A Prestonpans woman who set up a business as a hobby during lockdown has been recognised by the Scotland Business Awards, taking home the prize for Best Craft or Creative Business in Edinburgh and Lothian.
Hayleigh Buchanan, 32, of High Street, Prestonpans, set up HaloWax, which sells handcrafted wax melts and fragrance products in 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
A former social care worker for East Lothian Council, Hayleigh quit her job earlier this year, opening her shop on High Street to take the venture full time.
The business was nominated for the award by customers, and the award organisers also carried out secret shopper-style visits and looked at HaloWax’s presence on social media.
Hayleigh told the Courier: “I couldn’t believe it when we won; I had in my mind that we weren’t going to win. There were another three businesses up for the award and I just thought one of them would get it.
“All the young ones went up the town after the awards and I never got home until four in the morning. It was a great night.”
Since opening the shop in March, Hayleigh has been shocked at how fast the business has grown – so much so that she is struggling to keep up with demand.
She said: “My mum has helped me a lot and is making products for the shop too.
“It’s a never-ending battle trying to make stuff all day to keep up with demand.
“We have thought about getting another shop in Musselburgh, but it would be a big commitment and we’re not doing that right now.”
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