Latest / Talk Commerce / Scents of Heritage: How Albisa Candles is Lighting Up E-commerce with Cuban Flair with Isabel Alvarez
Transcript
- Brent Peterson (00:02.306) Welcome to this episode of Talk Commerce. Today I have Isabel Alvarez and she is the founder of Albisa Candles. Isabel, go ahead, do an introduction for yourself. Tell us your day to day role and one of your passions in life. Isabel (00:17.323) So I am Isabel, the Issa of Alpisa Candles, the creator. My day -to -day role is everything. I literally do everything from creating the candles, making them, packaging them. My husband helps sometimes. And my passion, honestly, is sharing our heritage every day. I love talking about my heritage with everyone. I love that I am able to do that in my candles. Brent Peterson (00:49.23) That's great, thank you for that. Before we get started, you have volunteered to be part of the Free Joke Project. I'm gonna tell you joke, all you have to do is tell me, the joke, all you have to do is give me a rating, one through five on the joke. So here we go. Do they allow loud laughing in Hawaii or just a low ha Isabel (01:14.591) Okay, I'm gonna give that a four. Brent Peterson (01:17.046) Okay, good. I got a laugh out of you at least, right? Good. All right. Well, let's dive into candles and we won't take too long because we don't want to burn our podcast at both ends here. I know that'll be the last pun I do. So tell us a little bit about the inspiration and how you came up with the idea. Isabel (01:19.305) You did? That was cute. Isabel (01:35.402) I love Isabel (01:41.099) So the inspiration, I've been making candles for a long, long time. When I met my husband, he saw the passion that I had for it. At the time I was just making them for friends and family as gifts. And he was like, no, you need to make this into a business. And I thought, well, yeah, but it's so hard to do it alone. I don't have a name. I don't know, I can't do this. And he said, no, no, no, you are gonna do this. I said, okay. At that moment, it literally hit me, Albert Issa. My nickname is Issa, Isabel, but my nickname is Issa. I'm like, Albert Issa Albisa. And I asked him, I'm like, what do you think? And he's like, well, if you want to include me, sure. So that started the process. From there, we're like, what are we going to do? Let's create something that doesn't exist out there. And that's where I... started. I'm like, okay, let's think about what we're going to do. We're both Cuban American. So we thought let's honor our heritage and bring it out through candles, through scents. Brent Peterson (02:50.926) That's awesome. So tell us a little bit about how you're injecting Cuba into your candles and how the candles are set apart from other candles. Isabel (03:02.837) So we're not just a lavender candle, right? You can get a lavender candle anywhere. You're not gonna have any kind of loyalty with that. You're gonna buy the cheapest candle or you're gonna, that smells good. I'll light that. With us, you get an experience. Scent can evoke memories. It can take you back. They could be happy memories. They could be sad memories, but you can smell something and it instantly takes you somewhere. That's what happens when you light an Ibiza candle. You light our Cuban bread candle and it instantly takes you to Saturday morning with your grandparents dipping that warm buttery Cuban bread into your cafe con leche, which is something that we do. It takes you to shopping at the bakeries with your parents, with your grandparents. Our Havana nights candle, it's reminiscent of like a good looking Cuban man. So it takes like for me, it reminds me of my dad. It's, you know, that cologne, Cuban men like to wear cologne. So it takes you into a space where it's not just, let my house smell good. They smell amazing, of course, because I make them with a lot of love. But on top of that, it brings you to your family. It brings you to your friends. It's more than just lighting a candle. That's what sets us Brent Peterson (04:27.746) Yeah, tell us a little bit about the variety and different types of candles that you're offering. Isabel (04:33.611) So the number one seller we have is Cuban bread. That one, like I said, just, people love it because there's people like in Nebraska who don't have a lot of Cuban things around. And so they buy our candle or they're gifted our candle and they have a little piece of home. We have like our cafe con leche, which is a coffee scent. Coffee is a big thing with Cubans. We drink, if you've ever had Cuban coffee, you would be up for days. We have violetas. Violetas is a violet perfume and it's a staple for all children. If you've ever smelled a Cuban child, they smell like this perfume. And some of us bring it into adulthood because it just smells so good and it literally takes you to your childhood. And again, that's what, you know, what sets us apart what we do. I love bringing a little piece of home, a little piece of like for my mom, I have what's called a thing waddle candle. Nobody can ever pronounce it, but it's a little town in Cuba that it's not even called that anymore. And I asked her, I'm like, well, What does thing water? What do you think of? And for her, it was like the laundry. They would, you know, wash by hand and put the laundry out to dry. And she's like, that's what I smell. So that's what I created for, you know, you to be able to have that instant memory to take you Brent Peterson (06:18.68) That's great. So tell us a little bit about, and you don't have to tell us any secrets, but how are you getting these scents into the candles to kind of give those, I mean, I know that scents can elicit memories, but tell us a little bit about how are you doing that and yeah. Isabel (06:34.087) Yeah, it involves so much testing. It really does. I, you know, first I think of, well, what do I want to bring? Like I said, I created Cuban bread candle. I have our cafe con leche. Then I created a Havana nights because my dad is from Havana and my husband's parents are from Havana. So I created that and you, I just have to think of, okay. What does that smell like to me? And I test and I test and you become a little bit of a chemist because I pour a little bit of this, a little bit of that and I smell it I'm like, no, that does not smell like it doesn't take me there. So then I keep creating. Sometimes I for coffee, I did over 23 different tests to get the exact scent that it is right now. And with Cuban bread as well, it's like It takes a lot to everybody asks like, how do you get that to smell like Cuban rib? Because you can literally smell the butter and the yeast when you light that candle. Brent Peterson (07:44.174) Wow, Cuban bread sounds like the perfect candle to light when you're trying to sell your house to do an open house for people. Isabel (07:50.607) It really is. It really is. You know, it's funny because I had someone who I get so many stories of people, you know, they email me and tell me thank you and just amazing stories from people, one in particular with Cuban bread, a lady who she can no longer have bread. And she bought her candle and she emailed me and she said, you know, I finally was able to have a good Cuban sandwich. And I was like, OK. She said she turned on the candle. She made her own little fake bread as she called it She did everything else the ham the this was cheese the pickles all of that and she was smelling our Candle and when she took a bite of her sandwich it literally tasted to her like a Cuban bread You know sandwich and it was it was amazing Brent Peterson (08:46.68) Tell us a little bit about your entrepreneurial journey. Have you always been an entrepreneur? Is this new to your life? Tell us about how you got in or how that journey is going. Isabel (08:59.339) Yeah, it's a tough journey. But I would say watching my father. My father came when he was 15 years old. He was pretty much on his own and has been an entrepreneur from seeing him. My father has done a little bit of everything, started many, many businesses. And they actually, my parents own a restaurant in San Francisco and seeing them build something for themselves. I'm like, okay, I can do this. If they can do this, they came from nothing and they provided me the tools. I'm like, okay, I can go out there. It's tough. It's tough because you don't have a boss telling you, okay, you have to start this or you have to start that. You have to do it for yourself. You have to get up every morning. You have to write your own to -do list and actually do it. When you're working from home, it's great. I get to wear sweatpants. but I have to do the work. You have to get up, you have to take pictures, you have to do everything when you have a small business. It can be amazing and tough at the same time. Brent Peterson (10:10.596) Do you find it a struggle? A lot of entrepreneurs don't find it a struggle to work too little, but they find it a struggle that they're working too much and maybe their entire day is filled with work. Do you struggle with Isabel (10:24.263) That is probably the biggest struggle I have not not just all day seven days a week. There's not a time off. I'm constantly looking at emails, responding to people thinking of what am I going to create next? What story? What real nowadays marketing is is difficult. So you have to think about everything. And I don't have that shut off time. OK, I'm going to create from. 8 to 5. I have a 12 year old. So when he's in school, I get to do things, then it stops. I have to be a mom. I have to be a wife. And then we start again after he goes to bed. OK, and so I'll run and I pour candles. Usually sometimes I'm out there like till 2 in the morning. There, you know, it's it's a great opportunity because I'm able to stop go do things at school with him and still be able to run my business. Brent Peterson (11:21.454) Yeah, that's great. I'm part of the Entrepreneurs' Organization. I know that LA has a number of great chapters, EO it's called. And I know one thing that is often talked about is that ability to make sure you're compartmentalizing some of those things so you do get your personal life in it. a lot of, maybe a lot of entrepreneurs lean towards, and I was guilty of this as I was a younger father. leaning towards just doing everything in the business because I needed to do it because that's what had to be done instead of shutting off or making sure you're making time for your family. Tell us a little bit about how the candles and your family interact. Do you have your family helping you at Isabel (12:09.899) Yes, well my husband does the shipping, but my son is probably the best marketing person I have. He's 12 and so he's grown up, you know, it's gonna be our, it's our five year anniversary and he is always talking about our candles to people. He's always telling them, Actually, my goddaughter had a little candle in her bedroom that was not albisa and he came out and said, mom, you're going to be disappointed in, know, Sophie. And I said, why she doesn't have an albisa candle. told her that I would give her one so that she can have an albisa candle in her room. That's the only thing that she should be lighting. He loves And it's a good way for him, instead of just doing chores, he can put labels on things and he makes money. So he loves that. He's involved in all aspects. He can't wait to start pouring. He's not there yet, but he really wants to pour the candles. Brent Peterson (13:13.23) Yeah, bet so. I mean, I'm curious about how that works and do you have to get the wick in just at the right time at the top? And you're doing this by hand, right? You don't have, or do you have some machines that you're doing it with now? Isabel (13:23.767) no, it's all me by hand. Yes. So you wick the jars first. So they're all wicked and then you pour the candles in. You pour the wax, you melt the wax, put the scent in. Everything has to be timed perfectly. It has to be the right temperature, everything. You pour it into the vessel and then it sets. He can't wait to do that. Brent Peterson (13:47.684) I know that, so from a marketing standpoint or from an e -commerce standpoint, tell us about how you chose a platform and how that's going. And I'm assuming the majority of your business is online. Isabel (14:02.229) Pretty much the majority of our business is online. We do a couple of specialty shows. We used to do a lot of shows, but we don't anymore. It's just the specialty shows that are geared to Cuban people. And you know what? Not just Cuban people buy our things, but yeah, it's the majority online. So you have people who grew up with Cubans. And again, they're living in Nebraska. in Montana and they have friends that have moved so they'll buy the candles and if they're able to get it there versus okay I have to go to California and pick it up they're able to get it nationwide and that's the best thing about online. Brent Peterson (14:45.108) You mentioned earlier about your dad and how he started as an entrepreneur when he was very young. Do you think that the United States gives, you know, immigrants like your father this special opportunity to really grow and get a new footing in life and really expand their Isabel (15:06.825) Well, it gives them the opportunity to act, even be able to do that in Cuba. That's not a possibility. You can have all the ideas and all the wants and all the desires to go out and do it and be able to work hard. And you're not going to get anywhere here. He is like, I want that. I will get it. That's the opportunity that the United States gives, especially Cuban people. Yeah, definitely. Brent Peterson (15:35.652) I have a lot of European friends who can travel to Cuba at any time and I know there's a resort section in Havana, think, and it is a lot different than the normal section of Havana. Have you been back lately or when was the last time you were in Cuba? Isabel (15:55.979) Unfortunately, the last time I was in Cuba was 20 years ago. I do have still family there and not a lot has changed. Although they have cell phones now from the last time I was there, they didn't have it. But yes, you know, sometimes I get really bothered because the pictures that are shown online. is a beautiful Cuba. It's shiny, it's vibrant, they've got the old cars, but they're all pretty. That's not really the reality of Cuba. When I went, my uncle, I was taking pictures of these old run down buildings and he's like, my God, that's ugly, it's dirty and I said, yes, it's beautiful. It's old and a lot of them now are falling down. It's not just the pretty shiny things. It's really different, really different. Brent Peterson (16:52.14) In my previous company, we had an office in Mexico City and we hired a lot of Latin developers. And I did have two developers from Cuba that I hired. And my experience is that you should make a candle that is very loud and boisterous. And I can remember we were all on site with a client and I could always hear them talking in the other room because they were so... Isabel (17:08.651) you Brent Peterson (17:21.438) They were just very pronounced. And it's a fast Spanish, you know, it's more like it's not like Mexico where I can somewhat understand it. It's very quick. And are you planning on a fast candle, a fast loud candle? Isabel (17:37.189) You know, that's good idea. I am very loud. I am known for being loud. As a matter of fact, I was at my goddaughter's wedding shower and I went up to the DJ to ask him for something and he's like, are you the aunt? And I said, well, I'm the godmother. And he's like, the loud one? Okay, yes, I guess that's me. But yeah, a loud candle. I like that. I like that idea. Brent Peterson (18:02.158) Can you judge by your sales on where the larger Cuban communities are in the United States? Isabel (18:09.673) Yes, we get a lot of Miami, a lot of Florida, all of Florida, mainly Miami, but there's a lot in Georgia, which is surprising. A lot of New Jersey and a lot of New York. LA too, but Miami's the largest one. The most surprising is Georgia. Georgia, there's a big Cuban community there and I get a lot of orders. Texas as well. Brent Peterson (18:36.899) Yeah, I'll Isabel (18:37.469) Again, we've sold kind of nationwide because people gift them to people who move around. But Georgia is one of those that just constantly is ordering from us. Brent Peterson (18:42.456) Yeah. Brent Peterson (18:50.156) What is your next sort of ideas for scents and where you would like to go with the candles and do you plan on doing Mexican candles or other Latin countries or central, even Caribbean countries that are scented? Puerto Rico maybe? Isabel (19:06.811) Actually, yes, that's yes. For Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to show how we all come together. We're different, but we're similar. And so with that, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Honduras, I want to share a little bit of other Latin cultures and show, yes, we're different. but there's a lot of similarities. So yeah, definitely it's something that I have on the horizon. That's amazing that you thought about that, because yes, it is something I'm working on. Brent Peterson (19:40.42) And do you have any teaser sense that you can give us right now that may be coming? Isabel (19:46.033) Well, let's see. Something that is very common in a lot of Latin households is flan. Brent Peterson (19:57.139) yeah, I like flan. Isabel (19:59.177) Yes, that nice caramel custard scent, I'm not confirming nor denying there may be a fawn in the future. Brent Peterson (20:07.286) There we go. Perfect. What is your sort of sales goals or sales outlook? Now we're going to be entering into the pre Black Friday arena of getting ready and getting yourself all ramped up. What is your goals for this third and fourth quarter? Isabel (20:26.825) Yeah, definitely. Where we make the majority of our money is now third and fourth quarter. We are, we start planning way before now, but we, what we want is just to, you know, get out there, you know, and have people know more about us, you know, and be able to fund the rest of the year with these two quarters, because that's what happens. Brent Peterson (20:56.452) Do you have anything that's worked well? Like TikTok, I think has been working well for a lot of smaller companies and even there's a Pinterest paid ads campaign you can do and there's all kinds of different sort of social media platforms that are moving into social buying where you can actually finish the purchase on the platform. Have you explored any of those Isabel (21:22.559) So we are on Instagram and Facebook. We're also on TikTok, but we're a little bit smaller on TikTok. Right now it's kind of iffy. Is it going to be around? Is it not going to be around? So I haven't gotten into the purchasing part. I have seen it, but it's kind of nerve wracking. We don't know if it's going to be around or not. So we're on Instagram and that's where we know is kind of stable right now. But yeah, Instagram is where we focus a little bit more on. Brent Peterson (21:48.452) Isabella, as we close out, gave everybody a chance to do a shameless plug about anything you'd like. What would you like to plug today? Isabel (21:56.789) So our anniversary is this month, August 25th. I will be having a big anniversary sale. We'll be launching new products. We will be starting our fall candles come out. So August 25th, albisacandles .com. You can come sign up for our newsletter and I give lots of freebies on that day. We celebrate. It's gonna be our five year, so it's gonna be a big one. Brent Peterson (22:23.672) That's awesome. so give us a spell out your domain again so people can know it and then how can they get a hold of Isabel (22:31.593) Yeah, definitely. It's albisacandles .com. So it's A -L -B -I -S -A, think Albert Issa, candles .com. And you can find us directly there at www .albisacandles .com. You can find us on Instagram, albisacandles, or TikTok, albisacandles, and Facebook Brent Peterson (22:52.622) Perfect, I will make sure I also get all that into the show notes. Isabelle, it's been such a great conversation. Thank you so much for being here today. Isabel (22:57.598) Yeah. Isabel (23:03.017) You're welcome. Thank you so much for having us. I love talking about my heritage and I love sharing it with anyone who will listen. So I really, really appreciate it. Brent Peterson (23:13.636) Thank you.