16:Let's Get Crafting with Guest Marcie Anguiano, Owner of Mission Crafts Chandlery

It's okay if you have an idea and you start kind of mulling through it and working through it, and even if that's not what it ultimately ends up looking like, that whole process brought you here.

It brings back childhood memories and it brings something to— you never know what's going to affect your adult life.

Everybody has a creative side, so just the pure fact that I can bring out that side of somebody makes it worthwhile.

We're Erika Radis and Marie Lifschultz, a San Antonio area realtor and lender, but most importantly, we're working moms.

The goal of this podcast is to provide support and a sense of community to San Antonio area working moms like us. So join us in trying to find a balance between career, family, and everything in between. Welcome to this episode of the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. We're here with Marcy, um, the owner of Mission Crafts Chandelier, and I'm going to turn it over to her, um, to kind of talk about her business and introduce herself a little bit further.

Thank you so much, um, Erika and Marie, for having me on your podcast. It's such a pleasure to spend the afternoon getting to know a little bit about my business and share story. Super excited to be here. So Mission Crafts Chandelier is a Candle Bar, it's actually San Antonio's only candle bar. And when a lot of people hear the word candle bar, they're like, what do you mean? Can I like make candles and go drink beer? No, that's not necessarily what it is. What it is is that you can come in anytime that we're open, which we're open Wednesday through Sunday. We have about 40 fragrances you can choose from, some really nice ones that are classics like lavender and palo santo and sandalwood and some seasonals like strawberry kiwi right now and sun and sea. And you can design your own scent. So it's almost like you get a personal course with me as an instructor and learning how to layer fragrances. And we have some really fun glassware to choose from where you can design and make your own candle according to the glassware that we have. And we try to keep it really fun and fresh and have it change out every week. And the company is also a custom fragrance products company. And that's actually how I started in the candle business, was designing custom fragrances for some of my clients. Which are some pretty big names in San Antonio. So we work with UTSA and Alamo Colleges, Methodist Hospital, Hyatt Regency, just to name a few. And what's funny about that is it almost is a full circle moment in my life. So previous to owning my own business, I actually was working in development and nonprofit. So I had a lengthy career of over 10 years in fundraising, grant writing, and all the fun things that come with running a nonprofit. And then I was recruited by TJ Maxx when they built their distribution center on the south side of San Antonio to manage their community relations program and their internal employee engagement, which I learned a lot working at TJ Maxx. I actually saw their distribution center being built from the ground up. So it was such an amazing experience. And what was great about working for TJ Maxx is that it allowed me to slowly work on my business. So I actually had the idea My business has, mind you, worn many hats, so it's okay to transition and keep molding and changing the model of your business as the market tells you how to shift. So I had the idea for my business way back in 2014. My daughter was very young, she was about a year and a half old, and the first concept for Mission Crafts was actually a mission-inspired home decor store. So we wanted to carry lines of like throw pillows and nightlights and luminaries and artwork and anything that was representative of the missions of San Antonio would be translated into a home decor piece. So that was the first concept of the business itself. It didn't happen right away. So I sat on it for a really long time. I never really gave up on the dream and it was almost like it was nagging at me like, "When are you going to start?" And it was actually called Mission Shop to begin with. "When are you going to start Mission Shop? When are you going to start Mission Shop?" And then every year that kind of went by, I would tell my husband, are we going to start Mission Shop this year? Or like, how do we start Mission Shop? And I never gave up on designing like collections during that time. But I'm a firm believer and I have a lot of faith in being led by my faith and God. So I'm very spiritual, um, and a lot of different aspects of my life. And I always felt like it was in his timing. So 2014 was when planted, but it wasn't just 2014 seeds planted, let's get this going off the ground. No, there was a lot of waiting and a lot of patience, a lot of setbacks for me in order to get to the point of preparation where I was ready. So when I was working in my nonprofit career, everything that I've experienced with each one of the organizations that I fundraise for, even at TJ Maxx when I was there, had molded me and gave me the experiences I needed in order to be ready to start my business. So now reflect back on it, that long waiting period was shaping me and giving me the tools that I needed, even though now I'm still learning a lot and I'm like, well, I didn't learn this like 10 years ago. So, but I'm learning it today. Um, those experiences all had a purpose. So with the seed planted and then just never giving up on my dream or ever closing the doors on it, and then, you know, just sketching out designs and what I think people would like to see in San Antonio as far as representation of Mission decor. And then I didn't actually launch my business until 2019. So we had more than a few years that passed by until I said, you know what, I had this feeling that now was the time. I had saved a little bit of money. I had just gotten to the point where I was happy with what I was designing throughout the year in order to have it produced. So from 2019, I partnered with different artisans and I found them and they're the ones who helped me bring the collections to life. So what I would say was my responsibility in the candle part was the fragrance design. So I created a collection that was called the Heritage Collection, still is, and it's our most popular candle and fragrance line. Out of everything else that we carry, Heritage Collection is still the number one, especially the Alamo Candle. And when I created from that, I didn't realize that my company would, within those 4 years between 2019 and now, transform into a full-blown fragrance products company and that candles would be the center of my business model. That was not the intent when I started, although it's kind of magical that it transformed in that aspect. And when I say full circle moment, it's funny because a long time ago when I was just graduated high school and I was kind of in that gray zone, you know, do I want to go to college right away? Do I want to wait a couple years? So that area of my life between 18 to 20, years old, my mom had a fragrance product company. So I learned a lot from her. I don't make soaps, she made soaps, she made sachets, she knew how to blend essential oils together to make fabulous scents. She did all her graphic designs. So unbeknownst to me, the 18, 19, 20-year-old Marcy, that that would have a profound effect on my life now, you know, 20-some years later of my life. And what's funny about that is that the idea for Mission Shop actually was planted 2 years after my mom's passing. And since I never gave up on it and it kind of transformed that way, everything that she taught me has led me to have great success with my clients. Everything from childhood, as far as we were always making arts and crafts, beautiful things with our hands, and then the fragrance part happened. And then now my company is completely, um, successful because of everything that she had taught me. Although that's not how I planned it to be, but it's in a way kind of culminated in that, and that's where we're kind of at today, um, in our business models. So a lot of spirituality, a lot of faith, um, a lot of deeper meanings that maybe I don't even understand at the moment, but trying to have to this So definitely a lot of highs and a lot of lows in owning my company. And I think what's great about it is I'm able to share those experiences that I loved with my mother with people who come to experience Mission Crafts and come to make candles or learn about fragrance. So to me, that's the most magical part of all of owning my business.

Yeah. Oh my gosh, what a wonderful story.

I love all of that.

Yeah, I mean, obviously the part, what I really like is how you said like, it's okay if you have an idea and you start kind of mulling through it and working through it. And even if that's not what it ultimately ends up looking like, that whole process brought you here, right? And then also, you know, what a nice way to tie that into, you know, the experiences that you had with your mom. I just think that's the best story. That might be one of the best stories we've heard. It is.

And now when you were telling me about it, I got, we both got a little emotional when I was like, at the shop, I started feeling it because it is something like, it brings back childhood memories and it brings something to, um, you never know what's going to affect your adult life. And I tell my children that all the time, right? Like, hey, if you enjoy something, like, this could be something you can do. I know it doesn't seem real today, but you know, whatever. Like, my, my eldest son really enjoys welding with my husband. You can make that a business. I mean, obviously welders do make decent income, but you can create your own company doing this if you like doing it. So, um, I love the fact that you said, you know, the crafts and the designs, stuff that you've been working on for years, and now it's, it's not something what you imagined originally, but now it's, it is what it is. It is very successful because someone recently got an award, am I right? You recently received an award here in San Antonio.

Okay, tell us about that. Yeah, of course. It was a complete surprise. So, um, And like I said, I'm still in awe of it. I won the Rising Star Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners, and I got to share my story. And I think what was so important about winning that award is that sometimes in business— well, not sometimes, a lot of the time, and that's just me being authentic and real about owning a small business— is you have a lot of self-doubt in your vision, um, and you don't know if you're always going in the right direction or if you're doing the right thing. That comes in waves and they're strong sometimes. And I think about winning the award, what it did is it solidified and validated my vision, which I always say that my vision and the dream that I'm living in is actually my mom's dream because she wanted to take her business to the point of a brick and mortar, but she passed before she could get to that point. So there's a feeling that I have, and it's very strong, that I have to push forward for her no matter how hard the days become, no matter how long the days become and how tight things can get sometimes in owning a small business. It really is my homage to say, Mom, like your idea and your dreams were valid at that time in your life, regardless if you were able to have other people buy into them or not. It was— it is valid because now we have a national award to prove that what you're doing, you were on the path with your dream and making it happen. So I feel like I'm carrying the torch for her. And so I'm going to continue to do that because that's how much she meant to me in my life.

Of course.

So I'm getting emotional just thinking about it, especially since she passed so suddenly, you know?

Yeah.

And it's hard to— that I wish that she could see what I've built in her honor. But as long as I keep the story alive and talk about her— and we started a community program this year in her honor called Candles for Causes. So every month we pick a nonprofit that fits within the causes that she cared about in her life, and we dedicate a day and give 20% back in our sales, and we design a candle for them and all kinds of fun things. So that's my way of keeping the legacy alive, teaching my daughter at the same time, and then making sure that her dream continues on as well.

Yeah, wow. I have to say, she does see it. I do believe she does see it, Marci. So I truly believe that. I feel I got to see Marci at work not too long ago, and I absolutely was fascinated. No matter how large the order is, we had all hands on deck, and it was truly amazing because you truly do you make the product, you market the product, you sell the product, you wear all these different hats within your company. Can you talk a little bit about, you know, obviously your experience from being from the corporate world into owning your own business obviously has helped a lot, but you actually have a lot of hands involved that kind of help make you successful. I know your spouse was there, your kids are there, and that might be a cool thing to share with working moms in our group. You know, talking about how you are obviously to own a very successful company and include your family to be involved.

Yeah, absolutely. So that was a really large order, so thank you so much for jumping in and helping. It was the largest order we've ever—

it was fun—

any history. It was, um, 1,850 candles that I handmade.

Oh gosh.

I need to go join the San Antonio Manufacturers Association because these guys— Yeah, for sure. You're completely right. It definitely takes a village. I haven't gotten to the point in my life where I'm at today without the support of friends and family. We have some really great customers that have been with me since the beginning that my brand has started and new customers who are enjoying the experience. But it definitely is, it takes a village not just to raise children but also to operate a small business and make it successful and also hear other people's perceptions. So I lean on a lot to my friends and my family and even people who are interns at here or people who help me and say, I don't know, I don't have all the answers to all the questions, even when I'm designing a product. What are your thoughts? So I'm definitely an open book when it comes to that, especially with the hotel job. And I'm glad that you mentioned that, Marie. So we have a great partnership with Alamo Colleges and we have an art intern here, and she had a big hand in how the design ended up for the Hyatt Regency. So giving those opportunities to younger audiences or people who are wanting to work in the arts or even just in business and having them have such a hand in it, I think teaches them a lot in preparation for what to expect, not only when they get out into the real world and work, but also having or building the voice to share your opinion is also important. So I think opportunities all the way around is what I really— for, and as a goal in my business, to bring to life people and have them come out of their comfort zones. And I'm always looking for that because I don't have all the answers. I don't, and I wish I did, but I don't. It definitely takes a lot.

I just love that you're doing that. So that speaks to my heart personally. I graduated from UTSA with an art degree. And so, and I, I, my husband and I later on opened our own graphic design company and stuff, which I'm finally getting to use that degree, which is great. But I just love that you're giving these kids a chance, you know, an opportunity like that is a huge opportunity for anybody getting an art degree or anybody in the arts. And I just love seeing the arts being supportive or supported rather, and seeing like these younger people, like you said, getting out into like a business environment. So I mean, I know for me personally, when I was younger, we in the art— in art school, you always hear, well, what are you going to do with your— what are you going to do with that? You know what I mean?

It's—

and so you're showing them there's a lot of things you can do and these are what they are, you know? And so I just, I think that's really great.

Yeah. And I appreciate that because I never really considered myself an artist. I come from a family of artists, and maybe because my art's a little bit different, so I am more like fragrance design is an art form, even like packaging design is an art form. So it wasn't until I started my business that I actually took myself serious as an artist. You know, I was like, you know what, I am an artist. Absolutely. Paint and canvas or things that are more traditional, but absolutely. So we try to be really creative here at Mission Crafts, especially in our classes. We have a Star Wars class coming up on Thursday.

Yes, on Thursday.

Super fun. But I also try to bring the artistic side of participants out in those classes as well, because it's not your run-of-the-mill, just basic candle making class. You'll get paints and you'll get molds and all kinds of fun materials to work with. And a lot of people, when they leave the classes, like, wow, I didn't know I could create something like that. And like, everybody has a creative side, so just the The fact that I can bring out that side of somebody makes it worthwhile.

Well, in working with you and helping you kind of with the packaging, she was talking about how she put together the presentation of what you were offering, right? And I never really thought about that because what I do is virtual. I don't have a product to hand to somebody. And I never really thought about looking at something being presented in a specific way. How are you going to package it? How is it going to fit? Cost of shipping, all that stuff goes into, oh, you know, whatever your product is. So like, she's— it's very detailed. I mean, to the— when she was showing me the— this particular order that she went down and had to have, um, I guess examples, I'm not sure the term for it, uh, Marcy, to show like, hey, this is how it's going to be packaged and it's going to be offered, and they had to sign off on it. And she actually had steps that she followed that she's figured out in her work that she wants them to sign off on certain, you know, steps. And it's incredible. There's a lot that goes in. And I have to say, I was a science degree that way. And what my thought process— I'm like, what can you really do with an art degree? You can't do much. But no, you really can.

Yeah, you really can do a lot.

And I think a lot of kids these days are, you know, pushed to the maths and the sciences and they forget. And I have to say, as an adult, I miss the creativity in what I do. Like, I don't have that part in my job for the most part, and I, and I crave it because you're always told that you can't really do much with an art degree growing up. So I think it's great that you're sharing your value with the younger generation to show them, hey, you can have a business and be successful and enjoy what you're doing.

Yeah, absolutely. And I think, um, that's the most important part is I don't feel like I'm kind of kind of sounds cheesy and we've heard it before, but I don't feel like I'm working because I'm really enjoying what I'm doing, creating the concepts for the next classes, planning what we're going to project for the holidays, and even the personal classes that come and go, the private classes we host. I love the challenge that I give the host. She'll give me a theme and then I design the whole curriculum and the whole candle. Around that thing. So that always keeps me on my toes and it challenges me really well. But you're correct, Maria, in the packaging. So at Mission Crafts, what we're most known for is total customization and it's all designed in-house, which is super fun, but we do start with prototypes. So for the Hyatt Regency job, we actually did a first prototype which was made out of construction paper. So I sold this idea, even though I was like, wow, what was I thinking? 'Cause that's a lot of work. It turned out really beautiful. I sold this idea to have like a macaroon box that slid out with a window and had the 5 Heritage candles inside of it and it had all the bells and whistles that went along with the gift. And in order to look for the right suppliers and the right packaging, we first had to build that prototype and we built it at a construction keeper, which was pretty fun to do.

Oh, that's so interesting.

And that's cool listening to her talk about it.

Yeah, and we did all the measurements on the boxes and said, hey, we need a box that's this size, and the canister is going to be this tiny, and how will it slide in and out? Could we find something that's already made? Um, but if we added a window, is there anything like this with a window out there? So there was definitely a lot of thought, but we had a really quick turnaround. We had about 3 weeks to finish the job and send it out. So, wow.

It was really cool. Uh, so, Marcy, we were talking, you were mentioning that that particular order that we've been talking about, um, had come from kind of a word-of-mouth situation. And can you kind of talk about— because a lot of people want to like, hey, how do I get business? How do I get this? And I know from my business, word of mouth or referral from someone I've worked with before, something like that, is always the best type of client. So can you kind of talk about how this large order that you got recently kind of came about?

Yeah, sure. So it definitely was a word of mouth client that came in, and that's mostly what or how we get our custom orders. So we don't really market that we're a custom fragrance products company. Our marketing is geared more towards the general public experience. So our candle bar, our retail, our classes, and so forth. So a lot of my clients have come in through the door working with a business partner. So like if it's UTSA, I'm very close to the Alumni Association. So those projects come in as people talk to each other in the community. Yeah, I definitely say that it's important when you're starting your business to network, and I think that's just like a rule of thumb. We all know it. Network, don't be afraid to talk a lot about what you do because sometimes I know they call it like an elevator speech, but sometimes I feel like that's not enough. You really should be detailed so people get a better understanding. Follow-ups are always good. When we first started, we took a lot of the opportunity of sponsoring gifts, so that helped kind of get the word out to those types of customers that we can create custom gifts and we can make beautiful things that have their branding on it and so forth. So in the beginning was a lot of sponsorship opportunities, and then it started evolving itself. And we have a really great portfolio, actually, I've created a lot of fun designs for our clients. And it's not just candles, because I know you think Chandlery, and it's candles, and there's candles everywhere in here. But for our custom work, it really is candles all the way up to perfume lines, and everything in between. So anything that can be scented, we can set products. So if it's like a t-shirt or like a prayer card, If it's a sachet, if it's a room and linen spray, if it's a reed diffuser for some real estate agents, which I have a couple of those as clients. So anything that's a fragrance product, we can customize it to branding. And that's actually called olfactive branding. That's a technology term or technical— technology, technology, technical term of what it's called. It's taking the brand colors and translating them into scent and then fragrance design. Yeah, so that's so cool.

I'm so fascinated with it.

So all, uh, of our custom work comes from word-of-mouth marketing for sure. Yeah, and that's why we like high-quality products too.

So someone just out there talking about your product got you this really great opportunity for this large order that can possibly be an ongoing thing for you, you know, like something that, you know, maybe annually or, you know That's awesome. Reviews are important.

Share your friend's information.

It sounds like you've been on like quite a journey really all these years. And so I'm curious about what your biggest learning moments have been, like opening up your business and just kind of going through that all this time.

Sure. Um, and I'm just going to be honest because I want other entrepreneurs to really learn from my mistakes. So if I can stop somebody from making the same mistake, I'm totally gonna do it. I definitely felt that I had enough capital to start my business, but I actually didn't. Now that I reflect back on it, it's kind of rearing its ugly head, even though it's been 4 years later from where I started. So I always say that you want to do a really well-rounded budget, even though you're not in a brick and mortar yet, but kind of shop around, like get with a real estate agent and say, what would a commercial lease be on this? Like really detailed budget and build that to see the real number of how much capital you're going to need. And I would times that, like times 2. So definitely didn't start with enough capital. It really affected me, not my first year, but now it's affecting me 2 to 3 years later. As I'm growing in the business. So super important, run your numbers, get a good bookkeeper. I didn't have a bookkeeper in the beginning. I thought I could do it all and numbers aren't my thing, but I said, hey, if I could do this, I could learn numbers. Absolutely not. Have to be truthful for yourself. Um, get a good bookkeeper, save a lot of capital. I almost feel like I jumped the corporate ship too soon. I probably could have pushed a little bit more working in corporate, but you know, my, my dreamer self and my futurist self was like, you know what? I have this much capital in the bank. I'm ready. When in reality, I go, yeah, let's go. I waited since 2014 and I have X amount of dollars and I'm ready to go. I wish I would have been a little bit more patient and done like a real budget and saw real numbers besides going in on a whim and saying, hey, this amount of money should cover everything. But in reality it didn't. So being honest with yourself, getting hard numbers to look at, because going into a brick and mortar is a lot of expense, especially when you move from one brick and mortar to now where we're at in Southtown, it was very costly. Don't jump corporate, I would say, almost like a Dave Ramsey type of advice. Don't jump the corporate ship or leave your day job until you have enough to cover not only your personal expenses, but that first year in your brick and mortar. And I know that sounds like an astronomical number because it is. Then you know you're safe to jump. But me, I just went in without a life jacket and I said, you know what, I'm doing it. Sink or swim. Don't do that. You definitely want to have a concrete plan. And I would say other things, basic, your LLC, that's super important. A lot of people go in on like DBAs and that's how I started. Because I started with pop-up markets first, so truly ground up to brick and mortar, pop-up, pop-up, pop-up. I relied on my DBA into the first year of my first store, which was over there by Mission San Jose, very small boutique. It was only 525 square feet. Now we're in 975 square feet. And I relied on it for so long until it really didn't, you know, it didn't make sense anymore to just be doing a DBA. It really had to become a legit business. And I feel that when you move into a brick brick-and-mortar stage, that does kind of legitimize what you're doing. Yeah, super important. Numbers important. Um, number is important for Uncle Sam. That's important. Um, I would definitely also say try to stay as debt-free as possible when starting your— especially in the beginning stages. Um, you can— that's inevitable when you have a business. It just is, unfortunately. But I wish I wouldn't have gotten into debt so quickly in the beginning stages. Like, I wish I would have waited till maybe this stage, or maybe the next stage when I grow even more, to start acquiring that business debt, which is why your LLC is so important. So don't get into debt so quickly, which circles back to don't leave your job so quickly. Maintain that so you don't have to go and get a credit card or however other ways people get like financial lending because there's a lot of sharks out there and they'll say, oh, I'll give you this, I'll give you this capital. And you know, before you know it, for some reason business interest rates like 24%, you're like, what? And so yeah, you gotta be really careful, especially with lenders because they love to hear that people are starting small business. So just be conscientious. If you have a good banking relationship, that's also important too. Someone you trust. With those types of numbers and transparency and so forth. So those are really important. And get help, because right now I'm just starting to learn that I need help. I can't do everything by myself.

Yes. Yeah. I'm so bad about that in my business. And just even, I mean, in this group, in this life, like, I mean, I feel like I'm so bad about either asking for help or I'm just like, no, I can just take care of it. You know? And Marie's usually begging me like, you know, can I, can I do something to help, you know, with XYZ? And she's so good. Um, but I just feel like it's, it's hard sometimes. It's hard to let go of some of that stuff.

I don't know. It's your baby. Yeah. It's no one could do it like you. And I feel that same way when I do, like no one can do it as well as I can do it. I'll talk to every client. I'm going to talk, I'm going to do each budget for everyone. Like I do numbers, so I'm going to do everyone's myself. And then when something comes out, I'm going to be the one talking. I can't do it all. I can't talk to everyone. I can't be available 24/7. It's not realistic, but in my head, no one can do it like I can.

Right.

Yeah. Yeah, it's hard. It's hard letting go, but you know, for small business, there's a lot of great programs out there. So our intern, Gemma, she's from Alamo Colleges. So the Alamo On the Job is a great program if you're going to any Alamo College, so SAC or St. Philip's, Northwest Vista, Palo Alto, any of them. They take students, they have business partners in the community, I'm one of them, and the students enroll in their program and they're assigned to a business partner and they get 20 hours a week guaranteed at $14 an hour. And that's great for the student because when I was in college I didn't have a job like that. I did a lot of free internships in college and it's great for the business owner because the college is the one that handles the HR back end of it handles payroll so you don't have to submit a 1099.

Oh, that's great.

Yeah, that's a really good tip.

And ACOG has a program similar to it as well where they're placing seniors into positions of internship as well. So you have your colleges and then you have the ACOG program and that's kind of a way for small businesses to get the help they need as they start growing. Yeah.

Yeah.

I had no idea. Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, I bet, I mean, I bet hopefully there's some listeners here that might take advantage of programs like that. Like you said, it helps the business and the students. So I think that's awesome. Um, well, we always like to ask, um, what your favorite thing is. And I know that probably changes maybe day to day, but what your favorite thing is about the industry that you're working in and owning your own business and that kind of thing.

Sure, so my favorite thing about my business is when customers come in and they use the candle bar and they're playing around with the fragrances and unbeknownst to them, I'm like on the side here and I hear them sharing olfactive memories. So everybody has an olfactive memory, like when I smell lavender it makes me think of my mom.

Right.

I think it's so precious because I provided a space for them to have those type of memories with either friends or family, or maybe their mother that they're making candles with, and say, hey, you know, this kind of smells like when we went to the beach, or hey, do you remember that time that Grandpa would use cedar? Because we had cedar in the fall, it was out seasonally. Oh, it smells like when Grandpa was making like workshop tool or workshop projects, like cedar. So those are my favorite parts of owning Mission Crafts. Is kind of overhearing the stories that are shared and people reminiscing about cherished moments. So that's one of my favorite things. I would say the other thing would be the outlet of creativity. So I can pretty much do, since I'm the boss, I can pretty much do anything creatively and not have to ask for permission to do it. So if I wanna have a Star Wars candle making class, I'm gonna do it. Or if I wanna have a block party for the residents that live upstairs, I'm totally gonna do it. So I love that freedom of owning a business for the creative part. I don't mean you have freedom because you don't have a lot of time. You're very committed when you have a small business. So there's that old thing again, right? Where, oh, if I start my own business, I'm gonna have all this free time and so forth, blah blah blah. It's totally not true. I had more free time in corporate than I do now. So that's not the type of freedom I'm talking about, but the creative freedom is really fun and shaping it and molding it like clay. Play your business to see what works and what doesn't is also a great thing about it as well.

Yeah, no, that's awesome. I love that, like sort of the smell memories. You don't think about that, but smell does create so many memories. And so that's, that must be just like a super neat part of it. Yeah. Yeah.

I have to say, in our, in our family, that we're a big smell, like I'm a big smell person. I remember walking in your shop, Smells absolutely wonderful. But I, I, memories, definitely I can relate to that. I can, I can smell things. My son, when he hugs me, he always smells like he always does that. He's like, I just like the way you smell, Mom. So it's very, it's very nice to, to hear that that's a good memory, or that's something that helps you motivate you for your, your business, like that you get to hear those memories or people talk about it.

Yeah, you know, fun fact, our sense of smell is actually the first sense that, or sense that we develop when we're in our mother's So it's really affected by what she was around or what she was consuming during her pregnancy. And then by the time you're about 7 years old, everything that you either love or hate as far as fragrance goes in your life is already determined.

Wow.

Wow.

I didn't know that.

That's interesting.

That's a cool tip.

Fun fact.

Yeah.

Yeah. And then lastly, we just always ask for our podcast guests to share how everybody can get a hold of you., you know, for your shop and your candles and all your cool services.

Yeah, thank you. You can follow us on social media, so our handle is @MissionCraftChamery, Facebook and Instagram. And our website is www.mission— what am I saying? I totally messed up. How do I forget my name? MissionChamery.com. www.missionchamery.com. That's on the web. I was gonna say missioncraftchannelry.com. It's a little bit different. That was too long for a web handle.

So yeah, we talked about stuff like that.

Yeah, yeah, we do. Well, perfect. Okay, and we'll put all of that into the web— or into the episode description, rather, um, so that way people can click around and get a hold of you. But I just want to say thank you so much for being on here today.

This was—

it was so fun hearing your story. It's so, um, great to hear you talk about how passionate you are about your business, and it's very apparent, and I think that's amazing. This is for sure your calling, and it seems like, you know, you're just being so successful at it, and I just love that. So I want to say thanks for being on.

Yeah.

And then also, I'll say thank you to our listeners. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast, and we'll just catch you guys next week. Thanks so much for tuning in to the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. Be sure to follow us on social media at our respective Instagram accounts or join our Working Moms of San Antonio Facebook group. Those links can be found in our episode description. If you have an episode topic suggestion or question, please email us at office@erikaradisagent.com. And be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review. See you next week.