Starting a business after leaving a stable corporate job can be difficult, but Shruti’s journey shows how one small idea can turn into a growing business.
Today, her candle packaging business generates around ₹3–5 lakh in monthly sales, with a reported 35–40% profit margin after considering costs.
Why Did Shruti Leave Her Corporate Job?
Shruti had always been interested in painting, creativity and experimenting with different things. After completing her graduation, she was selected at Genpact and later worked at Tata Consultancy Services.
After marriage, she moved to Noida. Her job involved night shifts, which meant she and her husband mostly met on weekends.
Eventually, she decided to leave her job because she wanted more time for her relationship and wanted to build something of her own.
At that time, her salary package was around ₹5 lakh per year.
The Fear of Leaving a Job
Leaving a regular job was not easy for Shruti. She was used to receiving a salary every month and was worried about becoming financially dependent on her husband.
However, her husband encouraged her to use her creativity and start something of her own.
How Did She Start Her Candle Business?
One day, Shruti noticed that candles were becoming popular on Instagram. With Ganesh Chaturthi approaching, her husband suggested trying laddu candles.
She ordered the required materials from Amazon and invested around ₹10,000 initially.
She then created an Instagram page and started posting photos and videos of her candles.
Her First Offline Selling Experience
Shruti even tried selling candles outside her society.
She decorated the back of a car with her candles and stood there while it was lightly raining. Some people passed by without buying anything, while one person even commented about her holding an iPhone while selling products.
Although the experience was difficult, she continued.
How Did She Get Her First Online Order?
Around 10 days after creating the Instagram page, Shruti received her first order from Maharashtra.
The customer ordered 10 laddu candles.
Because it was her first order, she asked the customer for 50% payment in advance and the remaining 50% after dispatch.
She carefully prepared the candles and packaged them properly.
The customer gave her very positive feedback, especially about the quality and packaging.
From 10 Candles to 700 Pieces
After the first order, the number of orders gradually increased.
Before Diwali, Shruti received an order for 700 laddu candles from Dubai.
She did not initially have the required export authority, so the customer arranged the pickup from Delhi after Shruti prepared the candles.
With help from her mother-in-law, Shruti worked hard to complete the order on time.
How Did Candle Packaging Become a Business?
After Diwali, Shruti expected the candle business to slow down.
Instead, she started receiving orders for wedding return gifts and other celebrations.
Customers also began noticing her packaging.
Other candle makers started asking where she got her customised boxes.
Initially, Shruti simply gave them the contact details of her packaging manufacturer.
But the manufacturer had a minimum order quantity of around 2,000 pieces, while some candle makers needed only around 50 pieces.
This created a new opportunity.
Starting the Candle Packaging Business
Shruti discussed the idea with her husband, who suggested researching the packaging business.
She started with a low minimum order quantity and created boxes specifically for different candle sizes.
The response was good, and gradually the packaging business started growing.
Today, she says they have more than 100 candle-box designs.
Also Read: How Nitesh Built a ₹3 Crore Digital Product Business From a Laptop
Why Did She Start Manufacturing Her Own Boxes?
As demand increased, Shruti noticed that her manufacturer was also selling their box designs to competitors.
Since Shruti and her team had developed the designs and sizes, this became a major reason for setting up their own manufacturing.
In September, the business recorded around ₹10 lakh in sales, according to the interview.
After researching machines, they finally purchased their own machine.
The Machine Cost Around ₹7 Lakh
Shruti says the machine cost around ₹7 lakh.
She also purchased materials such as kraft paper and SBS paper, which required large minimum quantities.
The overall investment in the business eventually reached around ₹15 lakh.
How Did She Find a Machine Operator?
Initially, Shruti was told that she and her husband could operate the machine themselves.
However, after installation, the engineer told them that operating the machine would not be easy for them.
Shruti then started searching for an operator.
She even visited other factories during lunch hours to find someone who could work part-time.
Eventually, she found an operator who started working with them and later became a full-time employee.
How Much Does the Business Make Every Month?
Currently, the candle packaging business generates around:
- Monthly Sales: ₹3–5 lakh
- Reported Profit Margin: 35–40%
- Total Investment: Around ₹15 lakh
These figures are based on Shruti’s statements in the interview.
Where Do the Sales Come From?
Shruti says her current sales come through multiple channels.
Around 60% of sales come from Instagram.
She uses both organic content and advertisements.
Google SEO
Around 10% of sales come through Google after working on SEO.
Returning Customers
Around 30% of sales come from returning customers.
This shows how her business is not dependent on only one sales channel.
How Important Is Instagram for Her Business?
According to Shruti, Instagram plays a very important role.
She believes consistency is important. Instead of posting for one day and then stopping, she continues creating content regularly.
Earlier, she used to create educational content showing how candles fit inside different boxes.
Now, she also creates content around her manufacturing machine, which she calls “Pinky Pookie.”
What Type of Content Works?
She says process-based content performs well.
Showing how products are made, how candles fit into boxes and how the manufacturing process works can attract viewers.
She also uses SEO research and Meta advertising to reach her target audience.
How Many People Work in the Business?
The current team consists of four people and a freelancer.
One employee, Rahul, has gradually taken on a management role along with packing orders, stock management and other tasks.
The machine operator handles machine-related work, including paper cutting and screen printing when required.
Is the Business Seasonal?
Shruti says candle packaging can be considered seasonal because demand increases around festivals such as Raksha Bandhan and other celebrations.
However, she also sees demand from weddings, baby showers and other events throughout the year.
Plans to Expand Beyond Candle Packaging
Since the company now has its own manufacturing setup, Shruti wants to expand into other packaging categories, including:
- Pharma
- Clothing
- Cosmetics
- Other types of product packaging
Her current focus remains candle packaging because of the demand during the festival season.
What Is Her Future Goal?
Shruti says the business is targeting 1 lakh boxes in sales.
She is also seeing increased B2B reseller orders and wants to expand further into manufacturing and exports.
She has already obtained the required export certificate/authority mentioned in the interview but had not started direct exports at the time of the interview.
Also Read: How a 21-Year-Old Built a Digital Marketing Agency and Earns ₹7–8 Lakh Per Month
What Can Beginners Learn From Her Journey?
Shruti’s journey started with a ₹10,000 investment in candle-making materials.
She started from home, received her first order through Instagram, gradually increased candle orders, discovered a demand for customised packaging and eventually moved into manufacturing.
Her own words to someone starting a business are simple:
Just Start
According to Shruti, the first thing is to start and not keep waiting.
She also believes that family members should support women who want to start something of their own instead of discouraging them.
Final Thoughts
Shruti’s journey went from a corporate job to making candles at home, then to customised candle packaging and finally to her own manufacturing setup.
Her story shows how a small product idea can lead to another business opportunity when customers start asking for something beyond the original product.
The business currently focuses on candle packaging, while future plans include expanding into other packaging categories and exports.