Introduction
Have you been dreaming about starting your own soap making business, but aren’t sure
where to start? While launching your own company is not entirely difficult, it does take
time and thoughtful preparation in order to create a successful business. This white paper
is intended to provide you with a general overview of important steps required.
I started my soap business, Back Porch Soap Company, in 1998. Over the years and
after much hard work, my company now sells to more than 200 wholesale accounts. I also
sell retail via my website and upscale retail shows. In addition, I teach soap making, bath
and body workshops, and business classes. I’ve made many costly mistakes along the
way - especially in the beginning stages - which I will share with you in hopes of
preventing them from happening to you.
At this point maybe you’ve considered making soap or perhaps you’ve been making
soap for friends and family. That is how I started too. What kind of honest feedback are
you getting about your product? Consider their ideas and inputs, but remember that the
focus of your business is ultimately your own decision. One of the mistakes I made in the
beginning was to take advice from too many people. It’s easy to say “Oh, I can create
baby products for customer number one and pet products for customer number two.”
Before you know it, you will have spread yourself too thin, lost your focus and racked up
your credit cards. The best advice I can give for starting out is slow down, do your
research, and plan your business. When you have your focus, then you can start buying
more supplies and ingredients.
Let’s take a look at some essential guidelines.