Welcome to the Croxon Kitchen Blog

    

Hello,

Welcome to my blog journey! I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to share my thoughts and ideas about home fragrance and bath products with all of you. Each week, I'll be posting on various interesting topics related to essential oils, well-being, and living a healthy lifestyle, keeping you up to date and well-informed about our work, processes, and, most importantly, the reasons behind what we do.

In this very first blog post, I want to take a moment to share my entrepreneurial journey with you. Running your own business is no walk in the park, as anyone who has experienced it firsthand or knows someone who has can relate to. I hope that my story can serve as an inspiration to keep you motivated and moving forward, even during the times when you may not feel passionate about your business or entirely satisfied with the way things are going. It's all part of the process. Learn to embrace the journey, recognising that every experience along the way is crucial, and be grateful for the person you're becoming through these challenges. This person is the one who will ultimately achieve success, whatever that word means to you. You are becoming the best version of yourself, the person you can be truly proud of. Embrace the journey. 

So, let's dive in. My name is Nikki Croxon, and as I write this, I am 32 years old. I reside in the beautiful county of Surrey in the U.K., and I am not only a veterinary nurse by profession but also a proud mother of two wonderful children, Hollie and Fredrick, and a girlfriend to George.

The journey of Croxon Kitchen began in 2016, initially known as 'Croxon Candle Kitchen'. After becoming a first-time homeowner, my love for candles and crafting led me to explore the idea of making my own. Concerned about the health disadvantages associated with certain wax types, I delved into researching natural and cleaner alternatives. This led me to purchase soy wax, non-toxic fragrance oils, and a bundle of cotton wicks. I dedicated myself to creating the perfect candle, which took several months of trial and error. Achieving a clean burn proved to be quite a challenge, but eventually, I was satisfied with the end result. I shared some candles with my family and friends, and their enthusiastic feedback and requests for more ignited the spark to transform my passion into a business.

My partner, George, a talented graphic designer, took charge of designing a logo for me. With that, we launched our Etsy store, and thus 'Croxon Candle Kitchen' was born, with Vanilla as our very first scent. In the early days, sales were slow, and I vividly remember the excitement of hearing the "cha-ching" sound from my phone when I received an Etsy purchase notification, prompting a joyful dance around my one-bedroom flat.

From 2016 to 2019, we experienced steady growth, and during this time, we introduced a network marketing program. Network marketing, in essence, involves allowing others to join our company, promoting our brand, and earning commissions and bonuses on orders generated by themselves. Having previously been involved in network marketing with a makeup brand, I fell in love with the sense of community it fosters and the values it represents. Adding this aspect to my company has never been a decision I've regretted.

In 2019, my beautiful daughter entered the world, and I went on maternity leave from my full-time veterinary nurse role. Thanks to Croxon Kitchen's rapid growth, especially during the pandemic period, I was able to transition to full-time work on the business once my leave ended. We built a purpose build workshop within the grounds of my Surrey home and we employed two members of staff. This newfound freedom and flexibility allowed me to be present for my daughter, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity and the unwavering support that propelled Croxon Kitchen to that significant milestone.

However, times changed. My son Fredrick arrived in June 2021, and despite working diligently with my amazing staff members, sales started to decline as the world adjusted to a new normal. In August 2022, I returned to the veterinary world part-time and continued running Croxon Kitchen single handedly. 

Taking a step back from the business provided me with valuable breathing space to explore new directions for the Croxon Kitchen brand. During this time, I discovered that my passion and focus for Croxon Kitchen lay in essential oils, rather than fragrance oils. In 2023, we made the pivotal decision to shift our focus towards promoting physical and mental well-being, a direction that resonated deeply, especially after emerging from the challenging times of a global pandemic. This switch aligned perfectly with our commitment to providing products that nurture overall wellness and brought a renewed sense of purpose to Croxon Kitchen.

While my ultimate dream is to return to Croxon Kitchen full-time in the future, relishing the time freedom it entails, I know that with my determination and the support of our incredible customer base, we will get there. I'm thrilled to share that journey and celebrate the milestones with all of you as we achieve them.

Thank you for joining me on this blog adventure, and I look forward to sharing many engaging discussions on all things essential oils and well-being with you soon. 

You can follow us on social media here and please feel free to take a look at our extensive product range here

Warm regards,

Nikki Croxon

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