The life of a soap maker isn't for the faint of heart. I'm not saying this with a better-than-you attitude I'm simply sharing that having a soap-making business is body-building physical and challenges you every chance it gets. If you would have told me twenty-six years ago that I was going to be a soap maker and manage a soap business I'd probably not believe you. I don't recall even thinking of soap making. That all changed after receiving a holiday package from my aunt. My aunt Vivian sent me goat milk soap that she made in her kitchen. It was carefully wrapped in tissue and as I unveiled the shipping box the aromatic fragrance went directly to my nose. If my nose could smile, it would have! I remember running my fingers over the silky bars and sniffing them until I could sniff no more. That was in late 1996. I had a day job that I'd had for 8 years. Immediately after receiving my aunt's hand-crafted soap, I began searching for the ingredients to make my first batch. I remember that it was challenging to locate supplies, and the Internet was pretty much useless in 1996. There was one book available at the time that instructed on how to make modern-day soap. I was determined and focused on learning the craft of soap making and nothing was going to stand in my way. Don't hate me, it's how I roll. I finally found the ingredients that I needed to make my first batch of soap and off I went. I remember making that first box of handmade soap as though it was yesterday! I carefully poured the liquid soap into a shoe box and placed it under our bed. I covered it with an old quilt, and could not wait to uncover the box the next morning to see it turned out. It in fact did, and that was the beginning of a soap maker's life. I quit my day job along with a huge leap of faith and began filling a suitcase with my soap and a few other apothecary items that I'd made. I'd get Patrick on the bus for school, and then head out to explore the local shops thinking that they might want to carry this beautiful artisan essential. I was on top of the world! There wasn't a shop that didn't want to carry Bittersweet! I realized that I needed to expand my methods so my next thoughts lead me to hire sales reps to build volume orders and sell more soap. Which in turn meant that I would be needing to make more. My mother named my soap business, Bittersweet. Little did I know at that time how the name would take on a completely different meaning. So it began! I started making more and more soap and selling it all over the country! It all happened so fast and I was starting to have trouble keeping up with the demand for Bittersweet. I increased my manufacturing and picked up many more accounts by selling wholesale. I sold to other shops for just a couple of years and then decided that this is not the direction that I wanted to go. It helped that the Internet was forming about that time, and a door filled with oodles of opportunity swung open wide. I did a few shows and didn't enjoy that either. My mom was always telling me to open my own shop, but I saw fault in that idea too. I did not want to be stuck in a shop all day. At least those were my thoughts at the time. Things change. My mom had gotten ill and was dying. My brother and I looked after her and cared for her and during that time soap making and dreams were far, far away. After my mom passed away I kept hearing in my mind her saying that I should open a shop. I realize now that my grief from losing my best friend in all the world was urging me to stay busy just to keep my mind off of her absence. I also realized that the best way to achieve that goal was to open a shop. How on earth was I going to do that? I had no money and no idea even of where I'd have such a shop. I was what the trade refers to as green. Boy or boy was I green! Actually green is good because it helps you to learn and learn fast. Mistakes are good too. You learn from those as well. I jumped in my car and drove to our downtown in search of a building for my new shop. I found one! It was a huge old brick house with a big front porch. I was excited knowing that this would be the perfect spot for Bittersweet. I met with the owner and we settled upon rent and move-in date. Remember, I had no money. At least no money to invest in a silly dream. That is what some thought. A silly dream. I knew all along that it was not just a dream, but that it was going to be my new livelihood. My family supported me with open arms and I'm forever grateful for that, but there were others that did not. I read once that the best way to prove your success is to be successful. I believe it to be true. This story is filled with so many soulful moments. Most of which I can't begin to cover in a blog post. Twenty-six years is a long time, and there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not thankful and appreciative of this soap maker's life. The enormous lessons that I've learned about running a business are priceless. I'm writing another book so that I can share Bittersweet's unique and soulful story.
Jill
