Meet Makatu Tshivhula, a young entrepreneur who went from working at a candle-manufacturing factory to owning one.
The 26-year-old from Soweto is the founder of The Light Candles, a company he started in February 2020. Their catalogue ranges from regular household to fancy scented candles. His candles are popular among churches, traditional healers and event organisers.
According to SME South Africa, the candle-making industry is full of opportunities. It advises that while candles are no longer used as an important source of light, they are valued for their scents, shapes, colours and ingredients.
“Candles can be sold as premium products, and there are many creative opportunities to make unique candles that appeal to different audiences. People buy candles on impulse – they don’t need to think too much about purchasing one.
“This means there are plenty of opportunities to make fast sales, as long as you target the right audience. Another highlight of starting a candle-making business is that candles are small and easy to package and ship. This means selling candles lends itself well to e-commerce – which is a key trend in the industry.”
After working for a candle-making company for five months, Tshivhula used his new skills and knowledge to manufacture and distribute candles to his community and courier to other provinces.
He said he was determined to start his own candle-making business after working at the factory and acquiring the skill.
However, he concedes that the journey has not been smooth-sailing, having had to overcome numerous challenges. Chief among these were funding and access to markets through distribution channels.
“Currently it has been four years since I started the business, and it is growing stronger by the month. There are now more people who know about The Light Candles. I get over a mountain, and a new mountain appears, so I have been taking it one day at a time and it has been going quite well,” Tshivhula said.
What sets The Light Candles apart in the market is that it can make up to 30 different colours. “Moreover, The Light Candles products last up to 12 hours, while other brands last between six and seven hours,” continued Tshivhula.
“From the idea of candle production, you need to have an idea of the type of candles you want to make, and you must look at what type of mould you want to have.”
There are diverse types of moulds, such as the human body figure, a car, cake and moulds of a heart. Furthermore, different shapes and sizes of moulds can be fragranced.
The process of moulding a candle includes melting solid wax and pouring it into the mould of your preference while it is still hot.
“After a few hours, you have a fully functioning candle,” he explained.
With South Africa having recently celebrated Youth Month in June, Tshivhula said there should be a spotlight on young entrepreneurs for their businesses to be given exposure.
“Young people play a huge role in the economy… We might not be making a lot of money, but it is a step in the right direction,” he concluded.
- This article first appeared in Vuk’uzenzele
