I want to start this post with a personal thank you to everyone who bought our candles this year, and who will continue to do so in 2021. Without you, this dream would have been nothing more than that, a dream. So let's go to our Year in Review!
We launch into the world on October 15, 2020, but our story goes back further. Since May, in the middle of confinement, I decided that this was the year I was going to launch my sails into the world. I never thought I would receive the dimension of affection that Nidore received. In a brief summary, in two and a half months, we ran out of stock 3 times, encountered numerous barriers in our production, from lack of material to lack of time, and planted 1,094 trees. If I could go back, I wouldn't change a thing, because it only made us learn.
So, without further ado, let's get to our timeline, right before we set out into the world. A backstage of what was our beginning.
May
May was the month of the beginning. We developed our logo, the first one, which we then ended up changing (a few times, actually. Until the launch, we created 4!)
June
In June we started testing the first ideas. Our idea was to offer candle in a container that could have a future, so we wanted something like a jug, with a lid, that could serve other purposes. Later on, we realised that what we were using was not a good idea, which cost us a few months of work.
I borrowed the garage from my parents, and so the adventure began.
It was also in this month that I started to design the first labels for the candles, of which, at the moment, I am not proud!
One is always learning and improving, isn't that right? Somnia was a flavour that never saw the light of day. Who knows in 2021? Let's move on.
July
July was a continuation of June's tests. Many going wrong with the glass containers we chose, some going well. It was truly frustrating. Too many candles went in the bin for not burning well, not even for testing.
It was at this point that I also decided that I wanted candles of a medium size, more accessible to everyone. Fed up with the results I was getting with glass containers, I decided to turn to another material: aluminium. After much searching, I found something that was really satisfactory.
I started the tests on these containers, and I can say, that's what kept me going after so much. They went perfectly well. Passed with flying colours even! 16 tests, and in all, everything went as it should.
Our candles are tested to exhaustion. For a candle to burn well, it needs 3 things right: a wick appropriate to the container size; an essence concentration appropriate to that wick, and a safe container. I can say that getting these 3 elements right is not easy. When we make candles for ourselves, it's one thing. When we make something we are going to sell and want it to be perfect and safe, it's another. But I won't reveal more, that the soul is the secret of the business!
Quite proudly on my shelf of products and materials. I knew I was going to need about 5 more of these.
It was also in this month that we started to make some products to stock, like our minis. Which obviously, by the image, were still going to suffer some changes. It was also the month in which (we thought) we finalized our labels.
Obviously, these would also undergo some (quite a few) changes. Curious about our Orchid? Who knows, maybe 2021 will bring it.
August
Everyone needs a holiday. In our case, holidays did us good.
It's good to step away from something, to come back stronger, with renewed energy, and full of drive. This month, we completed the remaining tests of our mid-range, and focused on our Magna candles. Finally, glass has been removed from our range (not forever, but at least for now) and we focus on the new material, aluminium.
September
The month of the preface, as I like to call it. In these 30 days, so much has happened that it is difficult to summarise everything, but I will try!
We started the first tests for Magna candles, with a new aluminium container.
We quickly realised that the labels we had created, didn't fit as well on aluminium as they did on glass. It was time to go back to the drawing board, and redesign everything. Halfway through the process, we realized that neither our logo nor our font were adequate for what we wanted to convey the essence of Nidore (pun intended).
We redesigned our logo, labels, flyers, communication, everything we had done so far. Yes, we are that brand that does a rebranding before "being born"!
In September, we also changed our metal containers, to a larger, safer container. (And more beautiful too, in our opinion)
At the end of the month we received our labels. It was really the icing on the cake, and a sort of. "Ok, this is really happening!"
We did our first photo shoot, which fell a little short of what we wanted.
October
We went to an Airbnb that won us over. Full of light, plants, and details, for the candlelight photo shoot. That weekend, we took over 800 photos.
Launch month. We launched only our medium and mini sails, because we wanted to carry out some final tests for the large sails. Each one burns for about 50 hours, so there were 350 hours of burns left of final tests, and we didn't want to put it off any longer. On the 15th, we opened our online shop.
Right at the beginning, we had to change our best-selling product, our experience pack. A lot of them were arriving damaged to customers because they came in an envelope. We worked it out, and we believe it's even better.
This month we planted 51 trees. We had more sales than we imagined, and we were already so happy. Then we got a call. Little did we know, what was coming.
November
By November, we had all our Magna candles on sale. We clearly noticed that Dulce was the favourite. Its sweet scent won the hearts of those who bought it.
We have also started to finalise the details for our Christmas candle , and Christmas wrapping.
It was in this month that we reached many Portuguese people's homes through television. Sunday morning, we went to a special Olhó Baião programme, on which we were invited the month before. It was truly a mission accomplished. We couldn't be happier! That weekend, we spent all day preparing orders, and all the following week making candles.
December
December was a whirlwind of emotions. We launched our Natalis, which sold out in 2 days. We made 60 candles! We decided to order more materials, to make more candles for this special edition, and they sold out in one morning. We couldn't believe it.
We also bought our new (and very useful!) wax melter, and changed our packaging, switching to using kraft paper instead of wooden sawdust, so that it can be reusable.
It really was a month to remember. We believe many received a candle Nidore in their stocking, and I hope they enjoyed it. As much, as we enjoyed making each and every candle that came out of our Studio, that is, my parents' garage. Thank you parents! And thank you all.
See you in 2021?
