The Soap Shop is Going Quiet for a While - My Story behind the Break
For the last 2 years, I really have not been able to keep up with all of the wonderful people ordering. First it was time off with health and to help a friend, now everything is better for both of us! This break is different. I need to reconsider everything about soap.
Soap makers are everywhere now a days. I can't go to a local food shop without seeing more varieties of soap than cheese in their deli case. And it seems like an over saturated market even though I have always done well. Having made handcrafted soap professionally in Missouri for over 25 years, I simply want to look at my products with fresh eyes. All it feels like I do it crank out the same things all the time and the creativity aspect is waning for me. My interests now are fixing the buildings we have. Can I say I am bored with soaping and having a successful business? I am honestly. I know that sounds a bit haughty, I don't mean it to be. I have done everything I wanted to do, now it's just a grind and burn out. I sincerely appreciate and GRATEFUL to everyone that buys my soap but I'm tired.
My considerations are: Keep the soap shop going which means I need to hire. Prior to Shanda leaving, we were about to hire 2 full timers to help cover the growth. Needless to say, I never hired and covered the growth for a year after she left - hence my health took a beating as I was covering for 3 full time people. And if any of you know my shop, it's only 900 sq ft total, with 500 of that being the front of the retail part. It's like being a praying mantis or a T-Rex with tiny hands working in the back some days. It's why I just can't hire as there is hardly room for 2 of us in the back to create, label and ship. The business needs a larger footprint to work. I can't say that's a problem finding space as Colin and I have buildings to expand. But the old buildings have to pass inspection and make the insurance company happy with ADA options, water and electric and all the fun stuff that goes into moving into a space now a days. When I opened in 2014, no one cared what shape the building was in, but now? It's a bit different in the City of Ironton. That takes time and if I close the shop, I can finish a building and move the soap shop.
Option 2: Just call it a day and close. It's a highly considered option in my book. I could just fix buildings, putter on my other little business and do laundry. A very chill option actually. We have worked hard, saved and lived below our means to be able to bumble off into the sunset when we so choose. If I do choose this option, I will reopen the shop and sell off stock plus refund any gift certificates still out there.
Option 3: Sell I have had 3 offers to purchase the shop but none of the people interested have ever made a bar of soap. They see pretty, not pouring 50 to 80 lbs of hot, caustic soap batter day in day out. It's an awesome job, don't get me wrong - it's not hard it's just tedious more than I think people see in videos. Plus, I'm not the mentoring type and really am not interested in teaching someone in order to sell the business. My nightmare in my head? Teaching someone from a zero-knowledge base, use all my ingredients that cost money and pay the individual to be in the shop to learn the business - and do that for 3 months prior to final payment of purchasing the business. Then I can sit across the street on the balcony having a big girl cocktail and watch someone run the business into the ground if it doesn't work out and be blamed that I didn't tell them enough about how to make soap. Nope, just easier for me to close and sell off stock. No option 3 really.
That's where I'm at - not a bad place at all. I just need to make a decision on what to do and stick with it. January is a great time for slowing down and pondering, so that is what I am doing. DM me if you can't live without something. I have been busy even though I'm not officially open so thank you all.
