Nic Bianchi, Bianchi Candle Company, with a few of his products.

When most fourth graders were mastering multiplication and division problems, Nic Bianchi was busy designing a logo for his future business. After creating leather and wood products in an effort to satisfy his hunger for all things entrepreneurial, Nic moved into fifth grade where he developed a catalog, hired two sales reps, and began selling used Oriental Trading toys at recess. “I knew I wanted to do something big,” Nic says. But everything changed in 2014 when he received a candle making kit for his twelfth birthday. Nic, who was now a sixth grader, began making candles with his father that night. A self-professed lover of science and math, Nic was immediately hooked on the process of creating the best, all natural soy candle in the industry. A short time later, Bianchi Candle Company was officially in business.

Boosted by advice from his sixth-grade teacher who told him that no matter how bad things might become in life to always hold his head high, Nic sold his first candles in a local boutique in 2014 and created an LLC. By 2017, he had increased his presence in the marketplace and launched a fundraising division. In 2019, Nic auditioned for the popular television show, Shark Tank, launched his products in Hy-Vee, and went live on Amazon.

Today, Nic has a commercial space and team of four who help him create a line of products that include the Wild Worksmen, the first candle he developed at age twelve, the Yes You Can candle designed to inspire others to have a “yes you can” mindset, and the Original Bianchi Candle (Bianchi means white in Italian) that is focused on home décor. Candles are poured in batches of six or seven and take typically 24 hours to cool and set. His wide array of scents include chai tea, lavender lime, sandalwood, sweet orange chile pepper, fresh brewed coffee, spring rain, and a variety of emotions such as joy, hope, and kindness that gently remind us that life is a gift not to be taken for granted.

Nic, who is a typical high school junior who loves hanging with his friends at the lake, attends class until 12:30 every weekday and then heads to either his commercial space to develop new ideas and make candles or to meetings where it doesn’t take him long to convince vendors that a seventeen-year-old has what it takes to run a successful business. Along the way, Nic says the biggest lesson he’s learned is that no matter what is thrown his way, he can always persevere. His future plans include majoring in some form of business in college, perhaps in San Diego.

As every business owner knows, learning is part of daily life. A year ago, Nic didn’t know how to manage a landlord relationship that includes rent, utilities, and a host of other unknown challenges. “I’ve discovered running a business takes a lot of hard work, but I love it when big things happen because of our hard work and focus,” he adds. When asked what one word best describes his life today, Nic answered, “Fulfilled.

Nic advises anyone who wants to pursue their passion in life to “go for it, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” Surrounded by an incredible support group that includes his parents, friends, and other entrepreneurs who mentor him, Nic has already discovered that owning a business offers wonderful rewards that include valuable life lessons that he can carry forward into the bright future that awaits him.

Jeff Bezos, Chairman and CEO of Amazon, once said, “You don’t choose your passions; your passions choose you.” Nic is an example of what one young man can do when he embraces his passion, walks through his fears, and creates a company that, in its own way, makes the world a better place.

For more about Bianchi Candle Company or to order products, click here: https://bianchicandleco.com.

Vicky DeCoster is a Certified Life Coach based in Omaha, Nebraska, who specializes in helping her clients both locally and nationwide to move past obstacles, create a plan for happiness, and cross the bridge of transition to find a new and fulfilling direction in life. To read more about her and her practice, visit her at crossthebridgecoaching.com.

Julie Ricceri, Owner of Diana’s Papillion Tea Shop

When Julie Ricceri won a bag of tea from a Facebook contest hosted by The Papillion Tea Shop in 2016, she had just retired from a thirty-two-year career as a special education teacher. Married for thirty-three years and the mother of an adult daughter, Julie was looking forward to a new chapter without any idea that winning that bag of tea would become a pivotal moment in her life.

When Julie visited the tea shop to pick up her bag of tea, she chatted with an employee who was resigning. Julie, who was seeking work a few days a week, was eventually hired by Diana, the owner of the tea shop. Diana had cancer and needed someone to manage the shop while she received treatments. As a friendship between the two women developed, Diana confided in Julie that she wanted someone to take over the shop if the cancer ever became untreatable, perhaps five to ten years down the road. While Julie and Diana contemplated partnering together in the business, Diana traveled to Florida over Christmas. When she returned, she was too ill to work. Julie adds, “She was only able to make it in one more time before she passed away.” Her death left her grief-stricken husband, Des, with the overwhelming task of managing the shop as well as Diana’s affairs. After Julie agreed to stay on and run the business, she asked him to consider renaming the shop, Diana’s Papillion Tea Shop. He agreed and a year later, Julie purchased the shop from him.

Although Julie has always loved tea, she only drank unflavored green tea for its immune boosting power. Once she started working at the tea shop, she began learning about the health benefits of all teas. Today she definitely considers herself a tea aficionado who is passionate about the advantages of drinking a variety of teas cultivated from around the world.

While owning a business was daunting at first, Julie was inspired by Diana who she says had the imagination and unique abilities to open the shop. Diana’s husband, Des, offered great advice: enjoy every moment. “He didn’t want me to feel guilty about taking over the shop,” Julie adds. Before she tackles anything new, Julie always asks herself, “Would Diana like this? Is this something she would do?” Today, Julie has transformed into a confident entrepreneur who is slowly adding her own unique touches to the shop. Recently she added more tables and a cozy sitting area—a decision that has been very popular with her devoted customers. Her biggest challenge has been determining how much inventory to purchase and finding a balance between the demands of entrepreneurship and her need for occasional downtime. Her biggest surprise is how many of her customers have become her friends. “It really is a blessing,” she says, “I have a whole new set of people in my life that I would not have ever known had I not won that bag of tea!”

Julie’s husband, Ben, is her biggest supporter. He helps her with the books, cleans the shop, and assists with preparations for special events. Her daughter, Nina, also provides encouragement along the way. Finally, Diana’s family always expresses their gratitude to her for keeping the shop open.

Every day, Julie opens the shop at 10:00 a.m., ensures the tea is ready for sampling, stocks the shelves, checks on orders, answers customers’ questions, makes drinks, and chats with the customers. When asked what one word best describes her life today, Julie answered, “Full.” By pursuing her passion, Julie has gained a sense of satisfaction that comes with loving what she does. Although she never expected to be an entrepreneur, Julie has settled quite nicely into her new role and openly embraces everything that goes along with it. When she greets her customers warmly and offers them a place to decompress and enjoy a cup of flavorful tea, there is no question that Julie has found her home.

Diana would be so proud.

For more about Julie and the tea shop, visit www.dianaspapillionteashop.com or her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/papillionteashop/.

Vicky DeCoster is a Certified Life Coach who specializes in helping her clients move past obstacles, create a plan for happiness, and cross the bridge of transition to find a new and fulfilling direction in life. To read more about her and her practice, visit her at crossthebridgecoaching.com.

Living His Passion – Nic Bianchi, Bianchi Candle Company

Living Her Passion – Julie Ricceri, Diana’s Papillion Tea Shop