Meet the Maker Month: Madi of PureAromaa
I was born in Montreal and have resided here my entire life. I started the business PureAromaa by myself at the age of 15 in January 2021 and have been creating new products ever since! I create homemade and hand-poured 100% soy candles, lip and body scrubs.
What’s your favorite part about running a business by yourself? Definitely the flexibility of time and the passion I get. I don’t only do this for my clients but as a hobby as well. Ever since the pandemic, I’ve managed to find something that drives me to be more productive during the day and also de-stresses me as I go. The opportunity to do this for other people while enjoying it is unique in my opinion.
Tell us about the progress you’ve made since you’ve started PureAromaa. In January 2021, I was only selling 1 Wick Candles. I was only first getting started out and sold to a few family members here and there. I now attend pop-up shops, events and more - even hosted one with a friend. I sell multiple products and more to come and I’m so surprised by how far I’ve come with this business in only one year.
What does being a Maker mean to you? Personally, it means to enjoy what you do for other people while having a passion for the thing itself. You have to strive only as far as you can and do your best. Being a maker is a large part of my life unlike any other.
How have you developed your skills? Practice. It’s really the truth when they say that practice makes perfect. Starting out, I hadn’t known how to make candles perfectly and now I can do it almost without thinking. It’s really a matter of doing hands-on work.
Where are you from and how does that influence your work? I’m from an off-island suburb of Montreal. Seeing that Montreal is a city of art, music, and passion, there are a million small businesses at work every day.
How has the pandemic impacted your creativity? The pandemic has allowed me to spend some more time at home focusing on myself and therefore my creativity and business. Although it’s a really tough time right now, I try to look on the positive side.
What is your favorite thing you've created and why? My favorite product I’ve created is the first one I have ever done. My 1 Wick Candle. It’s basic but in every way, a perfect gift for someone and stands out amongst the room when it’s lit.
Tell us about your first sale My first sale was to my family members on my very first day of opening on Instagram. After this, my Instagram grew quite a bit with local clients and I started to get a lot of orders and I couldn’t have felt happier in those moments with everyone supporting me.
What are your long-term goals? I’m currently at Dawson College pursuing a career in psychology but in the future, I’d love to open a small shop for my business whenever possible or continue it as a hobby in my life.
What initially drew you to your craft? I’ve always been a candle lover. I advocated for self-care to my friends all the time and especially during the pandemic. Because of this, I wanted to create a local business that would be available to people locally for natural non-toxic since the knowledge of candle ingredients was not known extensively to most people. Naturally, my body and lip scrubs drew from this and I continue making products for self-care.
What three adjectives would you use to describe your work?
Thrilling, Relaxing, and Detail-Oriented.