Outback Candles – Stuart Pratt

What was the inspiration for you and your daughter to create candles and scents?

I wanted to create something special that my daughter and I could do together, so that I could teach her about business and hard work. She is eight years old and has her own candle line called The Harlow Collection. We both enjoy creating new candle scents and going to the markets together as a family.

Like many business owners, you also juggle a day job with your own business. How hard is that?

It definitely has its moments! But I just schedule things that I need to do for Outback Candle Co. and get them done in the afternoons after work. Harlow helps where she can as well. If you have a clear plan on what you need to deliver, then it’s a lot easier to control and manage. But a big challenge for us is getting our supplies here in Alice Springs, which usually takes about one and a half weeks for freight. So, timing is everything and keeping your eye on raw materials is a must. That’s one of the real challenges of living in the centre of Australia as we get our materials from Melbourne and Perth.

What is so unique about what Outback Candle Co. does?

We pride ourselves on pouring beesoy wax with outback scents while literally living in authentic outback Australia – the centre of the nation. We hand-pour all of our candles, room sprays, car diffusers and reed diffusers, and everything is weighed and measured to match what we say. We pride ourselves on being able to create a quality product that we have regularly tested before our shoppers get it. The beesoy wax is another win for us. It’s a cleaner burn and the candles last much longer with the introduction of beeswax. Outback uses scents for our products that are made in the Outback.

What has been the best thing about starting and growing your own business?

The best thing for me was watching the smile on Harlow’s face when she sold her first candle from her collection. We also like the challenge of creating a brand and building the business up from scratch. We have put a great deal of thought into the look of our brand, as well as the products and Aussie scents we offer. I spent two years making test candles, along with all of the distinct branding, and once I was happy with it, I started pouring candles that we put up for sale. I’m very happy with the response we regularly get from our repeat customers. We are looking forward to getting new ones!

What piece of business advice do you always keep in the back of your mind as you work every day?

As my late father used to say, “keep moving forward and do the best you can”. It is probably more “life advice”, but it is easily transferable to business. Keep trying and don’t be scared to change things up to see if it makes any difference. If something doesn’t seem right, then don’t settle — you should change it to what you imagined or dreamed of.

What is in store for the business over the next 12 months?

We are adding a few new scents to the outback collection, which are being created as this goes to ~~print – Ochre & Wild Honey and Spinifex & Smoke. We are also looking at a few more product options, and we have reed diffusers coming online soon. Our “packs” of a candle, room spray and car diffuser are popular, so we hope to create the “Ultimate Home Pack” with a little bit of everything for Aussie households. But it’s very much a case of steady as she goes.