I don't know the whole back-story because the forum was already 2 years old when I first joined back in 2008, but this is what I've been able to glean over the years (hopefully those that are 'more in the know' will be able to confirm and/or fill in the gaps):
The forum came online in 2006, and was owned/started by soapmaker who's company was/is called 'Pure and Natural Soaps'. Her goal was to make this the friendliest soap-making forum where lovers of the craft of soap-making (both old and new) would have a comfortable and positive place to come together to discuss soap peacefully and intelligently without being dragged down by petty dramas, which is a goal we strive to maintain- albeit not perfectly since not a single one of us is perfect, lol- but as a part of the modmin team I can say without a doubt that it remains the topmost goal in each of our (the modmin team's) minds.
Sometime around 2011-12 or so the forum kept coming down with some pretty big glitches, such as the forum crashing multiple times, entire blocks of threads going missing, etc...not to mention the forum becoming overwhelmed by crazy, relentless, rampant spamming (way much more than what was 'normal'). From what I understand, the owner had become very successful with her business and was not able to give as much attention to the forum as she had previously, which was a big contributing factor to the developing chaos.
To make a long story short, it was one heck of a crazy, unpredictable period for the forum for a bit, and I and many others chose to leave for awhile, but thankfully a wonderful group of folks swept in around 2012-13, bought the forum from the owner of Pure and Natural, and saved the day (the same group of folks also own a home-brewing forum, btw). And the rest, as they say is history.
IrishLass