I turned a fun candle-making side hustle into a full-time business after my layoff. Sometimes I wonder how the heck I did it.
Taylor Kelly started running candle-making workshops as a side hustle while working a corporate job. After a layoff, he made it a full-time business.
Taylor Kelly, a 34-year-old founder of Eventful ATL based in Atlanta, started as a candle-making workshop host in 2023 to escape loneliness and meet new people. After a corporate layoff in 2025, he transformed the side hustle into a full-time business. Eventful ATL now offers over 12 class topics, such as flower arranging, pasta making, and wine tasting, in addition to candle making.
The company has seen a significant revenue growth, from $2,000 in 2023 to over $100,000 in 2026. Kelly works with around eight to 10 contractors and instructors and hosts 15 to 20 events a month.
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