Lighting the way for a new candle start-up: Natasha Anku

Natasha Anku is a final year University of Birmingham student studying Anthropology and African Studies. She has started a new candle business and is launching her website at the beginning of next year.

Venora Candle Co aims to reshape of reshaping the modern take on candles. We specialise in decorative candles which range from body candles, to abstract shapes, to classic pillar candles. All the candles are made to make the home or living space more inviting and more exciting, whilst offering lovely scents.

I have always wanted to have my own business, as I have been inspired by friends and other people on social media with small businesses.

However, I was always worried about having enough time and money to start it. When I heard from a friend that the university is offering £500 to help start-up businesses I took that as a sign to take the first scary step and start!

I am a big fan of scented candles, as they make living spaces so cosy and inviting! I thought this was something that would be fun to learn more about, and would be enjoyable to make and sell. As a consumer, it was relatively easy for me to identify elements which I'd like a candle to have. I took this on board and decided to create candles which strayed from traditional container candles, and offering the consumer control and choice over the candles they want. All candles are made to order, so customers can choose from a range of styles, scents and colours to match their aesthetic.

I made use of the resources available from the B-Enterprising team. I booked an
initial phone call with Nicola where I described my business idea and she gave me some amazing tips and feedback which guided me in the right direction. It gave me a lot of confidence in my idea too.

I also attended a B-Enterprising workshop on intellectual property with Forresters. This was great as I received a lot of legal advice which I wouldn't have otherwise been aware of. It also helped me as I had previously had a business name which was very similar to another candle business. After the session I spoke to Emma from Forresters who kindly suggested that I changed the name to avoid any complications in the future. If this session wasn't available or I hadn't attended, I wouldn't have known to avoid this.

These are just a few examples of the great resources available to students.
The best part is creating a brand which I love! It is a thrilling and rewarding process, especially when you hear the compliments from friends and family. Another great aspect is actually making and demoulding the candles. They look amazing, and it makes me proud and confident of the business.

A bad aspects would be comparison. It is very easy for me to compare myself with other people who are in similar fields, and try to take on their ideas. Although inspiration is good, it is important for me to be confident in my brand and what I bring. Everyone's journey will look different. In addition, time management has been a struggle. I have had to balance starting the brand whilst studying. it has been hard - especially in the beginning stages where there is a lot of research, testing, and trial and error. However, I am confident that after I have past this hurdle I will have measures to manage my time effectively.

I wish I knew that equipment takes up A LOT of space in my room! Being at university, it means that my room is the only space really I have to work, sleep, and build a business. Since I am creating and selling a physical product, it means my space is compromised. I have had to shift things around and accept that my room my not be tidy 100% of the time! Also making candles can be quite messy, and I have learnt that cleaning wax out of the carpet is not as easy as it seems.

Overall, I am overjoyed that I made use of the service. It has a wealth of resources which are available to students and I am very grateful, the team have also been amazing. If it wasn't for the service, I don't think I would've had the confidence to start, but I'm glad I did!

I am planning on selling in Jan 2023, I am currently refining the final touches for the website, and batch creating social media content in the Christmas period, so watch this space!

If you would like to get support to create your own idea, visit the B-Enterprising website.