Maker Profile: Effing Candle Co.
A statement has never smelled so sweet: meeting Effing Candle Co.
We sat down with Birdie Hansen, owner of Effing Candle Co., to chat about starting your own business, sharing your process with customers, and not being afraid to make a statement.
When did you start making candles?
I started making candles in the summer of 2020 when the sourdough phase of the pandemic was winding down and I needed something to keep my hands (and brain) busy!
You work with especially clean components on all parts of your candle making process– can you tell us about the journey to making Effing as sustainable as possible?
Gosh, I could talk about this all day! When I started researching candle making ingredients, I realized that there are a lot of icky ingredients, unsustainable practices, and a lack of transparency in the candle world, which isn’t something I ever thought about as a consumer; all I cared about was “Does it look cute/smell nice?” and I think that’s where a lot of people start and stop with their candle shopping.
Once I dug into what could go into candles and the lack of transparency from manufacturers due to lax labeling requirements, I wanted to make something better and something we’d be proud of sharing with our customers - something with an incredible hot and cold scent throw (how much fragrance a candle emits when lit/unlit), long-lasting burn time, and sustainable/earth-friendly ingredients. We tried so many different ingredients and formulations before landing on our current recipes.
Is the scent development process as fun as it sounds? Where do you get inspiration from?
Scent development is my absolute favorite part of the process. I don’t ever make a fragrance I don’t love to smell (if you’re going to spend hundreds of hours with a scent, you better love it). Our fragrance library has a little bit of everything - something warm, grounding, and comforting; something uplifting, effervescent, and brightening; something sweet and playful. I get a lot of inspiration from meaningful moments - all of our scents are meant to celebrate an event or a feeling.
Okay, and what about your cheeky candle names? We know you've got some funny stories there!
When I was a little girl, I thought THE coolest job in the whole world was naming nail polishes, so getting to create the names for the candles is a dream come true. One of my favorite scents - Rooftop Margaritas - is named after a night out during a girl’s trip to Mexico and plenty of blood orange margaritas. The scent reminds me of dancing on the table with your friends after one too many drinks 💃🏻
Effing Candle Co. is not afraid to make a statement! What called you to embrace the activism side of your company?
We sure aren’t! I come from a nonprofit background and have seen firsthand how causes can bring people together. I also tend to shop brands that have a mission-driven business and I think people underestimate how important it is to vote with your dollars everyday.
What are some of the organizations Effing supports?
We’ve given back to KC Pet Project, Harvesters, PROMO Missouri and on March 1st, our “Abortion is Healthcare” candle will drop. 15% of sales from that candle will be donated to Planned Parenthood Great Plains. We have some collaborations coming up later this year with other nonprofits that are really exciting.
You've really been able to leverage social media for sales. Can you share some tips with our readers/entrepreneurs out there?
My biggest tip is to keep it real and let people come along for the ride. Our feeds are not neat and tidy! We share a lot of behind-the-scenes content that isn’t super polished, but people let our candles into their homes, so we return the favor and let them into our process - even the not-so-glamorous parts. There’s no one “right” way to do social media and we’ve also had to take some breaks along the way to rest, recalibrate, and recharge. Right now the business is just me and my husband, and it’s impossible to keep up with every trend. Marketing is truly a full-time job.
Any other tips for small business owners on getting started or growing?
This sounds super cheezy, but be yourself and don’t be afraid of failing (but do it quickly)! When we originally started out, we were Gifts By Birdie and I was creating the brand I thought people wanted to see, but it wasn’t at all who I am. Once I felt comfortable letting my quirky personality come through, things got way more fun and the sales followed.
