A Homemade Christmas Present Turned into 500 Million Dollar Company!
Success story of a Christmas Present
Success story of Michael Kittredge:- It was a cold, December night in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Michael Kittredge, a 16 year old boy sitting on his kitchen table, thinking hard, what present he would give to his mother this Christmas?, as money was the main problem because he hadn’t a penny in his pocket. He was a creative and active guy, at the age of 13 he saw the ‘Beatles’ and aspired to be a rock star. He not only learned playing guitar well but he assembled his own rock band ‘Bristol Curries’.
Soon some cash started to came through band performances in small parties. Mike organized these parties and took the job to find new clients for the band. But the band broke up in 1969 leaving the Mike cashless and broke.
The Creative Christmas Present
Mike decided to give some homemade gift to his mother, as this was the only option left. He gathered some house hold stuff like wax, his childhood day’s crayons, milk container and made up a colorful candle and added some scent to it. He wasn’t had the idea that his small creation is about to give a fortune to him and his family.
A neighbor saw mike’s brainchild, the colorful scented candle and made handsome offer to buy it. Mike purchased more wax from the earning and made two candles; one for his mother and one for sale! Demand for mike’s scented candles grew rapidly among neighbors, friends and family. Mike started selling his candles at schools, stores and local shops. Initially he used his father’s garage as his candle factory but soon managed to hire a old paper mill nearby in 80$ per month rent in the year 1972.
With support from his high school friends Donald MacIver and Susan Obremski, mike founded his candle company and named it “Yankee Candle Company”.
Yankee Candle Company slowly but gradually expanded in the following years. After opening few more stores on prime locations it became international brand.
Now, Mike’s Yankee Candle Company is the largest US manufacturer of scented candles working with dedicated and skilled 6000 employees and 550 stores worldwide and has 19000 authorized retail stores globally.
In 1998 Michael Kittredge sold his company to Forstmann Little for 500 million dollars. Latter he started a new company for his son, guess what father and son are making now? ………. Yes more Candles.
Michael Kittredge with his son Mick.
Office of Yankee Candle Company, USA
Founder of the Yanke Candle Company Michael Kittredge’s recent photo.
The Logo of Yankee Candle Company.
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