poor days after her physical product went on sale at a store. The retailer had a closed its doors due to covet nineteen. It's almost like launching a book just as the endemic was becoming the only thing the media was talking about, but wait. That's my story. Let's go back to that other one, the physical product, that product is candles organic candles, designed it manufactured by an iron nurse. Fortunately, she perseveres changes her approach and finds a flicker of hope. Her lesson, like somebody have said there is never a good time to start a business. The most important thing is to just start. Her name is Fiona Rennie About her oncology, nurse creates candles during corona virus crisis that whole stories come

after the shout out to our sponsor stay today, every answer matters more than ever before, because whether it's about health deliveries of finance, some things just can't wait. That's why IBM is helping businesses manage millions of calls acts and chat with Watson assistant its conversationally. I designed to help your customers finding answers. They need faster, no matter the industry, let's put smart to work, visit, IBM Dot, Slash Watson, assistant to learn more How,

Fiona Tian young Randy Oncology, Ward at a hospital in Waterford, Ireland, Button, Ireland, but in twenty nineteen injury, kept her off work for six weeks, the downtime was far from wasted. Fiona loved creative pursuits, a nice break from the intense day job and she started making small candles and vintage teacups for her friends. While learning about candle making. She realized something most candles on the market were made from harmful ingredients, like paraffin wax said about making an alternative. A candle. That's healthy and natural, soon return to work at the hospital, but found. Over the next year to experiment. She really felt like she'd found that spark those were one or two percent natural soy wax with cotton, wicks an essential oils for fragrance. She created three different sense. She called morning zest and sparkle. The next step was to trying it stalked in retail stores, to do that professional design impact

It was essential. Vienna invested around three thousand dollars that produced three hundred candles. One hundred of each sent the boxes were made of recyclable brown paper to keep the entire product eco friendly, a product which Fiona now called Milch, which is, I wish for sweet soon. She'd made her first deal. A local homework store put it in order for thirty candles. Vienna was proud as a peach sent a candle it seeing her product out in the wild on a retailer shelves. It was the combination of fourteen months, hard work. Now is the time to celebrate and wait for customers to arrive like moths being drawn to a flame Unfortunately, all this happened in March twenty twenty right before the covered nineteen Rock the world within a few days, the storage shut its doors along with most retail outlets across the country. Can I had hoped to go around selling knowledge to other stores, with dreams of building up a solid or sell base, but would come

Nineteen drastically changing the retailer economic landscape. That was no longer an option. The flame had burned out thinking quickly. She showed her focus into building and e commerce sight. She had an existing network through work, friends and family soon. Second level referrals came in from people that she didn't know to encourage sales. She offered next day shipping and took her candles down to the post office every day, maintaining appropriate social distance. However, soon the restrictions were tightened again and you only permitted out for essential tasks like shopping exercise or to care for a loved one. Unfortunately, that meant no more daily trips to the post office, but fortunately that Post office was right next to the supermarket, instead of posting candles out every day, she back them up and send them only on the two days a week she went grocery having. She also pursued other initiatives. For example, an upcoming local market was recently cancelled and have since come up with the concept of a virtual market, which is helping to participate in

what's more per messaging, around Mulish, has changed. She spent much of our outbound messaging. Talking other local vendors in stores. They could use a helping hand during these difficult times. Meanwhile, she still working full time at the hospital and running village on the side. The plus It is that, when she's, not at work has been isolating at home, which has given. Lot more downtime to develop new sense in products which he hoped to launch over each and in the coming year, Fiona has already sold over a hundred and fifty candles earning just over three thousand dollars, meaning that she's now profitable she's continuing to push on with their pr plants in ascending samples to magazines across the country and once shops are open again, she plans to reintroduce her original retail strategy. They and thank you to all of our healthcare workers out there all around the world who are working tirelessly who are

re saving lives in many cases. Thank you. So much for all you do add my voice to the cheers and congratulations that are taking place each evening. Many different cities- and I like what Fiona said with her lesson that I mentioned in the beginning. Like so many others have said, there is never a good time to start a business. The important thing is just start, so there's never a good time. It's never good time to launch a book. You know when I thought about having a money tree come out right in the midst of the pandemic, fully hitting and all the cities going on, lockdown and and everything changing my plans. Much never a good time, but you just have to do what is within your control. So that's what I was doing what she's done survive she's been able to reach Europe and adapt so check out Miller, candles all really got up on a shuts page also. I searched on Ebay for organic candles, but it said no matches found in sport it is good, but inspiration with action is better. Those notes for today, our tattersall school dot com, slash twelve thirty, three one, two three three.

If you so much for listening to come back tomorrow. Much more is on the way my name is critical about. This is silence all schools. From the onward projects.