I started making candles from a humble craft kit and grew it into a million-dollar business. Here are the steps I took to go from Etsy to Nordstrom.

• Tamara Mayne started making candles as gifts for her family with a store-bought candlemaking kit.
• Mayne sold them as a side hustle and grew her brand, Brooklyn Candle Studio, through wholesalers.
• Her candles are stocked in Free People and Nordstrom, and the business hit seven figures in 2021.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tamara Mayne, the founder of Brooklyn Candle Studio, about turning a hobby into a business. It has been edited for length and clarity. 

I was working full time as an art director when I started making candles. It was around Christmas in 2012, and I'd bought a candlemaking kit to make gifts for my family. My first few attempts were a complete failure; the candles tunneled, they didn't burn well, and I couldn't work out the best ratio of fragrance to wax.