Monday, October 19, 2009

Open for Business

Soothing Lavender Product

If you’re like me, you were probably thinking that this would never happen. Guess what? The day is finally here!!

The Mister and I talked about starting a soap business about a year ago. We talked and talked and talked. Then, the Mister and I started doing TONS of research into starting a home based business and how to make cold process soap. Then we started buying supplies and ingredients.

After experimenting with a few recipes, we came up with three that we really liked and sent our baby bars out into the world to be tried out by friends and family. We got mainly positive reviews and used that feedback to refine those three recipes and create one more. Now, we have four varieties of soap that are FOR SALE as of today.

For the longest time we procrastinated about getting our business off the ground. The largest obstacle wasn’t capital or ideas but fear. Fear of failure and fear of success if you can believe that. On the one hand we were afraid that we’d open shop and completely bomb. On the other, we were afraid that people would like our stuff and then not be able to keep up with the demand. I spoke to an actual life coach about this (Not professionally. She’s someone I know from work.). Laurie told me that I have a glass half empty mentality and that I needed to stop using various excuses (we kept saying that the website wasn’t ready, lol) and own up to the fear and GET OVER IT. She said that the holiday season is here and that we needed to get our virtual doors open. So, I hired someone to finish up the website and now we’re officially OPEN! And what’s more, we have our first order! Gosh! It’s exciting, lol.

We still have the fear but it’s not overpowering like it was in the beginning. After all, life is about taking chances, right?

Head on over to Coastal Natural Soap and check us out. The site is not 100% (there’s tasks that I need to take care of still) but the important part is there:  the shopping cart, heheh. We’re only able to accept PayPal at the moment unless I know you IRL. PLEASE use the contact form and leave me feedback. We’re still tweaking stuff so if something doesn’t work, is confusing, is just plain ugly, TELL ME. I want to hear it and I actually mean that.

I’m going to be running a contest sometime this week and will be giving away a sample pack of all four soaps to a lucky winner! Stay tuned and follow me on Twitter @trishaj or follow the business on Twitter @soapmakers or subscribe to my feed here or our feed on www.coastalnaturalsoap.com for more info!! 

 

2 comments:

  1. Woohoo! The website looks great ad does your products, Trisha. Congratulations and best of luck with the business.

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  2. Thanks Wendy. You should enter the giveaway. ;)

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