Meet Andrea Lugo | Supply Chain Professional & Chandler

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrea Lugo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrea, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I was in school I always leaned towards science and math which is what drove me to study engineering. However, growing up, I was always painting and playing music on the side. As I started my professional career in supply chain, I found myself always thinking of business ideas in which I could use my artistic abilities.
I am the biggest Etsy fan and have always loved gift giving especially if it’s customized. I started seeing holiday candles in December of 2023 and thought to myself “Why only decorate candles for holidays when they can be decorated for any occasion?” So I took a candle making class that same month and began experimenting. That is how alCo Candles came about!
We made our first sale on Etsy in February for Valentines Day and as of recently started making wax bouquets that look like flowers. I love that I can continue to use my creative abilities to find the perfect gift for others who have special occasions coming up.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I sell candles and wax bouquets for special occasions. The biggest thing I am working on right now is growing into the flower delivery sector but not by offering flowers. I’ve created a product that is long-lasting, doesn’t require the maintenance, and smells amazing. We offer scented wax bouquets that last over a year, and hope people find a design that they enjoy to send to a loved one.
It’s definitely been a journey in trying to narrow my scope. When starting a business it is easy to get lost in all the ideas and try to execute them all at once. Experimenting is part of the journey and one of the things that helped me the most was selling at local markets. This was the best way to get customer feedback by seeing what types of candles caught people’s attention. I remember we had our first market in February of 2024 and 80% of our sales came from friends that came to visit. Part of it was due to the weather but I also learned that I needed to offer more products that can be used at anytime because not everyone will have a need to buy a gift for a specific occasion such as a wedding or baby shower. This is when we then started selling drink candles such as martinis, iced coffee, matcha, and margaritas. These are now our best sellers in container candles and if it wasn’t for that first market, I may not have had the idea to expand my offerings to general decorative candles. The sales in markets have fluctuated but I try to remind myself of the strong sales in each of them and to not let a lower selling market define my success.
alCo Candles is still a part-time job as I am working in supply chain as a project manager. My goal for the future is to continue to expand my customer reach and see my products in stores. It will take a lot to make it my main source of income but I have faith that I can continue to grow off of this idea to generate more ideas to come.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A perfect itinerary or list of ideas for a visit to Dallas would involve a workout class at a local gym whether that’s hot pilates or strength training you can’t go wrong. We’d then go for an açai bowl at Bondi Bowls which is my favorite açai spot in Dallas. After getting ready we’d go to a park or walk around shops in areas like Victory Park, West Village, or Deep Ellum. For lunch I love taking people to the Rustic or Ice House to get a frozen margarita and enjoy live music and being surrounded by people having a good time. In the evenings I’d suggest dinner and drinks at a rooftop or heading to a concert or sporting event. I love being in scenic places or listening to live music so anything that involves that is a good time. Then to wrap up the week on Saturday or Sunday I’d suggest heading over to a local vendors market to support local artists, I always find something!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I always tell my friends and family that the biggest help they can provide is to refer me to friends or use my gifts for their occasions. I don’t look for profits when providing products to friends and family but look for word of mouth growth. My biggest supporters have been my fiancé, my sister, and some of my closest friends.
My fiancé, Edgardo: for not missing one market and always listening to me go on and on about the countless ideas I have planned for the future
My sister, Montse: for always looking to gift my products to friends with special occasions and helping out in markets
My friends, and some of my top customers, Monica and Mariana: for always referring me and thinking of gifting my products to gift. My top customers right here!

Website: https://alcocandles.com

Instagram: @alco.candles