Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in skincare but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kim Beatty and Janice Campbell, Owners of Goose Ridge Soaps, LLC., located in Hampstead, MD, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Goose Ridge Soaps is a woman-owned soap company in Hampstead, MD, that specializes in handmade soap, herbal salves, and other natural skin care products. We sell our products at several farmer's markets around Carroll and Baltimore County and a handful of retail shops in the area for resale.
Tell us about yourself
We started making soap together as a hobby because we both wanted to stop using harsh chemical detergents on our skin. We found that nearly all major store brands were nothing but a pile of chemicals, and we didn't like how our skin felt when using them. After several friends and family members encouraged us to sell our products, we made a Facebook page and sold a few bars a month through social media. We decided to make the hobby a real business in 2021 and created an LLC and a website.
Our biggest motivation is our customers. People who have tried our products return week after week for more. They love how our soap makes their skin feel, and they appreciate that we try to use environmentally conscious packaging on our products. We love being able to help people use natural products to address skin issues, and that plays heavily to our creative side as well.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Our biggest accomplishment so far was to be selected as a finalist in the 2022 Carroll Biz Challenge. This event is put on by the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce and is open to fledgling and startup businesses in Carroll County. It's kind of like American Idol meets Shark Tank on a local level. Out of 44 businesses that applied, five were chosen to move to the finals.
On August 18, we will have 5 minutes to pitch Goose Ridge Soaps to the judges in front of a live audience. The grand prize is $10,000 cash plus additional prizes and services totaling around $25000. There is also a $2022 People's Choice Award and a $2500 Changemaker Award. So it is a true honor and a really big deal for us!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Neither of us has a business background. Kim was a police officer for 23 years, and Janice worked as a civilian dispatcher before choosing to stay home with her children. Learning all the details of what goes on behind the scenes in a successful business can be really overwhelming, but we both have a lot of hustle in us, and we've enjoyed learning the ropes.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Find a mentor. That person doesn't have to be in the same field, just someone who has built a business and has made mistakes. What they learned as they grew is really valuable stuff.
- When you begin to see success, share it. Just like finding a mentor, be one yourself. Give back to others. We are more successful when we help each other out, so do it.
- Make sure you schedule time to not "be at work." Running a business can consume you, and you need to learn to turn it off in order to maintain your sanity (ask us how we know...)
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.gooseridgesoaps.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GooseRidgeSoaps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gooseridgesoaps/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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