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Founder@ Interview
Interview with Chanel Leadeham
“When you decide to set up a business, it’s an emotional rollercoaster. The highs will have you feeling on top of the world and the lows can knock your confidence to the point you debate quitting but it’s all part of the journey, the importance is finding balance and coming back to your ‘why’ because that is what will keep you going!.” – Chanel Leadeham
Today we feature Chanel Leadeham, the founder at Scented Hive. We hear their story in their own words, their successes, their challenges and their insights.
Let’s start by getting to know you. Can you please tell us a little bit about you and what you do?
My business specializes in aromatherapy wax melts (candles without the wick), they are handmade with ethically sourced beeswax and pure essential oils.
Each of the scents is crafted with a purpose to not only provide a beautiful natural fragrance for the home but to also provide a grounding, uplifting or calming atmosphere to suit the mood.
A great introduction and start to this interview. Can you please tell us, how did you start, from what age, and what made you decide to change direction and start?
I started my business when I was 27, I was living in a women’s refuge at the time and had decided to enrol into the Prince’s Trust enterprise programme to try and figure out what I wanted to do with my life.
At the time, I was struggling with my mental health dealing with intense PTSD symptoms and was introduced to wax melts by one of the residents at the refuge.
There was a really nice moment where all the women had gathered around to look at this huge selection of wax melts, there were so many colours, aromas and shapes displayed out.
We sat down and exchanged different wax melts, reminiscing, no one was left out, the kids got involved and it was a nice, light-hearted moment where we weren’t reminded of our traumas.
When I finally melted my first wax melt in my room, I knew this was an experience I wanted to recreate but as a natural option. I was quick to order my first starter pack of essential oils after researching the benefits of aromatherapy and at the same time, I was taking virtual business workshops with the Prince’s Trust to help me set up the business.
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By November 2020 I had made my first batch of wax melts and started many months of trial and testing to create 6 unique blends I could be proud of.
Once I had moved out of the refuge, building up the product and brand steamrolled rather quickly and in April 2021 Scented Hive was launched!
Thank you for that insight. So can you tell us…What does your business do and where is your company based?
Scented Hive is based in London, UK, it’s a home fragrance company that goes beyond providing natural scents for the home, it’s a brand that aims to help women reconnect with their ‘inner hive’, the mind, body & soul with plant therapy.
Our sense of smell is the most powerful of our 5 senses, it bears a strong link with our emotions, each essential oil blend is made with a specific intent, for example, the grounding collection includes essential oils such as Patchouli and Frankincense, earthy aromas that help establish mindfulness and balance the mood.
What’s the story behind your success? What led to your aha moment? how did you get to where you are now?
Starting this process has been a major learning curve for me, there are some people who view my business as just another “candle” business in a highly saturated market.
However, it is those that have believed in me (like my little sister who created my logo, the support of charities like Prince’s Trust), and those that have already walked in my shoes and succeeded that continue to motivate me.
I have never been keen on talking about myself but talking about Scented Hive comes from a big sense of pride because it helped to bring me out of a dark place, I have a lot of faith in where it can go.
My ‘aha’ moment was almost being completely sold out on launch day! The support I’ve received from people I don’t know is a constant reminder to keep at what I’m doing because it’s bigger than me and could help a lot of people in the future.
Thank you for sharing that. What’s been your life’s biggest lesson so far?
The biggest lesson I faced was when I was getting ready to launch the business, I was eager to get everything done quickly. I was apprehensive about designing the website myself and had naively decided to hire someone to do it.
I got in contact with one particular company, in the initial phone call I was quoted a decent price but by the time I had received the contract, the quote had more than doubled.
The company was quite keen to have me sign this contract and started putting the pressure on which set off a few alarm bells, I told my mentor about it and was advised to do some due diligence on this company before making any decision.
This was my saving grace, if I had signed the contract I would’ve been obligated to pay out a lot in fees that I could not afford.
I took the time and went through the ins and outs of building up an e-commerce website with the help of a handy template, it delayed my launch by 2 months but it was worth knowing exactly how to operate my website without relying on outside help that would’ve cost me more in the long run.
Patience is vital when setting up your first business, it’s easy to get caught up looking at what the competition is doing and trying to play catch-up but your business will end up lacking authenticity.
I had anticipated setting up and running my own business would be hard but what I underestimated was how much work would be involved. The devil really is in the detail and it’s easy to overlook the slightest things and become overwhelmed. It’s important to know when to ask for help, setting up a business can be isolating at times and you can get stuck in your head. Networking is not as scary as it may seem, speaking to other entrepreneurs helps you realize you are not alone in this journey!
If you were to go back in time, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Surround yourself with like-minded people, being an entrepreneur can be isolating at times, it can be useful to interact with other entrepreneurs who understand and relate to your day-to-day.
Set reasonable goals for yourself, trying to do everything at once will overwhelm you but breaking it down into small tasks helps to achieve your goals. Everyone has bad/off days, it’s important to know when to take time out for yourself.
We’re nearly halfway through our interview so it’s a great time to ask how does your business run. What three tools make your business run better?
My top 3 tools would be Canva, Sorted and Quickbooks.
I discovered these tools through the online business workshops I did with the Prince’s Trust and networking with other entrepreneurs. Sorted is a great planning tool and one that has really helped organise my life! It made it easier to keep track of all my tasks and I would not have been able to run my business without it.
For all my social media and marketing needs, Canva is truly the best out there.
The templates are really useful and it has made it easier to develop a consistent brand image.
I’m someone who’s always struggled with financials and it can become overwhleming when you’re new to it but Quickbooks is a great tool to help gain a better understanding of your business financials!
What do you know now that you wished you had known before?
I had anticipated setting up and running my own business would be hard but what I underestimated was how much work would be involved.
The devil really is in the detail and it’s easy to overlook the slightest things and become overwhelmed. It’s important to know when to ask for help, setting up a business can be isolating at times and you can get stuck in your head. Networking is not as scary as it may seem, speaking to other entrepreneurs helps you realize you are not alone in this journey!
What has been your greatest or proudest achievement or moment?
My proudest achievement so far has been getting my business started! It’s been such an amazing learning curve and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to build, I’ve had to overcome a lot to get to where I am now and it’s helped me to grow as a person.
What future life goals do you want to achieve and why?
My future goal is to have Scented Hive evolve to being more than just a home fragrance business, my mission is to help empower women through self care.
The pandemic created hardship for so many people around the world, it also made it difficult for women like myself to escape domestic violence, if Scented Hive is able to provide the means to protect even 1 woman from violence that would be the biggest achievement.
To finish our inspire questions…”We believe that sharing inspiring words can inspire others.” If there was one positive thing you would say to someone to inspire and empower them what would it be and why?
When you decide to set up a business, it’s an emotional rollercoaster. The highs will have you feeling on top of the world and the lows can knock your confidence to the point you debate quitting but it’s all part of the journey, the importance is finding balance and coming back to your ‘why’ because that is what will keep you going!
“Thank you it has been great learning more about your founder story and Scented Hive”
To learn more about Scented Hive Visit www.scentedhive.com
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