Why start a soap business?
I have been thinking a lot about what I wanted my first blog post to be about — I could give a standard introduction to myself and my background, talk about my family, or drag on about sustainability (the earth is burning, haven’t you heard?!). Fair warning: I plan to do a little bit of all of those, but this post will be about why I chose to go into business and what it means for myself, my family, and our community.
Admittedly, I have moved at a slow pace. The earliest variation of trace soap started in 2016, and it has taken me three years to feel like I am ready to commit to moving forward with my business in a serious way. I chose to go into business for a few reasons: there was a gap in the market that I felt like I could fill with a genuinely superior and sustainable product; despite having a good job, I have found myself continuously seeking independence and autonomy; and in the long-term, I want to make a real and lasting contribution to my community as an employer #albuquerque #505.
It is an inevitability that if you start a business you will end up with some amount of blending of your personal and professional life. Honestly, I am still trying to figure out what I am comfortable with. I have a day job that is most serious in nature and very literally demands that I separate my personal and professional selves. Navigating questions like “Should I post pictures of my kid on social media?” or “Do I want to be at the center of my brand?” has been unexpectedly complex. Even if I were acutely aware of my values as a business owner, mother, and wife, values would only get me so far in my decision making. My values are still developing, as I have only been a business owner, mother, and wife for 3 years, 2 years, and 10 months respectively. But let’s be real: values are not stagnant. They keep changing and evolving with time. The good news? You can always change your mind. For now, I just hope that being an entrepreneur makes me a better human being and drives my values in the right direction.
As for our community, I have a goal of employing 20 people within 5 years. Building a business that employs people and pays them well is the best way that I can think to give back to a community that has given me so much. I have been in Albuquerque for 7 years, and I do not think there is another place I will ever call home.
Have I always dreamed of being a soap-preneur? No. Will I be one for the rest of my life? Probably not, but maybe. Do the Fight Club jokes get old? Heck no! Starting a soap business is the first act in a much longer entrepreneurial story.
To end, I want to say Thank You. Thank You to all of you that actively support creative entrepreneurs, makers, and freelancers. Starting a business, and a creative business at that, is a huge undertaking. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the abundance of free resources that currently exist for makers and creatives.
I would love to hear from other makers, entrepreneurs, and creatives in the comments below. What drives you to do what you do? How do you blend your business with yourself, and what boundaries do you draw?