turning my hobby into a business and tips on what to do 1st

[katkatmiller]

So, I've been making soaps, bath bombs, salts, bath oils, etc all the usual home made stuff for my self and as gifts. I want to start it as a business but I don't know what to do 1st. Do I just focus on product and build my supply 1st and then once I have enough made look for craft fairs and farmers markets? What about a web site? I would LOVE to eventually open a soap/ bath and body shop, do any of you own shops? Also Do any of you make enough selling your products that this is your main job? sorry for all the questions but I'm new and I know nothing... thanks for any help

 

[Sunkawakan]

After the last couple of weeks I've had - my first reaction is to say re-think the whole business thing and REALLY decide if you want the headaches!!!! I'm about ready to give it all up and run down down the street screaming. The only thing that saves me is the quiet time I have when soaping. I'm not a business person per se so that, combined with the icky but necessary marketing, makes the whole idea of selling well.... unappealing. But, on the other hand, if you can get through the icky parts it can be very rewarding. Just do a tremendous amount of research into insurance, licensing, website creation, and good business practices and you'll be fine.

 

[TomDillinger]

After the last couple of weeks I've had - my first reaction is to say re-think the whole business thing and REALLY decide if you want the headaches!!!! I'm about ready to give it all up and run down down the street screaming. The only thing that saves me is the quiet time I have when soaping. I'm not a business person per se so that, combined with the icky but necessary marketing, makes the whole idea of selling well.... unappealing. But, on the other hand, if you can get through the icky parts it can be very rewarding. Just do a tremendous amount of research into insurance, licensing, website creation, and good business practices and you'll be fine.

what do you mean insurance and licensing???

 

[Bubbles Galore]

TomDillinger: If you go through the old threads on the General Business Forum, you will see threads on insurance and you'll get a fair idea of what is required. :wink:

 

[dagmar88]

Re: turning my hobby into a business and tips on what to do

? I would LOVE to eventually open a soap/ bath and body shop, do any of you own shops? Also Do any of you make enough selling your products that this is your main job? sorry for all the questions but I'm new and I know nothing... thanks for any help

I do not yet own a business; but I've been planning on starting a shop for a VERY long time.
My main goal is to have about 800-1000 euro's for myself at the end of each month after about a year of running the shop. So that won't be enough fo a main source of income.
Realise it is a very long process that will that years till completion.
I'd advise you to start write a business plan to get everything clear for yourself and possible investors (family, bank, etc.)

 

[Healinya]

One thing you should do is look up the number for your local zoning office. Then call them and explain what you want to do and ask to know what regulations you need to follow. hth

 

[NancyJo]

First thing to think about is how big you actually want your business. I to had ideas of opening a store, but after thinking about it, don't want to be tied to a store.

Some are happy just making a little extra income, some what the whole nine yards.....it's up to you. Once you decide how much you want to put into the business, the rest will follow.

 

[mandolyn]

Re: turning my hobby into a business and tips on what to do

So, I've been making soaps, bath bombs, salts, bath oils, etc all the usual home made stuff for my self and as gifts. I want to start it as a business but I don't know what to do 1st. Do I just focus on product and build my supply 1st and then once I have enough made look for craft fairs and farmers markets? What about a web site? I would LOVE to eventually open a soap/ bath and body shop, do any of you own shops? Also Do any of you make enough selling your products that this is your main job? sorry for all the questions but I'm new and I know nothing... thanks for any help

What are your state & local regs on selling? You'll need a tax ID. Do city zoning laws forbid you from manufacturing in your home? Do you have liability insurance? Some venues require vendors to carry their own liability insurance. You should have it anyway to cover your own assets. Do you need to register as a business with your city, county and or state? Even if you're not required to, you should, in order to protect your personal assets in case of a law suit. Will manufacturing in your home make your homeowner's insurance null & void?

How long have you been making soap & B&B products, & how long have you been testing them? Do you know what your products are like a year down the road? Do you know what the shelf-life is of each of your products? Are you well-educated on INCI labelling & cosmetic regs? If someone's child has an allergic reaction to one of your products & the parents decide to file suit what will you do? Do you have insurance to cover that?

Do you have bookkeeping skills, & can you use accounting software? Will you do your own business taxes or can you afford to have someone else do your business taxes for you?

I don't have the answers to your questions, because there's a lot to cover when you start talking about selling. It's not just a simple matter of making some nice products & putting them on a table at a craft fair. There's so much more to consider.

Consider your responsibility for your products. Consider how many people can come in contact with your products. Your responisibility grows exponentially. It's not just the person who purchased your, say soap. It's everyone who comes in contact with it - the person who purchased, their immediate family, friends of each family member, the extended family members who come to visit. Are you ready for that level of responsibility for what you create?

 

[cleanwater]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! (This is me running for the hills) :wink:

But seriously Mandolyn, you say you don't have the answers, but that's exactly what you gave! Thank you! For those of us considering the move from hobby to business, those are all questions we have to answer for ourselves. And some are questions that wouldn't even have occurred to me...