Salon wants to carry my stuff

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I've been a hobby soap maker for almost 10 years now. For the past few years, I have also been making body butters, shower steamers, lip balms and lotion bars (misnomer because they have no water or lotion in them). It's always been just a fun hobby for me. I've resisted selling because I didn't want to lose the joy of it. Also, most of the family and friends who say they want to buy my soaps usually choke and back away if I quote them just my cost to make this stuff -- except shower steamers - they don't mind paying the pennies it costs to make those.:rolleyes:

However, my hairdresser gets a lot of these free gifts and always wants to pay me for them. She says her skin has never been able to tolerate soaps before. Her husband, parents, in-laws, etc. all love the soap and lotion bars, too (I think I've given her more soap than she can use so she has passed it around, lol).

Well, she just moved to a new salon in an old remodeled Victorian house that is decorated in country-shabby-chic style. She says no one is selling any hand-crafted products there, and she is begging me to set up a display with soaps and lotion bars; maybe some shower steamers and bath bombs, too. She has offered to design my labels - an area where I lack all skills and talents. Her boss also loves the idea of carrying home-crafted products like this. Normally I'd say no to consignment, but it's a small enough salon that I'm willing to risk it for a bit to see. After all, this entire area is one where people have fruit stands with honor-pay boxes at the street in front of their house. So it's not as risky as it might be in a different kind of place.

Well, I guess I'm just sharing this because it looks like I'm going to take the plunge, and I know you will all be happy with me and for me. My husband will be over the moon if I make back even some of the money spent on this hobby over the years. 😂

As a business name, I'm thinking of CaliDavali Soaps'N'Such. It's a play on my first and last name, and where I used to live (California). Would love any input or suggested improvements on that part of things.

PS - I am an experienced business person (and lawyer) so I do know about insurance, business license, taxes, etc. Just typing all that makes me want to reconsider tho. LOL.
 
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Go, go, go, I say! Really, though, it sounds like it might be a good fit. A successful small salon to sell your products at rate that will likely allow the joy in creating to remain. I like the name "CaliDavali". I know product names should reflect the product, but I prefer just "CaliDavali" without the "Soaps'N'Such". CaliDavali sounds..."tres chic" and established, for lack of a better word. Adding the "Soaps'N'Such takes it down a notch in my mind, if that makes sense. I am so excited for you, btw! Oh, and also for the hubs - LOL
 
Previous feedback about “CaliDavali” was that it didn’t give any clue about the products being sold. But I am not trying to become a huge brand, just to sell a few items in a local store. They will know it is soap because they will be looking at it, ha ha! And I agree with you that just CaliDavali is easier to say. Easier to fit on a label, too. ;-) Thank you!! ❤️
 
So happy for you - congrats! I agree with the SoapsNSuch part of the name though. I think you'd be better with CaliDavali and add bath & body if you think you need more clarification. Or use bath & body as part of a tag line rather than in the actual name. Like fine (premium) bath and body products written under your name. You want people to feel like it is worth spending a few extra $$ for a bar of soap. SoapsNSuch doesn't do that for me. But also, that kind of thing is one of my pet peeves - cutesie spellings like Kwik Trip, etc. Just no. Best of luck!
 
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Thanks for the helpful feedback, everyone! I appreciate all of you so much. We will ditch the soapsnsuch for sure then.

I may be back later to ask some opinions on labels. 😂

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I've been a hobby soap maker for almost 10 years now. For the past few years, I have also been making body butters, shower steamers, lip balms and lotion bars (misnomer because they have no water or lotion in them). It's always been just a fun hobby for me. I've resisted selling because I didn't want to lose the joy of it. Also, most of the family and friends who say they want to buy my soaps usually choke and back away if I quote them just my cost to make this stuff -- except shower steamers - they don't mind paying the pennies it costs to make those.:rolleyes:

However, my hairdresser gets a lot of these free gifts and always wants to pay me for them. She says her skin has never been able to tolerate soaps before. Her husband, parents, in-laws, etc. all love the soap and lotion bars, too (I think I've given her more soap than she can use so she has passed it around, lol).

Well, she just moved to a new salon in an old remodeled Victorian house that is decorated in country-shabby-chic style. She says no one is selling any hand-crafted products there, and she is begging me to set up a display with soaps and lotion bars; maybe some shower steamers and bath bombs, too. She has offered to design my labels - an area where I lack all skills and talents. Her boss also loves the idea of carrying home-crafted products like this. Normally I'd say no to consignment, but it's a small enough salon that I'm willing to risk it for a bit to see. After all, this entire area is one where people have fruit stands with honor-pay boxes at the street in front of their house. So it's not as risky as it might be in a different kind of place.

Well, I guess I'm just sharing this because it looks like I'm going to take the plunge, and I know you will all be happy with me and for me. My husband will be over the moon if I make back even some of the money spent on this hobby over the years. 😂

As a business name, I'm thinking of CaliDavali Soaps'N'Such. It's a play on my first and last name, and where I used to live (California). Would love any input or suggested improvements on that part of things.

PS - I am an experienced business person (and lawyer) so I do know about insurance, business license, taxes, etc. Just typing all that makes me want to reconsider tho. LOL.

Wonderful! I’m so happy for you! ❤️
 
Previous feedback about “CaliDavali” was that it didn’t give any clue about the products being sold. But I am not trying to become a huge brand, just to sell a few items in a local store. They will know it is soap because they will be looking at it, ha ha! And I agree with you that just CaliDavali is easier to say. Easier to fit on a label, too. ;-) Thank you!! ❤

I agree with dropping the 'soaps n such'... you could add the tag line 'Hand-crafted Artisan Soaps' - not even sure you need to mention the other items... there all part of the same category really. Or add 'and more' to the end of the tag line if you feel you need it. Congrats & good luck!
 
Love these suggestions and am passing them on to my hairdresser/label designer/product pusher. She already has plans to give out small samples to her clients, and was laughing and saying how it's like selling drugs... the first hit is free, but after they are hooked, they have to pay the $$$. Her warped sense of humor is one reason we are friends. 😄
 
With a label designer and a name like Calida Ali and the line premium bath and body, you really have a lot to live up to! Let us know how this goes!

With a label designer and a name like Calida Ali and the line premium bath and body, you really have a lot to live up to! Let us know how this goes!
Auto correct without my permission! CaliDavali.
 
Thank you, Soapmaker! My friend is really so enthused over this, which does make me feel like I have a lot to live up to.

I'm so thankful for her help bc I just don't have the skills for designing labels and packaging. Now that she's offered to do that, I realize that this piece of things may have been more of a hindrance to deciding to sell, than I ever realized before. My brain would just stop there and say, "No, I don't wanna."
 
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