Meet Carla Tudela of NoHo Candle Co. in North Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carla Tudela.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
We started NoHo Candle from necessity. My husband had lost his job and as that happened, I was working as an advertising sales rep working long hours realizing every day that passed I was selling someone else’s dreams, not mine. We both have always loved candles and the art of making them. We both had worked for a major candle manufacturer here in LA years ago and knew the craft better than we even realized. With our love of candles and my love of fragrance, oils and perfumery we started NoHo Candle Co. From the beginning, we wanted to create a line of candles that were non-toxic, cruelty-free, affordable for every demographic and relatable. Our very first farmers market was here in North Hollywood. We currently do farmers markets, pop-ups, and festivals. We continue to make everything from our home studio.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. OMG!! There has been so many struggles, tests, and lessons. It has been a lot of blood, sweat, and many tears. In the beginning it was so hard for us, even now at times. Everything we made went right back into the business and helped pay a bill or two. Due to my constant creativity evolving and keeping our standards high, raw materials hits us the hardest. We only use 100% sustainable soy and we only use phthalate-free perfume oils infused with essential oils on all of our products. Not once have we considered lowering our standards or quality to make a profit. Another struggle we constantly deal with is we don’t have employees to help us make our products, it’s just us, so time management can always be challenging as we have an 11 years old daughter and enjoy spending family time.

Another challenge has been finding people to sell our product with the same passion we have so we can grow. When we first started we were doing markets and events and thought we could use some help. We hired someone and found out the hard way that finding good help is a struggle. Not only did we not make any money for that month we paid out a salary and paid market fees without making a penny. It was a hard lesson we learned. Now we do have someone that helps us sell and are very happy with him.

One of the toughest struggles in the beginning was getting people to try our candles even now sometimes it can be challenging. There are so many candles out there and Living in LA people tend to only shop for big name brands candles. To those that did stop and took a chance and are still our customers thank you so much for giving us a try. We are so grateful!

Please tell us about NoHo Candle Co.
When we created NoHo Candle Co we knew we wanted to create a line of candles that was cautious of carbon footprint, made of sustainable material and cruelty-free.

I wanted to create candles that would connect with all cultures through scent. Los Angeles is so diversified, so rich in flavor, it’s a melting pot of different ethnicities. To me Los Angeles smells like an Orange Habanero, a Pan Dulce a Watermelon Ginger, a Midnight Busque, a Spanish Lavender or a Pomelo Mint Blossom. Food brings everyone together and our love for food and scent is what has made us different. Our minimalist approach with the old English is our signature look. It’s clean, minimalist and a bit of who we are. To us it’s LA through our eyes. I wanted to create candles my grandmothers would have enjoyed and bought for themselves, something reasonably priced made of outstanding material.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly nothing. Nothing prepares you for the challenges that come when you follow your dreams. We wouldn’t change a thing. The bumps and bruises have brought us closer together and we both believe in learning from mistakes. If we would’ve thought it out more when we first started we would’ve never have done it due to fear.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nohocandleco.com
• Phone: 818-321-6092
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @nohocandleco
• Facebook: @nohocandleco

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