13 year old Hart Main wanted to buy a $1,200 bike to compete in triathlons . To get money, he started a company called MansCans that only sold “manly” scents in a soup can.
The idea for a manly scented candle came to Main in October 2010, when his sister, Camryn, was selling candles for a school fundraiser. Main thought the scents were “too girly.” Main spent his savings of $100 on supplies and a starter kit for candle making. From November 2010 to spring 2011, MansCans first 20,000 candles where made.
Besides a manly scent, Main decided to add an extra touch of masculinity to his candle line by putting them in soup cans instead of glass jars. Soup was bought at grocery stores and eaten so the cans could be used to fill with wax. At first, it was just the family eating soup, but as production grew, friends and neighbors found themselves being asked to polish off a can.
Soon, a Columbus news station broadcast a story about Main’s business. The story was picked up by the Associated Press and soon ManCans had 1,600 orders for 4,800 candles. By the spring of 2011, candle manufacturing was moved out of the Mains’ kitchen and warehouse space was rented, and about five employees were hired to help make candles. In January 2014, ManCans went into full production after Main was approached by the Beaver Creek Candle Co. in Lisbon to manufacture and distribute the candles, and that is where they are made today.
Around the same time, Main launched SheCans, a candle line with scents targeted toward women. Beaver Creek Candle Co. manufactures both lines. But now, instead of donating soup, ManCans donates 75 cents of every candle sale to soup kitchens in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Michigan. The Main family comes up with a majority of their candle scents. Others are recommended by customers. Main said the most popular scents are Fresh Cut Grass and Campfire. Other scents include Bacon, Root Beer, New Mitt, Dirt and Memphis Style BBQ.
It is awesome that Main started his company at such a young age with a simple idea. It is exciting to see that he has a social cause wrapped inside the framework of his business.