Would it bother you?

[Wax Munky]

Knowing all the time you have spent,money invested years plus perfecting the product to see someone that is brand new out of the gate selling a product and making money from it? By new I mean they claim to have just learned about it,tried a batch and heck yeah I'm a pro! 3 months after.

Amazing isn't t?

Munky.

 

[Guest]

Not really.

I haven't been soaping all that long and I have soaped 140 batches. 140 batches may not sound like a lot but I try new things in each batch to learn something new and I take many many notes. I am a fast learner and I spent countless hours on this forum and others learning to soap. I have spent a lot of money too in addition to my time researching which for me is also money. I've worked hard on my recipes. It's not always a matter of time. It's how you take what you have read and learned and apply it. It's also about testing and trying everything under the sun. It doesn't always take years.

I would wager that I did more work and research in the past 4 months than some people do in several years. I don't claim to be an expert but I can answer many questions without an ounce of guilt. Not only have I read up on what I respond to here and at other forums - but I have tried almost all of it as well. I don't answer questions I know nothing about.

Not too long ago I watched a forum eat someone alive because they hadn't been soaping as long as some of the people there thought they should have before answering questions and before selling their soap. It left a very bad taste in my mouth. I know some people that have been soaping for years and don't know as much as this person did.

 

[Guest]

I unlocked this topic, just a warning to everyone that is going to post, to be mindful of what your are going to say..be respectful to others.

Thank you

 

[Neil]

Smellitlikeitis:

With all due respect. Im having trouble understanding this warning. This post looks to be like any other. Is there special consideration to be observed for some reason?

In responce to the question presented by Waxmonkey;

Ive been in business since I was 16 years old (33 years) Ive been through two parnership splits and have owned 4 businesses. Compitition comes from various angles at all times. Right now I have 17 competitors in this small market. I've lost everything twice, Ive went from 4k debt to 250k debt over night. Ive never looked for an unfair advantage and always believed my sucess would be based on my merits.
If you really want to get bent on unfair look at the tax breaks Walmart gets for ten years and then on the tenth year they move and start over, same with Sam wholesale here. As long as we are on this side of heaven things are never going to be truth. I put my faith In Jesus for he alone is the Hope and absolute truth.

 

[Missjulesdid]

I'm a newbie to soapmaking and I plan to start selling when my products meet my expectations. Of course like with everything else, experience is important, and that's why newbs like me come here to learn from those more experienced. I read every single thread on here, as well as everything I can get my hands on about soap and lotion making. I don't post much on the regular soap making parts of this forum because compared to the experts I don't have much to offer, YET but I'm making soap most every day and learning so much both from my own experience and from you all.

It's important to understand that some people jump in with two feet.. I know a certain person who was so cocky that she volunteered to make a wedding cake along with 19 mini centerpiece wedding cakes for her sister even though she had never decorated a cake in her life! Well that someone was ME and the cakes turned out beautifully even through I only had a few hours of instruction and a month to practice.. In fact, I've had several other requests for cakes from people who loved the cakes at my sister's wedding. I lack talent in many areas.. I can't sing, I took guitar for three years and can barely squeak out a tune, but decorating those cakes was something I just knew I could do and I did it.. I feel the same about soap making, I just knew I could do it, so I'm jumping in with both feet.

Now as far as fair goes. I can understand it would be frustrating to have newbies second guessing all of your advice, or contradicting you when you have much more experience, but I think that even inexperienced people have something to offer. (and that goes for everything, not just soaping)

 

[Guest]

Smellitlikeitis:

With all due respect. Im having trouble understanding this warning. This post looks to be like any other. Is there special consideration to be observed for some reason?

This is a touchy subject simply because we have people asking that very question here all the time. We do not like to have people feel out of place, or discouraged to ask questions on this matter because some members feel that they should not sell etc. This type of topic tends to lead into an arguement/debate which mostpart comes out bad.
So thats is why there is a warning here.
Thanks for asking....

 

[Guest]

Another thing to remember is that people that started out 10 years ago making soap or even 5 years ago for that matter did not have the resources available to new soapmakers today. There were not a lot of forums like this one to turn to for guidance or info. No Soapcalc or Soapmaking software. No recipe databases. It's much easier to learn the craft now.

I don't think of fellow soapmakers as competition. If we are going to get our message out about the benefits of natural soap - we'll need a lot of people that understand soap and are passionate about soap to make that happen. Each new soapmaker is a blessing to the movement and will only benefit soapmakers that have been around longer.

 

[dragonfly princess]

Marr said "the movement " hahahhahahahah ok another funny to add to my list.

Sorry not enough coffee in me yet!

 

[Guest]

lol - "Soap for President!"

or Soap Box...

 

[NEASoapWorks]

No, it wouldn't bother me.
BTW, I totally agree with Marr...

There are folks, who have been making soap for years, and they don't know as much (about as many things, perhaps) as someone who hasn't been making soap as long. Someone who's been soaping for 10 years has experience, but all experience is not equal. It depends on what type of experience you have. A person with three years of experience may have more varied experience, than a person who's been soaping for twenty years, but may not have ventured out much, with technique/recipes. So, which experience is most valuable? It all depends.

Some folks naturally "take" to a craft, and do very well, very quickly. Others not so naturally, and that's just the way it is. Who's to say how "long" it should take? We all aren't gifted the same. But that doesn't mean we all can't/won't do well.

Advice is tricky too. I've seen advice given, from "experts" and it was totally biased, or based on what they'd also heard/read. "Advice" is not a mandate — it's advice, and a person can take it or leave it (at least that's the way it should be). If you don't know from experience, it's best not to talk as if you do. I like to experiment. So, if it's not a safety concern, I feel I can choose not to take advice, and not be dogged out for it — "Hmmmph! I've been soaping WAY longer than her. Who does she think SHE is ????!!!!" Again, way too much ego.

I just wanna concentrate on doing my thing, and doing it well. If I can help someone along the way (I'm always willing to help), then praise God!

 

[organicsoapgal]

YES! It would bother me.