Listening to Your Gut

If you had asked me eight years ago about owning a soap business, I probably would have laughed at the idea. I always had an interest in soap-making, but the catalyst for diving into the art would be spurred by my husband, Chris. The combination of his chemistry knowledge (chemical engineer) and my knack for aromatic combinations (massage therapist) merged in the form of soap favors for our wedding in 2010. The encouraging feedback by family and friends enabled a hobby where our skills could vastly improve with the learning curve of each batch. Our first child, Summer, was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and life’s outlook required a different viewpoint. The fun and creative soap making hobby could possibly provide a future for our daughter.

I’ve always been a self-starter and for the past sixteen years, I’ve been self-employed. My first job in high school put me in charge of daily responsibilities with little oversight. Instead of college, I chose trade school. At the age of 23, I leapt into business ownership with my own massage practice. I loved being self-employed. This independent yet hard path gave me the freedom to create the life I wanted. I set the tone of work every day and have a checklist of business details that I tend to. Most days I hit the ground running before daybreak, but the flexibility of being self-employed has gifted me other areas of life to enjoy as well. The synergy of drive and deliberate choices enabled me to grow this artisan soap making into a profitable business.

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