A young Guyanese with a drive to succeed in the US is putting her skills at work in bringing a ‘breath of fresh scents’ to homes in New York (NY) with her creation of soy-based candles.
Nikita Sagar introduced the brand; Kandles by Kita after making candles for the first time in August 2017 “just for fun” and realized how good she was at it.
The fun soon grew into a passion and she could not stop making candles after that.
The spark all happened when she took a candle to work and asked her coworkers if she could light it at her desk. They agreed and were captivated with the coconut lime scent that filled the air.
When they learnt she had made it they were impressed. They encouraged her to start producing more to sell. But with her full time job, she was not sure how that would work out.
She nevertheless took the challenge and after that there was no turning back.
Kandles by Kita is growing and she also ships to customers around and outside of the US.
She produces the candles in over 20 fragrances, such as toasted pumpkin spice and apple harvest that are a part of the fall season collection, as well as black raspberry vanilla, honeysuckle jasmin, peach nectar and day at the spa, which create a soothing and relaxing atmosphere.
They are available in glass jars and tin containers in different sizes, complete with attractive labels.
Sagar is also an artist and had done a few wall paintings, which she gave away. Although she loves to paint she realized that it was not something she wanted to continue doing because “I have to be in the mood for painting.”
The young entrepreneur who migrated to the US over 10 years ago, was always outgoing and had been involved in modeling for fashion designers in NY. She loved fashion so much that she even started sketching designs and compiling them in a portfolio. But her dreams of becoming a designer never went far after realizing how competitive the fashion industry was.
She chose to make candles instead because she always likes them.
After spending a lot of time researching, she loved the idea of producing natural candles from either bees wax or soy. She decided against the bees wax though, based on reviews on the internet and the fact that it was difficult to source.
She tried the soy candles and soon understood mastering the right mixtures.
She did all of this while working as a paralegal with a judge in downtown Manhattan, NY. She had started her first job in a law firm and being a “quick leaner I quickly moved up the ladder.”
After work, she spends hours at home engaging in the trade she enjoys.
She has also started to display the candles at the Queens night market on some weekends, where she joins other arts and craft producers.
The “fun part” about being at the market, she said, is seeing people indulging in her product and giving their support.
She also enjoys sharing her pieces with prospective customers who admire them but may not have cash to shop at the time.
“…It’s not only about selling, to me. I just want to get my name out there” she told Stabroek News.
The satisfaction she gets from seeing people showing interest in her product has also been a push to keep her going.
She now has a greater sense of appreciation for arts and craft that the other vendors produce because she understands how much time and effort they spend doing it.
She also believes that craft makers are not getting the attention they deserve.
Candle party
Sagar also promotes her product at “candle parties” at her aunt’s home in Long Island, NY, where a group of women would gather.
They would have fun and enjoy games and surprises such as winning candles gift baskets and also make purchases.
The idea of the candle party all started after her aunt recognized her talents and felt she needed to have it highlighted.
She first offered to sell the candles at her workplace and Sagar was excited with the idea. The woman decided to display the flyers for ‘Kandles by Kita’ in the kitchen at work, capturing the attention of her coworkers who started purchasing them.
Her aunt then got creative and came up with the idea of throwing the candle parties.
To Sagar’s advantage also, her job offers her the opportunity to promote her candles, even though “I was a bit discreet about it at first. They have also encouraged other employees with skills to build their brand and to continue doing what you’re doing…”
She recalled that she had just finished writing ‘Common Entrance’ here in 2005 when she witnessed the big flood in Guyana and dreamt of moving to the US to live.
A few years later her dreams became a reality and she migrated with her family. When she arrived in NY she wanted to achieve a lot in the ‘land of opportunities’ and she now feels she is well on her way to that path.
