Today we’d like to introduce you to Neil Gogate.
Hi Neil, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My wife Veena and I talked about starting a side business outside of our day jobs but could never think of anything to do. Our inspiration came during the initial COVID lockdown. Veena started making candles during quarantine for fun and to pass the time. Around the holidays, the candles became gifts for friends and family, and I saw how much they loved the scents. The more I watched the process, the more intrigued I became. It’s not an aesthetic I expected to appreciate, but the production process is sort of relaxing and it’s invigorating to do something with your hands, especially when my eyes are stuck staring at a computer screen during the day. Also discovering different smells evoked memories of places I had been to and moments from my past.
I wanted people to have the same experience I had through these luxurious smells. I’m realistic that this won’t take over my day-to-day job, but it allows me a creative release and lets me channel all my years of marketing experience into something personal.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth is relative. I’d say it’s been more like jumping through hoops. Trying to balance a full-time job, the role of a husband and father of 2 has made this more of a challenge. I’m not as out there as I would hope or want to be, but again the reality is that this is something I’m doing on the side. That said, I am hoping to create more virality around this and try to grow the awareness as much as I can. Finding the time to devote to this is the challenge I’m trying to address as once I get that time, things usually flow easily. It’s a matter of finding the right life balance.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve been a Digital Marketing Professional for 15+ years, honing my craft by analyzing customer data. I’ve advised start-ups and large Fortune 500 companies in the art of capturing customer information, utilizing the data for personalized and targeted marketing communications, and ensuring that the customer journey is optimized to deliver the right message at the right time on the right channel. I’ve always put the customer first and recommended marketing strategies that would do just that. Putting yourself in the customer’s shoes when thinking about how to market or engage them and make things personally relevant.
With my candle company, I put these strategies to the test, where I’m looking for new ways to market our seasonal scents to candle connoisseurs and people in search of new, interesting scents. The website and all our marketing collateral showcase our love of candles, which are hand-poured in Redondo Beach in limited quantities with 100% Soy Wax. We use Soy Wax because it’s a renewable resource as compared to Paraffin Wax, which is derived from Petroleum. We’re small and not trying to take over the world, but we just want to make it a little more enjoyable.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
I think like most kids, it’s probably Christmas. It was always fun being around family, seeing people you don’t see often, playing football in the cold weather (I’m originally from Ohio), and eating ridiculous amounts of food. But most importantly, the presents and finding out what was in all the boxes. The cathartic feeling of ripping into something to see what’s underneath. I don’t think that is a feeling that you lose even as you get older.
Pricing:
- Free shipping to surrounding Redondo Beach cities (15 mi. radius)
- Free shipping for orders over $75
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wickandsoyco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wickandsoycandle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickandsoycandle
