Candles are becoming increasingly popular today, especially at this time of the year. Yet many candles are made from paraffin wax, which releases carcinogens into the air when burned. Natural candles made from soy or beeswax are on the rise and Nic Bianchi is capitalizing on this trend.
When he was twelve years old, his parents gave him a candle-making kit because he had always been interested in crafts. He soon learned the art of candle-making and began selling his candles to family. Over time, relatives began asking him to make more and when he sold 125 candles his first day at a craft fair, he knew he needed to market his product to a wider market. They created a website and sold his candles in two stores: Bel’ Angelo and Twisted Sisters Salon.
He said in an interview that there were some hectic weeks like when he did a fundraiser for the late Omaha Police Officer, Kerrie Orozco. He sold about 125 candles in 12 hours, he said, and they all needed to be finished in five days. He ended up calling his cousins to come help him finish the orders in time.
Nic says his dream is to one day have a store-front for his candles, but for now, he’s taking the process slowly while he’s in school. Nic is now 16 years old and is still selling his all-natural soy candles on his website, bianchicandleco.com.