Long Beach's Pedler family learning entrepreneurial skills through family business

Tania, Joel and their three kids Chloe (15), Gemma (13) and Charli (8) started their candle making business Aroma Dreams from their Long Beach home in February 2021.

During the 2020 Christmas holidays, the family bought candle making kits as a school holiday activity.

They loved them and, what's more, the candles they created were loved by everyone.

"We started buying more and more candle making kits," Tania said.

"All our friends loved them. Everyone was saying how good they were, and it all went from there."

Joel, who works for IGA, arranged for Malua Bay IGA to sell some candles. Other IGAs were keen to jump on board too.

Then Joel decided to try supply candles to Canberra. Aroma Dreams products were suddenly in high demand.

They are now stocked in 18 different stores across the nation's capital, and more stores in the Eurobodalla. They also have a family-run stall at the Rotary Batemans Bay Sunday Market on Clyde.

Tania and the girls make the candles, the girls do the packaging and the wicking, Chloe designs the labels. Joel delivers the products around the shire and monthly to Canberra.

"Everyone has their role," Joel said.

"It can be stressful, but it's great."

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Tania said the success of the candle making business had inspired an entrepreneurial streak in her daughters and equipped them with important life skills.

Often after school, rather than playing on technology, the couple will find their children sitting making their handmade goods to sell at markets: Chloe now makes earrings she sells at the markets; Gemma sells beaded keyrings too.

"They know what it is like to earn money and spend money," Tania said.

"They've got a bit of drive now. It gets them going.

"It's giving them good life experience - customer skills serving people at markets."

She said customers thought it fantastic that the young girls serving them at the markets handmade the candles themselves.

From their humble beginnings, Aroma Dreams now has more than 50 different scents available, including unusual scents such as an alcohol range - mojito, rum - and a lolly scent range.

They hope to one day open a little factory making candles with a small shop out the front.