From inspiration to innovation: How PayPal helps Paige’s Candle Co. power growth

Paige Graham is a self-taught candle maker. As a young child, attending free community art programs helped Graham find her passion for creative expression.

Turn your passion into your livelihood

This was far from her first art class. In fact, it was free community art programs that helped Graham find her passion for creative expression as a young child.

Today, Graham is the founder and creative director of Paige’s Candle Co., a boutique candle manufacturing company that also offers private label services and candle-making workshops.

Graham pours herself into her two missions: to keep her business growing, and to support and inspire artists in underserved communities like the one she grew up in.

We spoke with Graham to learn more about how she turned her hobby into a business, the importance of community, and how she utilizes the solutions found on PayPal Open’s platform to power her ambitions.

Use tools that move your business forward

“Offering PayPal gives my customers a strong sense of security.”

Small businesses don’t have the benefit of a notorious brand name. But they can use well-known tools to build trust with new customers.

Solutions from PayPal Open have played a pivotal role in helping Graham sell her artisanal candles. Graham’s journey with PayPal began when she implemented PayPal Checkout, which provides a trusted payment option for her customers. In fact, offering PayPal Checkout can help small and medium-sized businesses improve their checkout conversions by an average of 46%.¹

Get the funds you need to grow

To continue expanding Paige’s Candle Co., Graham needed to invest in new equipment without straining her cash reserves. She tapped into PayPal Working Capital² to make it happen.

“When I applied for PayPal Working Capital,” Graham recalls, “I needed it to purchase new equipment, and a lot of equipment in my industry is very expensive. The application was simple, and my approval was quick. Having the percentage taken out of each transaction, rather than having high monthly payments, was golden.”³

Graham used another PayPal tool to navigate the seasonal nature of her business. With most of her revenue generated between September and June, she relied on the PayPal Business Debit Card to cover expenses during slower months.

“The PayPal Debit Card is amazing...it helps me scale my business while keeping expenses organized and manageable,” Graham shares.

For Graham, these financial tools have been more than just conveniences—they’ve been essential to her company’s stability and success.

“Everything is in one place, and it helps you scale,” she explains. With PayPal Open’s suite ofsolutions, Graham feels that Paige’s Candle Co. is well-positioned to continue growing while staying true to its mission of creativity, community, and empowerment.

Keep the fire burning

“The soul of my business is giving back.”

Four times a year, Graham donates candle-making workshops to organizations serving under-resourced communities, like the one in which Graham grew up. These workshops offer opportunities for participants to explore entrepreneurship and hands-on craftsmanship.

“I want to show that not only can you start a business, but you can start a creative business and live off of your craft,” Graham explains. As Paige’s Candle Co. continues to evolve, Graham is focused on enhancing brand recognition and expanding into new markets.

Graham’s short-term goal is to double the number of retail partners carrying her products. However, she remains selective about where her candles are sold, prioritizing independent boutiques over big-box stores. “I’ve always stuck with smaller businesses because that’s the crux of my business,” she says.

With creativity, a strong sense of purpose, and access to PayPal Open’s solution set, Paige’s Candle Co. is set to shine even brighter in the years ahead.

Discover how PayPal helps Paige’s Candle Co. power growth by downloading the case study here.