Pretty excited

[wiseleyusedherbs]

I was offered to attend a farmer's market in my town every sat for 4 hours starting in June. I was happy, but think I will do one saturday at first and then maybe two. I was also offered to become an instructor at a local college as an herbalist. Sheesh...all in one day.

 

[ToniD]

Cool.

 

[Chay]

That's awesome, congrats!!

 

[soapbuddy]

Congrats!

 

[dcornett]

way to go 8)

 

[Dragonkaz]

Sounds like many fun times ahead! Yah for you!

 

[carebear]

Wow. Thats neat
Is the booth for soap?

 

[wiseleyusedherbs]

Yes, the booth is for soap and also lip balms.
Fun times...

 

[kelleyaynn]

Congrats and good luck!

 

[LadyM]

That's so great! You must be doing something right
Congrats!!!

 

[krissy]

you started making soap this January right? and you are already thinking of selling it? wow! you must be making a ton of soap! i don't think i would ever have been able to have everything in order to sell at only 3 months in.

 

[wiseleyusedherbs]

Yes I started making in January, but didn't start selling (family/friends) until February. I researched for several months before that. I've just been making soap a lot, I LOVE it. It has become one of my most favorite things to do. I have 11 different soaps available. I don't have a ton of sales, so it works out right now until I get my inventory up. I use what I sell to buy supplies. The farmer's market doesn't start until June, so I have time to make more soap and have it ready. Before I started to sell, I made adjustments to a couple of my soaps and I'm happy with them. I have had only positive feedback so far. I put a customer survey in every bag for them to send back to me. I got my business cards, banner, calenders, etc, from vistaprint and pretty happy with those.
Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[carebear]

Any idea how they will hold up to your summer heat ( and humidity?)? How your packaging will do in the craft fair setting? How stable you'd soap is to DOS? How long your scents last?

These are important elements of quality control.

We've seen (and experienced) some serious setbacks when soaps went to market without that level of knowledge. Some get lucky, and some have ruined their business before getting very far into it.

Oh, and don't forget insurance.

 

[wiseleyusedherbs]

I will have a cooler there as it can get humid here in central Illinois...my packaging is my packaging and it will do what it will do. My labels are just how I want them. Everyone so far has commented on how much they like them...they are rustic.
I do not know how the scents will hold up up to a year, but I encourage people to use their soap and not leave it laying around.
As for insurance, yes that is taken care of.
Thank you for the tips.
I did have what I assume to be DOS on a Lemon Poppy Seed...just didn't sell that batch. I keep around for me.

 

[carebear]

Um, yea ok - good luck with that.

 

[wiseleyusedherbs]

Um...ok...

 

[newbie]

I see no one has put in the link that someone always refers to when a poster mentions starting to sell their soap. This is an excellent reference re: things to consider before you sell. Carebear's last post was in response to you mentioning that you don't know how many aspects of your soap will hold up with time, which is one thing very strongly recommended. The link is worth a read, for sure, but everyone knows that the decision to start selling is always up to that individual.


http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/vi ... hp?t=17621

 

[wiseleyusedherbs]

I appreciate that...I have read that. My labeling is INCI approved, I am using a recipe that has been tested to be reliable. I have tax id, liability ins taken care of, and as most businesses are, I will learn more as I go and make changes when necessary. I'm not stupid. I may not be up to carebear's standards, but gee whiz I am doing ok starting out...

 

[Dennis]

Congrats and good luck.

 

[carebear]

I may not be up to carebear's standards, but gee whiz I am doing ok starting out...

My standards apply only to myself. I cannot mandate such from you. To each his/her own.