As you know there was great enthusiasm at the 3 day Chandler Congress last summer in August 2003. It will take much more than 3 days and enthusiasm to have a functional Guild that operates 365 days per year. At the Congress we agreed that 2004 would be an exploratory year to decide what form the Guild would take as a permanent organization. We found out that a volunteer Board of 12 people cannot devote the time and effort necessary without financial compensation. The Guild is a great idea that must now move from good idea to a functional reality.

We decided not to have a similar 3 day "show" this summer, but rather skip one year of Chandler Congress until we can build a working organization so that a Chandler Guild Congress event in Summer 2005 will have proper followup and a strong Guild organizartion behind it.

We've had a delegation from El Salvador complete our Village Chandler training session in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We now also have an associate to build our global connection for Chandler training in Europe.

Warehouse Partners/Best UPS Rate

Brian Bock/The Candlelier has just pointed out that some Chandlers would have a lower UPS rate from one wax warehouse partner rather than another depending on the exact location of each Chandler.

All of the wax warehouse partners work as a team. If any Chandler determines that a better UPS rate is available from one warehouse location than another just contact your own regional warehouse partner. Let them know the location that you want your wax shipped from to achieve the best rate UPS. The warehouse partners are all committed to providing excellent service to all Chandlers. They will coordinate their effort to achieve this.

"He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that." - John Stuart Mill

The Guild has elected a governing body, The Table of Twelve. The Table of Twelve is now forming a conflict resolution Team of Three mediators. Brian Bock, of West Virginia has stepped forward to lead the Mediation Team. Any Guild members that have a complaint or any guild members that have a business dispute can submit their situation to this team for productive resolution. That process will be much more productive than random complaints, angry statements and accusations.

Our collective effort building the Chandler Guild is very good news. In the world at large, bad news always grabs the headlines and feature stories of print and broadcast media.

History books are filled with the records or wars, disasters assasinations and global violence. The good deeds and productive work of the day to day silent majority are left out of the pages of official history. History books report much less than 1% of the actual human experience. The good work and loving actions of the masses within families, homes, small business and communties remains the silent reality of the human condition. Herstory and Humanstory are left out of traditonal History Books. History Books would be more accurately described as The Bad News Annals of the Human Race and The Games Big Men Play.

The Guild will have processes and services far beyond a traditional trade association. The Guild will become a global microenterprise and small business network. During our first formative year, the Table of Twelve will invest extensive research time to determine the best legal structure for the Guild to operate through. Read this short article about seven essential developmental goals for the Chandler Guild, then join in the discussion.

One of the most important life lessons that an entrepreneur learns is that any problem presents an opportunity.

I have been very direct and upfront both with postings on this site and at the Chandler Congress that a business challenge in my own company caused the delay of shipping goods to a few of my customers.

Several of these parties have posted complaints here at this website. The challenge that I had expereiced is now solved. The delayed goods will be shipped or a refund provided to these parties within the next few days.

Recently an issue was raised by Jen and Bob that some people recieved information during Chandler Training that others did not. I completed a training session of 4 new Chandler enterprises this weekend. Every week we will have more new Chandlers that will want to joint into the Chandler Guild Alliance. It is important for me to state exactly what the objectives of this training are:

1. It has been stated clearly in every training session and in all printed material about Village Chandler that our objective is to create an alliance of independent candle producers rather than a franchise or any type of standard one size fits all business model.

Hello Fello Chandlers,
I just wanted to pass on a little encouragement. Especially to the new Chandlers. But also to anyone interested. So, I would like to offer the definition of the word:

PASSION: That surge of spriit that helps you know---and pursue---what you really want out of life.

ADVICE TO NEW CHANDLERS

FIRST, take it easy. Because it's your passion, you can get carried away and burn out.