To make money selling candles you have two options: sell other people's candles, or sell your own. If you want to sell candles made by others, or a manufacturer, you will have to find a source that you can buy at a price cheap enough for you to make a profit selling them on. In many ways it will be more profitable to make your own candles to sell.

1. You need a business plan. It doesn't have to be complicated, but you do need to know where you are going. You need to identify sources for materials, your market, your promotion and advertising methods, and so on.

Get it all down on paper and make sure it's realistic and doable. Set time scales and try to stick to them. This whole procedure need not take very long, but you'll be glad you did it. A business plan is a document you can refer back to check that you are keeping pace and heading in the right direction.

2. Decide whether you want to produce beeswax candles or paraffin candles. Beeswax candles will cost more, but they will also attract a higher quality of clientele. You could of course do a mix of the two, but it may be better to specialize.

3. Source and buy the equipment you will need to make candles. This will include: paraffin or beeswax in bulk for melting down, wicks, scents, dyes, molds, and a suitable pan to be used for melting the wax. You will also need a source of heat, but a kitchen cooker could be used, at least at first.

The most expensive part of this equipment and materials will be the molds. You will need a reasonable variety of molds if you are serious about candle making. Expect to pay between $200 and $250 for all this. The basic materials and supplies, wicks, dyes, wax, etc, will need to be replenished as required, of course. The molds and melting pan will last a long time if you look after them.

4. If you already have a computer you may wish to consider getting special candle making software. This could be the start of you getting serious and putting your own mark on your products.

5. Get experience. Start making candles and get a feel for the experience of doing it. Scour the Internet and read everything you can find out about the process. Look for videos on all the popular video sharing websites like YouTube, Metacafe and Google Video, as well as more specialist sites like ExpertVillage and VideoJug.

6. Aim to produce candles that are unique, highly appealing and desirable, as well as affordable. Position yourself as a candle maker who makes candles that are different from the usual. This is important for your marketing efforts. It will take some effort to get there, but it will be worthwhile doing.

7. Promote your candle making business both offline and online. Use your local newspaper to advertise in. Set up your own website just for your candle making business. Always be totally professional in whatever you do to promote the business. Use article marketing. It's free and highly effective. You can easily make money selling candles, but you do have to have a good plan and work it too.