Time to Introduce Myself

[user 33734]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Chris Medeiros. My wife and I live in Northern California. I am 2 years, 3 months and 24 days away from retirement. So between now and then, I'm starting a little soap business to keep me busy 'til my final retirement.

Soapmaking is an enjoyable endeavor for me. I can set a nice relaxing pace with this skill. My goal is to have fun with it and also market my soap, but without the pressure of setting huge marketing goals.

One thing I have found about the people in this handmade soap hobby/business, that I really appreciate, many include their faith in God as part of their normal conversations. That makes me even happier to be part of something that doesn't kick God to the curb as a matter of habit.

I found SMF as I was researching information for my soap making efforts. Looking forward to visiting often to gain new insights and maybe share what little help I can provide once in awhile.

 

[shunt2011]

Hello and welcome!

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[TheGecko]

Hello and welcome Chris. Even though I hadn’t intended soap making to be any more than a hobby like my knitting, it will make for some nice supplemental retirement income and keep me out of trouble.

 

[user 33734]

Hello and welcome Chris. Even though I hadn’t intended soap making to be any more than a hobby like my knitting, it will make for some nice supplemental retirement income and keep me out of trouble.

Ha! Yeah, I figure it’ll keep me off the streets too.

 

[LilyJo]

Welcome - my only comment is SMF is international and for many members outside (and inside) the US,references to God can be really alienating - me included!

Enjoy your soaping, its definitely addictive!

 

[Relle]

Welcome Chris

Religion and politics are not part of the smf, we are here to talk soap.

 

[user 33734]

Welcome - my only comment is SMF is international and for many members outside (and inside) the US,references to God can be really alienating - me included!

Enjoy your soaping, its definitely addictive!

Thank you LilyJo for the welcome.

Welcome Chris

Religion and politics are not part of the smf, we are here to talk soap.

Thank you for the welcome Relle. However, if my simple statement about my observations is considered 'religious' and frowned upon, maybe this isn't the best forum to be a part of.

 

[msunnerstood]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Chris Medeiros. My wife and I live in Northern California. I am 2 years, 3 months and 24 days away from retirement. So between now and then, I'm starting a little soap business to keep me busy 'til my final retirement.

Soapmaking is an enjoyable endeavor for me. I can set a nice relaxing pace with this skill. My goal is to have fun with it and also market my soap, but without the pressure of setting huge marketing goals.

One thing I have found about the people in this handmade soap hobby/business, that I really appreciate, many include their faith in God as part of their normal conversations. That makes me even happier to be part of something that doesn't kick God to the curb as a matter of habit.

I found SMF as I was researching information for my soap making efforts. Looking forward to visiting often to gain new insights and maybe share what little help I can provide once in awhile.

Welcome! Your name is very familiar. If you don't mind (and feel free to tell me you do) are you in the Insurance biz?

You found this place the same way I did, researching. Once I was here I found a wealth of helpful information and some pretty incredible people.

 

[user 33734]

Welcome! Your name is very familiar. If you don't mind (and feel free to tell me you do) are you in the Insurance biz?

You found this place the same way I did, researching. Once I was here I found a wealth of helpful information and some pretty incredible people.

Hi misunderstood!

Thanks for the welcome. The only connection I have to the insurance biz is making premium payments. I'm in the IT business.

Thanks for your encouragement about this forum.

 

[TheGecko]

Thank you for the welcome Relle. However, if my simple statement about my observations is considered 'religious' and frowned upon, maybe this isn't the best forum to be a part of.

It’s the ‘times’ we are currently living in...you’ll be fine.

 

[Catscankim]

Welcome to the forum. Everybody here is awesome. And i love that it is international...so many different perspectives on things dealing with soap. Especially with ingredients that can be found in one country, but not another (mostly meaning natural additives that I have never heard of).

in my short soaping experience, i have found this place to be the best thing that has happened to me. I dont think i could have learned as much as i have by watching you tube videos or browsing the web.

 

[earlene]

Hi, Chris. Welcome!

My online soap making research also brought me here frequently over the course of several months before I decided to join. SMF is a wealth of information and we have members who have been in the soapmaking business for ages, some who are starting out and everything in between, as well as many soapers who choose to remain hobbyists, and even some vendors who participate occasionally (they have a particularly specialized membership category).

As with all enduring online (international or not) forums with a specific focus, in order to ensure that the forum remains focused and can endure rules and guidelines have developed. It is not to suppress ones beliefs or points of view, but to ensure the forum doesn't get embroiled in off-topic hot-button issues that will destroy the forum. Here are some links to SMF's forum participation guidelines, suggestions and rules. (Culture & Tone) (Board Rules) (Forum FAQs) (Troll Policy). There are other more specific rules for some of the sub-forums which are listed in the specific sub-forum, such as the General Business Forum, Vendor Forum, Member Classifieds, etc. (See this link for the listing of all sub-forums.) Since you mentioned you might want to sell your soap eventually, check out the rules for the General Business Forum before posting there, as posting rules there are based on length of membership. There are similar restrictions for posting to the Member Classifieds, and the Member's Websites forum, and the Craft Fairs & Shows forum, as well.

I hope you understand and don't find this to be too restrictive. It's a great forum and the people tend to be extremely generous in their shared knowledge, encouragement and friendliness. Now and then feelings get in the way, but that's really quite rare here compared to some forums I have visited.