The Spot-light is on: The Blue Gecko Candle Company

Meet the Mom Behind The Blue Gecko Candle Company!

Who is the Blue Gecko Candle Company and what sets you apart from other candle companies? Where are you located?
Based out of Chandler, Arizona, we are a home business dedicated to making the world smell better one home at a time! We are an internet based company specializing in highly scented candles, wax tarts, bath products, shea butter and glycerin soaps, air fresheners, sachets and more! Scents can trigger memories, affect your mood, and create a sense of well being. That being said, our wax tarts (also known as wax melts, wax potpourri, and wax chips) are some of the strongest scents out there! After two years of testing and creating the perfect formula, we created tarts that will scent your entire home AND will last a minimum of 8 hours (although we find that many last MUCH longer!). We pride ourselves in our customer service and treat each customer as a friend. Every product is crafted by hand and is made to order.

What sets us apart? Quality, quality, quality! We extensively test all of our products to ensure the highest quality (and best smelling) goods are produced! We’ve kept our candle line small. We focus on quality, not quantity. We specialize in the very versatile 4 oz luxury travel tin candles. Each scent is tested to make sure it burns evenly and smells fabulous. We pride ourselves in our customer service, and work hard to make sure every customer has an enjoyable positive experience.

How did you come up with your business name?
The Blue Gecko Candle Company came from two ideals. The blue part: In the ancient Chinese study of Feng Shui, it is said that the color blue promotes deep calm, serenity. It represents peace and trust, soothing, and calm. Burning a special fragrance, bathing in that certain extraordinary scent, or relaxing under the warm glow of a softly flickering flame, we can't imagine a better way to achieve serenity, calmness, peace. And as a mom, goodness knows we can all use a little peace!

And as for the "Gecko" in our name and logo? I’ve always loved the little guys. Hawaiian folklore designates this shy little lizard as a symbol of luck. A gecko in the home is thought to bring good luck to those who enter.

What better name than one that promotes serenity, peace and good fortune!


When and why did you decide to start your own business?
After having three children, and being blessed with the ability to stay at home, I knew that I eventually wanted to work from home. I wanted to be able to have the flexibility to help out in the kids’ classrooms, and volunteer with their many activities, to be there for them when they needed me.

I’ve always had an obsession with candles. In 2004, I discovered the world of wax tarts. I loved burning them, but was disappointed in their strength and how long they lasted. In 2005, I had an epiphany. I could make AND improve wax tarts! And so began my adventure. I started playing with different waxes, formulas, and additives. I began researching, and creating. By 2007 I had my formula down (AND my tarts were nice and strong and lasted!). That’s how it all began. I started making tarts by the dozens, candles, dabbled in bath products and air fresheners, and slowly things began snowballing. Friends and family were placing orders left and right, but everyone had one question, “Do you have a website I can order from?”.

How did you get started?
In September of 2007, I made the decision to open a website. I researched, researched, researched! I looked at my competition and knew what I did and didn’t want my image to be. After months of very hard work, I launched The Blue Gecko Candle Company. We opened our “doors” in October 2007 and haven’t looked back!

What motivates you to keep going?
My children motivate me to keep going. I want to instill in them the pride of ownership, good work ethics, and the belief that with determination, anything can be accomplished. That women can be successful business owners just as well as men is another lesson I hope to drive home. The fact that I truly LOVE what I’m doing is an added bonus. It’s easy to be motivated when you are truly excited about the products you are creating. My customers are another motivating factor. I cannot even express how wonderful it is when customers express how much they love our products. It’s very rewarding.

Do you have a particular product that you’re promoting on your site?
With summer in full swing it’s time to add a little summer fragrance to your living space! We are promoting our fabulous scented Summer Scentsations Tart grab bags! With scents like Pineapple Paradise, Rootbeer Float, and All American Apple Pie, to name a few…your mouth will be watering and your home smelling fantastic! We also have a floral version of the grab bag which includes such lovely fragrances as Honeysuckle, Lilac Blossoms and Butterfly Garden! Don’t have a tart warmer? No worries! We sell a variety of designer tart warmers as well.

How do you advertise your business? Which methods proved successful/effective?
Word of mouth has been the most successful form of advertising thus far. We’ve also provided samples for reviews, participated in promotional sample boxes, and paid for advertising spots on relevant websites.

How do you juggle family and work at home?
This has been one of my biggest challenges. Setting a schedule has helped, but with children at home, that schedule needs to be flexible. Because I’m working with extremely hot wax, I only pour products when the kids are sleeping. I try to get up early before the kids (ha!), and will stay up late working after they’ve gone to bed. I’ve set aside two days a week to be dedicated “work” days and will schedule play dates at friend’s houses for a for a few hours, have my husband take the kids out, or plan an activity that will keep them occupied.

What advice would you give moms seeking to become a WAHM?
Expect to succeed! If you’ve done your research, worked hard, and truly believe in yourself and your company, there is no reason why you can’t succeed! Set a schedule, network with other WAHMs, and most importantly…get out of the house once at least once a day ;)

As moms, we often have a hard time taking time out for ourselves (especially if we’re WAHMs!). Lighting a candle, running a bubble bath, and just taking 10 minutes out of our busy day to relax, can help us sit back and rejuvenate our spirits.

Current promotions at The Blue Gecko Candle Company?
From now until July 2, if you type WAHMSpot in the coupon code box, you’ll receive 10% off your entire order!

Anything else you want to add about your company or being a WAHM in general?
Being a work at home mom is definitely hard work, but hearing the pride in your child’s voice as she’s telling her friends, “My mom made this”, is very rewarding! And the best part of being a WAHM? I’m here in the morning when the kids wake up, I can still get them to school and I’m here when they get home, I don’t miss a minute of their lives. True, my laundry still piles up, my toilets still need to be scrubbed, and dinner still needs to get cooked, but I am not complaining.

I am blessed. I have the best of both worlds, and I am thankful. Thank you for allowing me to share my story.

Visit The Blue Gecko Candle Company at: www.bluegeckocandles.com



(Note: All images courtesy of The Blue Gecko Candle Company. Please respect their work and do not copy and/or alter their images. Thank you! )