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The Candle Lady and the Dip

What would you do if you woke up one morning and said “I can’t do this work any more! I’ve had it! All I can see is this big iceberg blocking my way. And I don’t have the energy to get past it.” That’s what happened to Pat Hess, owner of Colonial Candlecrafters. After many years of managing her shop near Lewisburg, PA, Pat found herself in a self-described “funk.” The cyclical nature of the business, the increased competition, and a fluctuating economy seemed like good reasons for giving up. On a daily basis, she began to ask herself if it was time to do just that.

Best selling author Seth Godin says every new project starts out fun, then gets harder and less fun, until it hits a low point: really hard and not much fun at all. He calls this The Dip. Clearly Pat was experiencing a Dip.

PAT’ STORY
Since 1982, Pat had owned and managed her candle making business; it had been fun, challenging and rewarding. But then something happened. After 25 years, she felt her energy and enthusiasm diminishing. Things that she typically handled effortlessly now required great effort. As she continued to operate the store and workshop, she grappled daily with what she should do. Close up shop…find other work or continue in the business. Pat says that there were days when she was very close to quitting. As she reviewed her efforts over the years, remembered new initiatives she had taken, thought about the wonderful staff working with her, she found herself in a serious dilemma. But at some point, Pat says she realized that if she were going to move forward, she was the only one who could do it. She was in charge. And then something happened that resulted in a renewed commitment to her work.

When a vendor that owned the molds for some of the “Critter Candles” pictured here failed to ship Pat’s holiday order, Pat was told that her high quality standards were the exception - not the rule. The vendor would no longer service Colonial Candlecrafters because, in the past, Pat had returned candles with defects. The supplier said that Pat was confusing handmade with perfection. That’s when Pat knew that she had what it would take to continue to be successful. She was going to push through the Dip.

Godin states that winners commit to beating the right dip for the right reasons, creating the opportunity to become number one in their field. The vendor’s reference to Pat’s high standards regarding product quality, confirmed for Pat that she was in the right dip.

To read more about how Pat took Colonial Candlecrafters to the next level, see The Candle Lady - After the Dip.

The Candle Lady - After The Dip

 With renewed energy, Pat Hess set out to take Colonial Candlecrafters to a new level. Listed below are several steps she took which have led to ongoing customer satisfaction and expanded business development.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

• Pat looked at her beginnings and brought to life “old favorites” – candle designs that had not been seen for some time - and featured them anew in her shop.

• She conferred with her staff to create a unique design for candles previously purchased from vendors.

• The coup-de-tat: Pat longed to feature The Critters, but with the vendor no longer willing to make them for her, she had to find another source. With the assistance of her staff, Pat was able to locate molds from a different company which had recently gone out of business. Once she did that, she made a critical decision: she decided to purchase them and make her own line of Critter candles. Today Colonial Candlecrafters’ Critters are proudly displayed in her shop.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Pat discovered that, although a large percentage of her customer base consists of travelers/tourists, there was an opportunity to work with local businesses as well. Colonial CandleCrafters expanded its market by creating personalized candles for special occasions, such as wedding ceremonies, baptisms, and memorial candles for funeral homes, creating a stronger local presence.

• Pat’s affiliations with local professional organizations has eliminated the feeling of “being in this alone” which she experienced while in The Dip. In keeping with her belief that brick walls are put up to see how badly we want what is on the other side and realizing that she is the one who had to make things happen, she formed a Women’s Business Group to provide support and resources. Their name? POW WOW Professional Opportunities Working with Other Women

And then there’s Pat…
Does it take unique characteristics to survive a Dip? I don’t know the answer to that, but I can tell you what I learned about Pat.

She likes people and believes they are inherently good. She enjoys making a sale a memorable customer experience. She regards her staff with affection, respect and gratitude. She considers her work a craft – her business expertise is candle-making.

…And she thinks a good time is sitting in her shop on a Sunday morning, painting chickens.

A personal note: I met Pat Hess in July (08) while traveling from MD to NY. I was so impressed with her love of life and work, that I had to know more. As she told me her story, I thought visitors to my site might like to hear it as well. Thank you for sharing, Pat.

If you know someone with an interesting Career Biography, please ask them to share it with me so that I might add it to the blog. They can contact me through the contact form on my website. www.rcmassociates.com