This Idaho Soap Maker Keeps Reinventing Her Business

Hi! I’m Laneil, owner and soap maker with the Idaho Soap Company. When I was in college I remember purchasing a $4.00 bar of rose soap at the health food store. I savored each bar so it would last as long as possible. My roommates knew to keep their hands off! Fast forward to today and soap is my passion. I love the science, math, and creativity of soap making. I never tire of creating new designs, formulas, and the process of making.

I started taking soap making classes at The Nova Studio in Point Richmond, CA ten years ago. Unlike many others, I approached soap making as a business rather than a hobbyist. I was in the process of purchasing a lavender business when my gut said, “You can do this yourself.” Starting a business from the ground up has been a lot of long nights, tears, and successes. Fortunately, I’ve become just as passionate about the business side of soap making.

My soap business has grown and taken new paths throughout the years...

I’ve taken my products to more farmers market and craft fairs than I can count. I even moved to Idaho and had to restart my business in a new state. Throughout the journey, it has resonated with me that I needed to have more revenue streams. So, in addition to fairs, I created an eCommerce site. Then, six years ago, I knew I wanted to move into wholesale. It was important to have year-round revenue and I was tired of hauling boxes of soap throughout the state. I was at a fair when a teenage girl said, “Slap an Idaho on it, and anything will sell.” It was like a light bulb went off in my head. I immediately rebranded my company as the Idaho Soap Company and started stamping soap bars with an Idaho state outline. After the rebrand, my wholesale sales soared. I didn’t have to work very hard at obtaining new accounts, Idahoans love anything that represents their state.

Then, a year ago, I opened a small retail store in a small farm town going through redevelopment. My accountant thought it was a crazy idea. The town had a bad reputation, the downtown area had died. He asked me if I was a pioneer! I just loved the town’s architecture and knew I wanted to be part of the new beginning. I also knew that for a small town to succeed, it needed retail. Because of my wholesale accounts, I was in a position financially to support the store for the three-year lease if it turned out to be the worst idea I’ve ever had. I’m so thankful I followed my instincts. Small communities love handcrafted business and are incredibly loyal to shopping locally. Because the town has been completely “reborn,” it gains a lot of publicity throughout the state. My store has now been featured in numerous print and television segments focusing on the town’s turnaround.

Business was good. I was settling in. I had a variety of revenue sources. I hired a new employee. I was on track. Then COVID-19 hit...

I closed my store on March 15th for an indefinite time. I didn’t have a plan. I just knew I was scared and there was an outside source of stress I needed to avoid. The best way for me to do that was to lock the door. I went home.

I knew I needed to work on messaging. So I headed to the internet. I created a social media calendar to keep on track with regular posts. I got back to the basics of hustling, spending hours signing up for every free “shout out” on every media source I could find. I messaged small business groups, woman’s business forums, toilet paper-sharing groups, I messaged them all. Like many, my online orders nationwide increased.

Then came the realization that I didn’t want all that hard work to go away once retail opened back up. I needed to sustain those new online customers, so I created a series of postcards to put into orders… a way of expressing appreciation and thanking customers for their purchase. My repeat customers have increased from it.

During all this, wholesale orders slowed to a trickle, so I reached out and put a limited product line on FAIRE.com. During the closure, I was able to take on a dozen new accounts with this new wholesale exposure!

Though my store was closed, it didn’t sit idle. I put signage in the windows to direct customers to order online. I cleaned, organized, and created new displays to accommodate social distancing. I opened back up May 1st, still scared, but stronger and ready. Customers have been amazing with their support.

Navigating running a small business is like taking an adventure. Some paths are harder than others, you never know exactly where they will take you. There is so much to learn and appreciate along the way. Having multiple revenue sources has given me options to navigate COVID-19 and helped my small business not only survive, but thrive in ways that are sustainable in the future.

– Laneil | The Idaho Soap Company