Finding MY professional soaping identity

[carebear]

Great link.

Philly I thought you said that woman was a friend you were trying to help out.

Regardless I hope you can make a go of it.

But to those of you who want to hear nothing but cudos and nothing that doesn't involve cheering - well a positive attitude is important but without a healthy dose of reality you weont be prepared for the challenges you face.

Rose colored glasses will only get you so far.

 

[Tabitha]

I'm noticing that some of the more successful soap makers/sellers have a really specific niche. Some of them go for more modern looks/packaging, some more 'country' looking.. some more 'organic' looking.. it really all depends on your target demographic of those you believe you will be selling to.

This is the best statement I have seen in this thread so far, but I am only on page 3 & trying to catch up.

 

[Tabitha]

You can not calculate the time invested because for one, being a hobby, you spend twice as much time as you need to. If I was making soap calculating my time it would not be enjoyable.

A better way to do it is to calculate reasonable time. That is just like if you had to run out & buy emergency M&P soap base at the hobby shop for $6.00 a pound. You can not charge your customer that mark-up just because you ran out. You charge what is reasonable & what a reasonable.

 

[Tabitha]

If it costs you that much carebear I wonder why you would go to the trouble for so little or no return.

It costs everyone that much, give or take a smidge. Most people just don't think about all the little details. I find it informative that carebear has laid it all out. It makes you/me/we think about all the little things that slip through the cracks. When you/I/we truely understand what it takes & what it cost you/I/we will be better armed to make wiser choices.

Soap is a low dollar item, but you make up for that in volume. It's an item people replace monthly. So while you/we/I may only profit a dollar or 2 on each bar, we can sell 1000 bars in X amount of time. The profit on a 2,000 oil painting is much higher, but your volumn will be much lower.

That si why everyone does need to know exactly where they can save an extra .10cents and needs not to foget about that nickles worth of so & so . I always forget to add the cost of paper towels, etc, which I use a lot of.

When you think about it, .10 savings x 6,000 basr of soap a year is 600. That 600 is not just 600 though, if you spent it on additional supplies & sold those soaps for a 4x mark up, that 600 becomes 2400... and all because you saved .10cents a bar or remembered to include paper towels in your cost report... etc...

Disclaimer: The above is not relavent if this is ony a hobby.

 

[Tabitha]

You make that many batches - and then you have to find someone to buy them. It's not all in the making as you know.

LOL! I have changed my mind, that is the very best statement I have read all day. Making product is maybe 5% of the time I invest in my biz. Finding someone to buy what you have made is the real trick & it seems like today there is a soapmaker on every block so branding is most important.

 

[Tabitha]

Wow, you girls got heated.

I wanted to interject that 20,000 in one neighborhood can very well = 40,000 in another. The same exact house in N Dallas will cost $350,000 and will cost $125.00 in my town just 1 hour S of Dallas, so that argument is silly, not relavent and borders on abuse .

 

[kaseencook]

Great link.

Philly I thought you said that woman was a friend you were trying to help out.

Regardless I hope you can make a go of it.

But to those of you who want to hear nothing but cudos and nothing that doesn't involve cheering - well a positive attitude is important but without a healthy dose of reality you weont be prepared for the challenges you face.

Rose colored glasses will only get you so far.

Why can't a "healthy dose of reality" be friendly, tactful and positive?

Being positive does not mean being unrealistic and non-constructive, and the people you are giving advice to will be much more receptive and appreciative when they do not feel scolded. If people are shamed and scolded by advice, then they will want to retaliate and be defensive, if the advice is given in a tactful and positive/encouraging manor it is more likely to be received and taken on board. Since we are all strangers here, giving critical advise to people we don't know can involve making a lot of assumptions about them, and if not delivered in a tactful and sensitive way can be a recipe for negative interactions and an unfriendly forum. But I have seen a lot of constructive real world advise given on this forum in very positive and supportive ways that were well received. After all, from what I have read in the mission statement of this forum it's intension is to be a positive and supportive forum and free from the negativity that has plagued other forums.

 

[Guest]

Great link.

Philly I thought you said that woman was a friend you were trying to help out.

....
Rose colored glasses will only get you so far.

care bear "what woman" are u talking about?

an my rose tinted glasses have last me quite a few years...they were on special at Walmart

 

[Guest]

Great link.

Philly I thought you said that woman was a friend you were trying to help out.

Regardless I hope you can make a go of it.

But to those of you who want to hear nothing but cudos and nothing that doesn't involve cheering - well a positive attitude is important but without a healthy dose of reality you weont be prepared for the challenges you face.

Rose colored glasses will only get you so far.

Why can't a "healthy dose of reality" be friendly, tactful and positive?

Being positive does not mean being unrealistic and non-constructive, and the people you are giving advice to will be much more receptive and appreciative when they do not feel scolded. If people are shamed and scolded by advice, then they will want to retaliate and be defensive, if the advice is given in a tactful and positive/encouraging manor it is more likely to be received and taken on board. Since we are all strangers here, giving critical advise to people we don't know can involve making a lot of assumptions about them, and if not delivered in a tactful and sensitive way can be a recipe for negative interactions and an unfriendly forum. But I have seen a lot of constructive real world advise given on this forum in very positive and supportive ways that were well received. After all, from what I have read in the mission statement of this forum it's intension is to be a positive and supportive forum and free from the negativity that has plagued other forums.

HERE HERE! I second this emotion :!: 8)

 

[Deda]

I think Carebears response was friendly, tactful and positive.

I feel it's a calculated decision to post an idea or plan specifically to draw us into a dialog where our ideas aren't going to be in sync. The logical progression is going to lead to a sometimes heated discussion. That's not such a bad thing, much can be learned by all parties.

Getting pissy because not everyone is jumping on a half baked idea is unrealistic and non-constructive. Going on the attack is contrary to the goals of this forum.

Positive and supportive doesn't mean stroking the ego.

IMHO.

 

[Guest]

throughout this thread...I couldn't fight the thought....

carebear, I've never seen your soap :twisted:

may I?

 

[Tabitha]

philly,
carebear is about to host a swap, keep your eyes peeled & you can swap a bar w/ her if you like.

 

[SimplyE]

I personally think this thread needs to be closed. There is too much negativity of late, and this thread is going no where.

There are people out there who have a lot of experience and good information and are willing to give their advice...from experience. I have learned more this way than I ever could by reading a book. In order to better ourselves, we all need to take the experence of others and take advantage of it. They are not wrong. It is just that it has worked for them!

Why is it that some of the "newby's" seem to want the one's with more experience to "prove" themselves? Grow the he!! up! Take advantage of what they have to say and quit bickering or trying to pick fights.

Mods, I would love to see this thread closed.

 

[Guest]

philly,
carebear is about to host a swap, keep your eyes peeled & you can swap a bar w/ her if you like.

wouldn't it be easier for me to keep my eyes peeled for a photo or 2 on a forum?

whats a swap?

 

[Guest]

I personally think this thread needs to be closed. There is too much negativity of late, and this thread is going no where.

There are people out there who have a lot of experience and good information and are willing to give their advice...from experience. I have learned more this way than I ever could by reading a book. In order to better ourselves, we all need to take the experence of others and take advantage of it. They are not wrong. It is just that it has worked for them!

Why is it that some of the "newby's" seem to want the one's with more experience to "prove" themselves? Grow the he!! up! Take advantage of what they have to say and quit bickering or trying to pick fights.

Mods, I would love to see this thread closed.

I say close it right after I get to see a picture...soap porn...soap...porn...isn't that what it's called :twisted: :twisted:

 

[krissy]

philly,
carebear is about to host a swap, keep your eyes peeled & you can swap a bar w/ her if you like.

wouldn't it be easier for me to keep my eyes peeled for a photo or 2 on a forum?

whats a swap?

it is when a bunch of people send a certain amount of soaps to one person then the hostess sends back your box with one of everything that was received. so everyone gets a something from everyone else who participated.

look in http://soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=22

 

[Lindy]

Hmmm - in Kitn's defense I have neber found her to be a negative personality type anhd Mrs. Jones I would love to have enough time to review all of one person's posts, I'm a little busy for that. In Canada we can claim a portion of of the square footage of our home as a tax write-off for our business, we are also entitled to take the same percentage of our uytilities as a write-off for the business. The laws between each country are significant in their differences, but our commonality should be our love of soaps. We are allso entitled to charge mileage on our vehicle if we use it for business.

I am one of those who uis starting a business in Soap, Bath & Body. Is it a challenge - you bet, can it be done - absolutely. It takes a solid business plan and like any other business venture it takes time to break even, let alone make a profit. Being self-employed allows us to claim a significant amount of things as write-offs that we couldn't as an individual working for someone else so it does end up balancing off because we are not going to pay as much in income tax for each dollar earned.

So let's try to remember that there are differences, not only in the laws of our countries but in our cost of living. I can make 24,000 go as far where I live as 40,000 in a big city. I am willing to work the hours which will enable me to make a living doing what I love whereas I am no longer willing to do the high pressure, big money job I left behind after my illness.

Just my 2 cents here.

Now if I have offended anyone, please accept my apologies, but this kind of bashing is a tad annoying when people are speaking specifics in areas they only know the generalities. Carebear I have a great deal of respect for your knowledge as a soapmaker and am glad to read your posts - Kitn, you are a generous individual and are working a solid plan towards making this your career, you DO know your tax lawas as well as the cosmetic laws here in Canada, and from what I have gathered follow them to the letter. Mrs. Jones you don't know what you are talking about. I find both Carebear & Kitn to be helpful and generous to newbies as well as others who ask for assistance.

Cheers
Lindy

 

[Guest]

Why can't a "healthy dose of reality" be friendly, tactful and positive?

Being positive does not mean being unrealistic and non-constructive, and the people you are giving advice to will be much more receptive and appreciative when they do not feel scolded. If people are shamed and scolded by advice, then they will want to retaliate and be defensive, if the advice is given in a tactful and positive/encouraging manor it is more likely to be received and taken on board. Since we are all strangers here, giving critical advise to people we don't know can involve making a lot of assumptions about them, and if not delivered in a tactful and sensitive way can be a recipe for negative interactions and an unfriendly forum. But I have seen a lot of constructive real world advise given on this forum in very positive and supportive ways that were well received. After all, from what I have read in the mission statement of this forum it's intension is to be a positive and supportive forum and free from the negativity that has plagued other forums.

Amen sister Amen. I nominate this for best post I have seen lately.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for your advice on the subject of selling . Isn't it always a little bit of a contraversial subject when it happens? lol.

I wonder if AshleyR is reading this thread? I say that because I know she's completing the SEB program in Canada and starting a B&B business (saw her youtube vid). I'm actually thinking of applying for the same thing in about 6months or so. It's not called SEB in the UK, it's something else but basically it's a government run scheme which enables people who have been out of work for more than 3 months to start their own business, helps them get started etc.

So that's where I'm at. I just figured I now have 6 months of CP soap making behind me....wow time flies :shock:

Is there anyone else on this forum who has completed/is completeing a SEB type of placement?

 

[Guest]

Thank you for your advice on the subject of selling . Isn't it always a little bit of a contraversial subject when it happens? lol.

I wonder if AshleyR is reading this thread? I say that because I know she's completing the SEB program in Canada and starting a B&B business (saw her youtube vid). I'm actually thinking of applying for the same thing in about 6months or so. It's not called SEB in the UK, it's something else but basically it's a government run scheme which enables people who have been out of work for more than 3 months to start their own business, helps them get started etc.

So that's where I'm at. I just figured I now have 6 months of CP soap making behind me....wow time flies :shock:

Is there anyone else on this forum who has completed/is completeing a SEB type of placement?

You know 10 years ago here in the US they had a similar program, if you were on unemployment assistance, you went through business start up training...then any money you made would not be deducted from your benefits.

I went through it prior to opening my daycares.