Your Thoughts on my Commercial Soap Biz

[donniej]

I'm recently unemployed, have a little cash and lots of space. I've also been making BioDiesel (for my own use, non-commercial) long enough to have a good supply of used cooking oil (soy & canola, non-hydrogenated) and the equipment/knowledge to purify it. I'm good at welding, metal working, fabrication and have some chemistry knowledge.

I'd like to make soap, to sell. This is a big field and the options run all the way from making 55 gallon drums of industrial cleaner to fancy ornate, individually wrapped bars. But the economy is in the toilet... so while I don't think pricey 'designer' bars are the best idea, I still think there's a big market for an all-natural product at a reasonable price.

I'm looking for ideas, all ideas... from business models, processing techniques and all the way up to marketing. Until I can find another job, I plan to keep setting up to produce soap. If you folks would be so nice as to give me some advice, I'll be happy to show you what I'm building

Thank you.

 

[starduster]

Go Donniej

Go Donniej,
Can't see any problem here.
You ideas are solid.
You are obviously aware for the need to put foundations under our Castles in the Air.
Everyone goes at it from a different angle.
Myself it was imagineering the finished pruduct, gorgeous colours,smells lables. Seeing them being purchased by excited customers. Then I came to start making them. I had actually done two batches of plain white animal fat soap about 17 years before and found a milk carton of it when moving just before beginning my Natural Oil Soap Odesy. The soap was better than ever . Thats one long cure.
Of course being a vegeburger my self it needed to be Natural oils.
Now others will chip in and give you their much more experienced and tottaly valuable advise.
Then you will have to roll your sleeves up and do it.
The very best of luck.
My Christmas Wish for you is that you find a very special theme that makes you feel proud and excited to show it off.
I'm off to play soaps now.Bye

 

[carebear]

mmmm do you know how to make soap? that's where *I* would start. It only took me about a year to develop great formulas and designs and be able to consistently produce high quality bar soaps.

Are you, by chance, planning to use biodiesel "glycerin" to make your soaps? If yes, I would recommend you stick to producing industrial cleaning products.

 

[Deda]

mmmm do you know how to make soap? that's where *I* would start. It only took me about a year to develop great formulas and designs and be able to consistently produce high quality bar soaps.

This was my biggest hurdle. I could make soap after a few months, but it took me a whole lot longer to make soap I considered safe to sell, from a liability standpoint. There were so so many variables in soap making that I didn't feel confident enough to offer them for sale.

Even then, after a few years of soaping and I my knew my product was good enough - I didn't know enough about running a business to give myself a reasonable chance at success.

I think I might be the biggest business chicken on the planet. It's not that I mind taking a risk, I just don't want too much risk.

 

[Mary's Soaps]

Do you have the desire to be creative? Are you really interested in crafting soap? I think a business venture needs to start with really liking what you are considering stepping into.

The biggest challenge I have is marketing. How would you market? And the market is flooded. What will make your soap stand out from the rest?

The economy is playing a great deal into selling soap, and it can be discouraging. In my opinion, you have to be the type of person to look dissapointment squarely in the eye and keep marching forward.

Did I help any? Just some added random thoughts from my end of things... :wink:

 

[mandolyn]

You might check out the Business section where there's a thread on developing a business plan & finding your niche. One of the first things you need before you start selling is liability insurance.

Do you know what the laws are in your state regarding setting up a business? You'll need to get a sales tax ID which is easy & free. Registering a business costs.

One thing I've learned about selling soap this year is that people buy based on 2 factors (mostly) sight & smell. If you're going to sell nothing but plain ol' brown soap, you'd better have some unique marketing plan laid out. I know there is someone out there selling biodiesel soap that's colored & scented, but most of what I've seen is BORING.

Competition is fierce in the handmade soap world!

Do you know how to make excellent soap? Making good soap takes a long time & many, many batches. Making excellent soap is what you need to be able to make it in today's soap market, & learning how to make excellent soap can't be rushed, because it comes with experience.

One of my competitors has their soap in the local health food store. I purchased a bar, & In 3 months the soap had lost all it's scent & in 6 months my competitor's bar of soap had gone rancid. Now, I had to prepare myself to face a market where people might turn up their noses at handmade soap thinking it was inferior to store bought. I had to be prepared to convince customers my soap was far better than my competitors, & I had to know that it was.

My point is, do you know what your soap will be like in 6 months? How about in 8 months or a year? If you don't know, it's better to wait it out & know for sure.

I hope I'm not sounding all negative. I'm trying to be the light in the passageway. The soap we sell is a reflection of all soapmakers.

Anyway, when you do take the plunge, we'll all be here to cheer you on. Good luck!!!

 

[carebear]

I think I might be the biggest business chicken on the planet. It's not that I mind taking a risk, I just don't want too much risk.

I think I have you beat there. I have EVERYTHING in place: I've got insurance, soaps, potential customers, company name, labeling, packaging, experience, materials... but still I sit here going "yea, but..."

 

[Deda]

I think I might be the biggest business chicken on the planet. It's not that I mind taking a risk, I just don't want too much risk.

I think I have you beat there. I have EVERYTHING in place: I've got insurance, soaps, potential customers, company name, labeling, packaging, experience, materials... but still I sit here going "yea, but..."

LOL - It's a scary thing. I'm not afraid of failure, it's just that this is far to important to me to jump into without tons of thought and research. It took me almost 2 years just to get the packaging right. I just figure, if I'm going to do it - I'm going to do it right. I don't want a hobby, I want an empire!

J/K about the empire, but YKWIM?

 

[carebear]

it's not fear of failure really - I'm not sure what it is. I think I just know it's so much WORK as a business whereas now I do what I want when I want.

Heck, I screw up things all the time - THAT I can deal with! LOL!

 

[Deda]

Carebear, so true about the work - when I wanted to 'learn' the business I went to work for a neighbor who owns a cosmetics company. I saw first hand exactly how much work it was. 25 hours a day, and no "I don't feel like it today". Business is business. I've invested too much of myself, and my money to do it without a ton of thought. And screw ups? Me - Never! Only on days ending in Y.

Mandolyn you're not sounding negative to me, I think you're exactly right about the soap after 3 months, 6 months even a year. It took me time to learn and create what I think is great soap. I cringe when I look back at some of the soaps I made at first that were horrid just a few months later.

New soapers today have such a great resource. When I made my first batch I didn't even know there were such things as soap forums. All the members at this and other ones like it are fortunate to be able to learn from everyone else's experiences, success and failures. I learn something new here all the time.

 

[starduster]

Soap and out

it's not fear of failure really - I'm not sure what it is. I think I just know it's so much WORK as a business whereas now I do what I want when I want.

Heck, I screw up things all the time - THAT I can deal with! LOL!

You are enjoying the Pleasure rather than Pressure I think.That is how I want it to remain for me.
A long term , ever evolving thing and when my time comes they can fold my arms accross my chest , put a bar of soap in each hand and pop a guest one on the eyelids saying bubbles to the last , or, At last , she cleaned up her act , or what ever.

 

[Tabitha]

Bio soap is a novelty & I do think there is a market for it. It's not your run of the mill soap the market is already swamped with . Bio soap should stand out.

I have enjoyed bio soap in for personal use. My husband is very fond of the bio-shea soaps from The Brown Soap Co. We have 1/2 doz bars under the sink now.

Different strokes for diffferent folks. Bio soap does fill a need in the market place.

It won't be a get rich quick endeavor though. It take most soapers years to make it an income out of it.

 

[heartsong]

x

i stand with egg on my face! i've been making soap on and off for 10+ years and just reached the conclusion from reading all the threads about it, that i have been using too much water in my soap!

i started soaping with my soapmaker's companion by s.m. cavitch, and have been chugging right along with that-boy, do i feel like a fossil!

now i have to gradually wean myself off the H2O! LOL!

i learn something new everytime i come in here-with the help from my friends!

my best suggestion is to search the forum and read the threads. there is at least one or two biodiesel soapers here.

 

[Tabitha]

heartsong,

What has the effect of too much water had on your soap? Any?

 

[heartsong]

x

none that i can tell from-they're hard, smooth, sudsy, and long lasting. they are firm coming out of the slab mold and i cut them immediately. they are like mild cheddar. they're dry in 4 weeks (about). i think that's why my soaps dont accelerate or seize like some-i usually have a lot of time to play with them.

i never had the luxury of soapcalc and such. had to do all calc by hand.

i took my lye amount and divided by .4 and that was my water amount.

that's why i've been so confused about 40% water rate and stuff!

this is why i it took 100 years making castile soap- i began using steric acid and a little coconut oil.

 

[digit]

Donniej - I say go for it. You will never know unless you try. I have seen you around the board for some time and I seem to recall mention of this some time ago. I say practice, practice, practice, and when the product is right and everything else (the business stuff) is ready, give it go. Maybe this is the door opened when the other one closed. Good Luck!!!

Digit

 

[Tabitha]

i stand with egg on my face! i've been making soap on and off for 10+ years and just reached the conclusion from reading all the threads about it, that i have been using too much water in my soap!

Well, if you like the end results I would say your recipe is just right :wink: .

 

[heartsong]

x

donniej:

the point i was making was that you can be soaping for years and still be "fine tuning" your soap. it is not "if you build it they will come". it is the constant pursuit of perfection.

i think the biodiesel would have a great "green " appeal in certain markets.
and i hope you pursue your desire. there is nothing better than the feeling of stepping back from a project and saying "i made that!" and knowing you've done a good job.

who knows, years from now we might know you as one of the innovative "pioneers" of biodiesel soaps. your stuff could someday be in grocery strores.

dont laugh! look at thomas edison and the light bulb!

 

[carebear]

I should clarify what I said on the biodiesel soap. I would recommend caution in using used waste oil collected from restaurants and the like because of the high likelihood of cleaning agents and the like contaminating the oils. Plus the higher risk of rancidity since those oils have often been over-used and then stored in less than ideal conditions.

Plus god only knows what's gotten into the stuff while it sits out behind a restaurant.

If you can confidently say that your stuff is "clean" and safe - then what the heck.

 

[Lindy]

I think each of us has our own business threshold. Some are ready to start business within a few months of starting to make soap and that's okay if they take the time to make a bunch of soap so they can quickly learn what works and what doesn't work, what your friends and family think of it as they test the batches for you.

donniej; It is going to take you a couple of months before your first bar of CP is ready for use, so I would suggest that it is going to take you a minimum of 3 - 4 months because you can make a lot of soap in that time and have people testing it besides yourself. If you're doing a few batches a week then you will also have a good feel as to how the soap reacts to different things that you will want to try.

Cheers
Lindy