Ottawa teen celebrating five years in business, looking forward to next challenge

A 14-year-old Ottawan is already celebrating five years as an entrepreneur, and is looking forward to the challenge of finding balance with high school life.

Anna Chandler Merlo began The Wax Studio in the fall of 2016. Passionate about the environment and her love of making candles, Chandler Merlo was inspired at the age of 9 to merge both her loves and create one bee-utiful business.

“I wanted to start a business based on the fact that I love bees, and I love nature,” said Merlo. “I thought together they’d make the perfect mix.”

The Wax Studio offers a variety of small-batch beeswax candles, made with all-cotton wicks, ranging in a number of different styles and sizes, coloured with all-natural vegetable-based dyes. 

Chandler Merlo takes inspiration from vintage bottles and older traditional candles and re-imagines them with her own moulds.

“I want my candles to be made as natural as possible,” she said. “I also want them to be unique and made well, with designs that maybe you haven’t seen.”

Over the past few years The Wax Studio has grown significantly, both in Ottawa and around the country, with 22 different stores carrying her candles.

When COVID-19 halted all in-person events and local craft fairs, Chandler Merlo, like many other business owners, pivoted toward social media as a tool to continue to market herself online and incorporated free contact less curb side pick-up for local orders.

“Social media has been really helpful,” said the teen. “I can practice my photography, connect with other local artists, attract new customers, and collaborate with stores who want to carry my candles.”

It is with that growing camaraderie and support within the Ottawa crafting community and local supporters that offered a welcoming space for Chandler Merlo to excel. She is looking forward to reconnecting in person and getting back into the public space once outdoor markets begin to open up.

With some years of practice under her belt, balancing her business and school, Chandler Merlo feels confident going into high school and possibly university all while running The Wax Studio on the side.

“Starting a business as a younger kid has been a great learning experience, you don’t have to have a huge business, or an online store, or have your candles in large craft markets to be able to make a difference,” she said. “You’re learning so much from it, so many skills you didn’t realize you needed until you look back and go ‘Wow, I’m so glad I learned that at a young age.’”