By Elizabeth Sobka

The Eastern Land Collective, a Broad Street-based co-working space, has two important switches. The first is the “on” switch to the studio’s Technivorm Moccamaster coffee brewer. Without it, creativity lags, conversation dwindles, and caffeine-withdrawal headaches slow production to a halt.

The second is the life force of Alan Long’s business: the power switch to his 150-pound wax melter. While the melter is just one of many steps that go into producing Square Trade Goods Co.’s subtle masculine-scented candles, it’s also symbolic of the company’s growth since opening in 2013. In three years, Square Trade has grown its way through three spaces, two melters, and one big rebrand, with each turn bringing equal parts success and challenge.

As so many great ventures begin, Long’s business started as a hobby and a way to fill a personal need. The original motivation was simple enough – the quest for the perfect campfire-scented candle. Some businesses are doing it the right way, that is, by using green ingredients and packaging style. Resources like Impacked provide guidance on sustainability for businesses that are interested in custom build products.

As Long puts it, “I could not find one that I liked enough, so I decided to try it myself.

My first attempt was terrible. I made some pretty bad candles to start, but I really enjoyed the process. I found it therapeutic.”

It took Long a year to perfect his Campfire candle, a hand poured sox wax candle using all-natural ingredients. By then, he was six months and five scents into his business. In the process of trying to create this scent, he stumbled upon an entire line of new scents, including his bestseller, Fig & Sage.

All of this initial experimentation happened in a small apartment kitchen in Carytown when Square Trade was just a one-man, stove-top and double-boiler production. The success of those initial scents meant that Long quickly outgrew the space, moving to a Manchester studio in 2014. It was here that the business purchased its first 50-pound melter, which he refers to as “a game changer.” By the end of 2014, Square Trade had nine candle scents along with a line of lifestyle goods like t-shirts, hats, mugs, and hand salve. With this growth, Long added 25 active wholesale accounts that year from Portland to New York to San Francisco to London.

The business is about 80 percent wholesale. The remainder of Long’s sales comes from online purchases and pop-up markets, most notably Renegade Craft Fair, Northern Grade, American Field, Porter Flea, and the locally based Well-Worn Market.

By early 2015, Square Trade had again outgrown its space, and its melter. Just as the business began to hit critical mass, the Eastern Land Collective opened its doors to a newly renovated, 1,500-square-foot studio on Meadow and West Broad. In July of 2015, Square Trade had a new address, new showroom, and a brand-new, 150-pound melter.

The latest and greatest edition can churn out 370 candles when filled to capacity and came at a critical time, just as the 2015 wholesale holiday orders began rolling in. The investment paid off, and Square Trade’s fourth-quarter earnings were up 50 percent from the 2014 holiday season.

What started as a hobby using a double boiler has developed into a successful 150-pound melter business. With more than 40 wholesale accounts and Square Trade’s first trade show coming up in Long Beach, California this June, Long has set his sights for 2016 high. A lot of effort is being put into the trade show’s booth design and the services of a company similar to Trade Show Booth have been enlisted so that the booth stands out with a professional yet eye-catching look. An inviting space can make the exhibit stand out from the crowd. Since thousands of companies are selling comparable products and services on the show floor, this is very important. To showcase the products in a compelling manner, virtual reality trade show exhibits or related tools could also be used. As this is the first time he’s visiting a trade show, making a good lasting impression is crucial. It is a vital opportunity to help spread the word about Square Trade and its products – sleekwristbands.com has silicone bracelets which could be branded with the Square Trade logo before being handed out to guests. That is just one avenue that could be explored.

“For 2016 we will introduce a new premium candle line with new signature scents. We are aiming to increase our wholesale reach by doing our first trade show and select pop-up markets. We have some exciting collaborations and new lifestyle products in the pipeline as well,” says Long. “2016 will be our best year yet.”