're saving your butt from bad people. If you want real professional advice, see a good lawyer. Bottom line... get those Warning Labels on all your candles!

Display cards/tags.

Like most of everyone else who has joined the Chandlers Guild we have been watching and waiting for something to happen, and as many have noticed nothing has. I would like to get the ball rolling on a post made Submitted by blueridgemercantile on 03/19/2003 - 06:24 They Write: “I don't know about anyone else but I plan to either attach a small tag to my candles or have an information sheet at the site of my displays that briefly lists the pros of soy wax candles. I was wondering what you guys think about deciding together on a short list of these pros that we can all uniformly use in our advertising or labeling. Let me know if anyone else is planning to attach any of this info. to their candles. “ Carol, Randi and I all agree this is a great idea and is a good place for this group to come together to start creating a standard that we all can agree with and adhere to. We have drafted a display card that reads as follows: ================================== Soy Candles Protect the Environmental Benefit American Farmers & Businesses Won’t Fill Your Home With Oily Soot COMPANY NAME soy wax candles are made primarily of genetically unmodified soybeans, with other botanical oils to improve burning, as well as color and scent retention, are non-toxic, and biodegradable. Soy wax candles typically burn 25% longer than paraffin candles, and unlike paraffin, soy wax does not emit toxic compounds that build up in your home, and your lungs. Soy wax comes from a renewable resource that benefits both American Farmers & Businesses. Where as paraffin comes from refined crude oil, which is not renewable, and the purchase of paraffin candles benefits Oil Barons, primarily from the Middle East. For more information please visit: www.YOURSITE.com ================================ This is also printed on the back of our business cards. We are more than happy to take the lead in getting this going, so please contact us directly if you are uncomfortable with posting to the Guild Community, with suggestions and comments. Bob, Carol, & Randi Sterenberg American Harvest Candles, LTD. chandler@americanharvestcandles.us www.americanharvestcandles.us