“Don’t put any idea off as a joke,” said Richard “Hart” Main, a ɫ sophomore economics major from New Philadelphia, Ohio. “I almost did that and missed an opportunity.”
The 18-year-old entrepreneur, from ɫ's College of Business Administration, is referring to ManCans, his company that makes and sells masculine-scented candles with a philanthropic twist.
ManCans are sold in 150 local shops throughout the U.S. Customers can choose from a variety of scents, including new car, campfire, cigar and fresh cut grass. The company is able to donate 75 cents from each homemade candle to charity. More than 100,000 cans of soup and $50,000 have been donated to soup kitchens throughout the Midwest.
Starting a Business
Main conceived the business idea on a whim when he was only 13 years old. His younger sister asked their mother to purchase candles for a fundraiser, and Main noticed there were few scents that would appeal to men.
“They were all super girly scents, such as rose, lavender and cinnamon,” Main said. “I was joking with her, ‘Where are the man scents?’”
However, Main did not start taking his idea seriously until November 2010 when he needed extra money to purchase a new racing bike. Main used the money he earned from his paper route to buy supplies to start the candle company.
Main’s mother, an assistant professor of nursing at ɫ at Tuscarawas, initially helped him make the candles in their kitchen. His father also assisted with transporting and delivering candles. It was a family effort, but Main’s parents encouraged him to make the business decisions. They wanted him to learn from his own mistakes, Main said.
Growing Momentum and Helping Others
ManCans began growing slowly, but quickly gained momentum in March 2011 when a news station in Columbus, Ohio, covered Main’s story. The Associated Press picked up the story shortly after. Main received 1,400 orders in 48 hours as a result of the media coverage.
The business was forced to expand production to keep up with increased orders. Main chose the Beaver Creek Candle Company in Lisbon, Ohi