Hi everyone! Sorry we've been a little lazy on the blogging front. Life has been nothing short of nutty for both Laura and myself. And AnnaKate Soaps has been very, very busy!! Lots has happened since our last entry, including our latest retail location, a lovely gift shop and cafe in Elkhart, Indiana called b on the River.
I was lucky enough to be able to stop into b on the River a couple weekends ago and check it out. It's a fresh, upscale, sophisticated yet funky little store that has everything from soaps to bedding to kitchen accessories. There is also a bakery and cafe attached that serves beautiful and tasty treats like paninis and croissants.
I was in Chicago for the week and decided to make the trip to Elkhart to see our newest retail customer. From downtown Chicago it was only about a 2-hour trip (the weather was gross and rainy but the traffic was pretty good). If you're ever in the area I strongly encourage you to visit b on the River. It's a fresh breath of air in an adorable downtown area in northern Indiana. I'd never been to Indiana before but had heard (from my judgmental husband) that it wasn't anything to get excited about. However, downtown Elkhart was quite charming and b on the River adds much charm to the area. Stop in to b on the River, check out the selection on AnnaKate Soaps (oh, and all the other cool stuff, too), have a bite to eat and enjoy the views of the river. I think you'll like it. :)
As the leaves change, kids are back in school, and cool winds blow, AnnaKate Soaps is thinking about our new fall line of products! We're excited to introduce four new products -- three soaps and a mud mask! You can purchase any of these products by e-mailing your order to annakatesoaps@gmail.com or visiting our Etsy store by clicking here.
This weekend Laura and I drove out to Casselton, ND, to visit with Greg from Maple River Winery. We talked for a while about a new co-op in North Dakota that we're thinking about joining, and we also asked him about his experience as a small business owner. Check out this video for Greg's story and his advice to other small business owners.
As a young woman who works a full time job, is in the car for about two hours each day, volunteers as a mentor at church and one of the local colleges, AND has a growing bath and body business, I'm always looking for good bits of information that I can absorb quickly and get on with the rest of my day. Like most entrepreneurs (especially those who are working full time and trying to grow a business on the side) I rarely have enough spare time to devote to expanding my knowledge of business, marketing, industry trends, etc. That's why I love blogs so much. Blogs provide little nuggets of information from knowledgeable (and entertaining) professionals, entrepreneurs, and people who are like me in many ways.
Today I stumbled upon The Work at Home Woman blog by Holly Reisem Hanna. Today she posted the 50 Best Blogs by Women that I think every woman -- whether she works for herself, for someone else, or for her family -- should read. The blogs are organized on this list by topic, which I love! It makes it easy to browse through the blogs you're interested in and skip over the ones you're not. Time saver!!!
Many thanks go out to Holly Reisem Hanna for compiling this list and to the 50 women who are featured bloggers on the list. Take a look at the list here and enjoy all the quick nuggets of information shared by each of these authors!
You know those stories that are so inspiring they give you the chills?
Bella Lucce is one of those stories - from products taking over her house (AnnaKate can relate to that!) to world traveler and international business woman, Lela Barker, from Bella Lucce is truly an inspiration not only to fellow soapmakers, but anyone who aspires to own their own business!
It's stories about individuals who take charge of their life, business and fate that make a difference for other small businesses and provide the inspiration to become great!
Check out the Bella Lucce facebook page at www.facebook.com/bellalucce to view Lela's photo journey to success!
If you follow us on Facebook or follow Jen on Twitter (@JenniferSondag), you've probably noticed that we've been talking a lot about newly proposed legislation that we're not too fond of. On July 20, H.R. 5786 was introduced to Congress (also called the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010). It's being backed by numerous organizations, coalitions, companies, and Fran Drescher (yes, as in "The Nanny").
We can all agree that safe beauty and cosmetic products are a must. We would never sell or promote any product that we didn't believe was 100% safe for our customers. Laura and I use the products we make and sell every day, and we wouldn't use anything (our product or someone else's) that wasn't safe. We are FOR safe cosmetics but we OPPOSE this bill as it is written for the following reasons:
1. Too much red tape will make it too expensive for us to stay in business. The reporting and testing requirements would be more strict and extensive than current food requirements. We would also have to tell "big brother" when we hire someone, when we change suppliers/vendors, what all of our ingredient formulations are, and who are distributors are. There is no guarantee than any of all of this information would be kept confidential.
2. New labeling requirements would force us to invest in a new labeling system, which would raise prices. More importantly, is it not pragmatic to list all trace elements on a label. This is how we would have to list olive oil under the new regulations:
3. The cosmetics industry is already safe and gives consumers a wide variety of choices. It is already illegal to not list all ingredients on cosmetics packaging. AnnaKate Soaps has been educated on how to properly label our products, and we do our absolute best to follow all the requirements.
4. This bill and the push behind it is based on bad science and propaganda full of scare tactics. There is a video floating around the Internet called "The Story of Cosmetics" in which the narrator (Annie Leonard) repeatedly talks about toxic babies, bodies full of lead, and the idea that none of us have any control (except to support this bill). If you've seen the video (or even if you haven't), I'd strongly suggest watching this rebuttal video. It's a little long (about 16 minutes) but it goes through the original video and discusses all the claims made by Ms. Leonard. Some claims are rebutted while others are just further explained or explained from a different point of view.
Our biggest concern with this bill (as written) is that it would put us and thousands of other small cosmetic businesses out of business. There is still time to rewrite it in a manner that would protect small businesses AND ensure safe cosmetics. However, the way it was introduced to Congress would hurt, not help. Read the bill for yourself here.
You can help us by signing the petition against H.R. 5786 here and by writing your representatives to urge them not to support and/or co-sponsor this bill. Laura and I each wrote to our representatives (Collin Peterson in Minnesota for me and Earl Pomeroy for Laura) voicing our concerns. Thanks for all your support!
The Fargo Street Fair was a huge success thanks to all of our great customers. We received some great feedback and will be adjusting our line to fit your needs! In honor of the Fargo Street Fair, we created an I Love Fargo Soap, it received a fantastic response! What do you think of it?
Our top three sellers were Breakfast Bar, Clay Savon and Escape to the Sea. To celebrate our first street fair we are extending a special offer to you. Through July 31st when you purchase all three of our top sellers, you will receive your 4th soap 1/2 off! Just email your selection to annakatesoaps@gmail.com!
Have you heard about the 3/50 Project? If you haven't, it's about time you find out! The 3/50 Project began with a simple blog post about saving the economy by supporting 3 businesses at a time.
Here's how to get started: Think of three local independently owned business that you couldn't live without. Thought of them? All it takes is $50 a month at each of these stores to keep them around, keep your hard earned dollars local, and give other local, independent stores a chance!
AnnaKate Soaps is proud to announce our 2010 Summer Line! We've developed five new soaps, a salt soak, and sugar scrub cubes for your soapy pleasure! These new products are fresh, fun, and -- of course -- summery! They're inspired by everything we love about summer like the lake, fresh fruit, cool treats, and luscious gardens. We hope you love them as much as we do. If you'd like to order any, just e-mail us at annakatesoaps@gmail.com.
So, without further ado, here's the 2010 Summer Line:
AnnaKate Soaps has been hard at work creating new products to add to our handcrafted soap line. After many long hours of soaking in the tub...oops, I mean long hours of research, we've finally created a great line of bath salts.
Our bath salts are created with Dead Sea Salt - which is composed of the salt extracted from the Dead Sea. Dead Sea Salt claims to help with many common skin ailments and assist in circulation because of its mineral rich properties.
Our Bath Salts will be available for purchase a few short weeks - email annakatesoaps@gmail.com for more information.
Our last poll has closed and the results were pretty much what I was expecting for our market. The majority (66%) of respondents said all natural bath and body care products were slightly important in influencing their buying decisions. One-third of respondents said all natural products were not at all important to them. No one said all natural products were extremely important and no one was uninformed about what "all natural" meant (in the scope of this survey, at least). Thanks to everyone who participated in the poll! This information is really helpful to us and we really appreciate all your input!
The next poll you can participate in is all about fruit scents!! We're working hard to develop some yummy summer soaps and want to know what kind of fruit scents you love the best! Pick your favorite and/or leave a comment to tell us why OR if you have a favorite that wasn't listed. We want to hear it!
Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored. ~Daniel Webster
We'd like to wish a safe and happy Memorial Day to all our fans, friends and family today!
No matter how you celebrated, we hope you were able to take some time to remember and honor all the men and women who have served and are currently serving our country in the nation's armed forces. It can be all too easy to forget the "memorial" in Memorial Day and let the day pass by without remembering what it's really for. If you haven't yet today, take a moment to remember all who have fallen for our country and the loved ones they left behind.
Growing up, my grandparents had an aloe vera plant that they grew in their home. I remember being so intrigued by the pokey looking leaves - only to find they were actually kind of squishy. Every time one of the grandkids had a cut, sunburn or any other skin ailment, my grandmother would walk over to the aloe plant, slice off a leaf, squeeze the gel out and tell us to 'put a little aloe on it". Although this is one of my fondest childhood memories, I never fully understood the broad healing capabilities or benefits of aloe vera.
Although most of us are use to buying aloe vera lotion in a bottle at the store, it is actually cultivated from a short stemmed succulent with thick, fleshy short leaves. When aloe vera leaves are cut, two different fluids with differing effects exude. One, a yellow, green sap containing aloin is an irritant, however, the transparent fluid exuded from the inner leaf is said to have soothing and healing properties. Aloe vera contains countless vitamins and minerals, enzymes, amino acids and agents which may be anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. Many beauty products including lotions, cremes, body washes and soaps are infused with aloe to assist in including these great benefits in your daily beauty routine, check out our Massaloe and Refresh Your Senses - they both are infused with aloe.
With the official start of summer approaching in just a few short days, and sunburn season starting, it might be wise to make sure to have some aloe vera gel on hand...or if you have a green thumb, grow your own aloe vera plant to keep in your home!
During the research and development part of soap creation, AnnaKate Soaps seriously considers each and every additive we put in our soaps. From colors to scents to exfoliants, each addition to the soap is carefully planned.
One additive we particularly enjoy is Vitamin E oil, which is found in The Breakfast Bar and Massaloe. Vitamin E is found in many beauty products from soaps to lotions to hair products to body scrubs, do you've probably come across it before. Vitamin E oil is an anti-oxidant, meaning it helps stop oxidization of other molecules in the skin. Oxidization of molecules can lead to a buildup of free radicals, which can cause further damage to cells.
The four benefits that vitamin E oil gets the most attention for are anti-aging, sun protection, scar healing and moisturizing. During the summer months, using a soap with Vitamin E oil can really help prevent damage to your skin after a day in the sun. You can also use it to prevent sun damage before it happens. Some Vitamin E enthusiasts claim that adding some Vitamin E oil to sunscreen will help increase the sunscreen's effectiveness.
However you use it, or whatever you use it for, Vitamin E is a great treat for your skin!
According to the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy, Aromatherapy can be defined as the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit. It is an art and science which seeks to explore the physiological, psychological and spiritual realm of the individual's response to aromatic extracts as well as to observe and enhance the individual's innate healing process.
Aromatherapy can be used as a daily practice, such as spraying lavender on your pillow to assist in falling asleep or smelling peppermint to ease a headache. The application of aromatherapy through essential oils can be administered in a variety of ways, including room sprays, candles, soaps or bath salts. Below are a few of the most popular essential oils and their purposes:
Geranium:Helps to balance hormones in women, good for balancing the skin. Can be both relaxing and uplifting, as well as antidepressant.
Lemon: Very uplifting, yet relaxing. Helpful in treating wounds, infections, and house cleaning and deodorizing.
Ylang Ylang: Helps one to relax, and can reduce muscle tension. Good antidepressant
Eucalyptus: Helpful in treating respiratory problems, such as coughs, colds, and asthma. Also helps to boost the immune system, and relieve muscle tension.
Clary Sage: Natural pain killer, helpful s in treating muscular aches and pains. Very relaxing, and can help with insomnia. Also very helpful in balancing hormones.
When using Essential Oils it is paramount to use proper procedures because most need to be diluted properly with carrier oils - please visit the NAHA website for more information on using aromatherapy and Essential Oils correctly.
As AnnaKate Soaps grows and begins to transform as a company, we are so thankful to have customers, friends and colleagues that are so supportive and willing to share advice and information. We appreciate your honesty regarding our products and hope you will continue to share your opinions in order to help make us a better company. After all, our main purpose is to provide you with soaps and other products that fit your needs.
AnnaKate soaps is gearing up for a busy summer with a booth at the Fargo Street Fair, displaying our soaps in stores in the Fargo-Moorhead and lakes area stores and working on expanding our product selection. We hope you will continue to provide suggestions for ways to improve our product selection, give you easier access to our products and become a better company for both our customers and the community. Our new summer line will be debuting before we know it and we still need your help in creating a well-rounded line with scents, colors and designs that appeal to you. Please continue to post suggestions on our facebook page, comment on our blog or email your suggestions to annakatesoaps@gmail.com - and don't forget to take our survey on how important natural products are to you.
When we were in Denver there was a lot of discussion about all natural and organic products. Some people were extremely passionate about manufacturing and selling only products that could be legitimately labeled as "all natural" or "organic." That got us thinking about how much people care about all natural and organic products.
I can admit that while I support the main causes behind natural and organic materials, I'm not the person who shops in all natural stores and only uses all natural products. And to be honest, I'm not sure how many people in my area (Fargo, N.D. and the lakes area of Minnesota) are like that either.
So our new poll is for you to tell us just how important it is to have that all natural or organic label on your beauty care products. Feel free to leave a comment below and explain further or let us know if there's another point of view we missed in the selection of answers.
Many of the presenters at the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Convention advocated the importance of overcoming objections, turning failures into opportunities and the power of positive thinking. I was truly inspired to approach life from a different direction and have since been trying to look at all aspects of my life from a more positive angle. Our local chamber of commerce listed the following positive attitude starters to help us improve our attitude and thinking:
Do your best every day and let go of the rest
A setback is not a disaster, it is a setup for a comeback
Kindness is never wasted, show someone you care
You cannot control other people's behavior, but you can determine your response
Strive each day to do one think to foster positivity in your life
I hope you are able to implement a few of these in your daily lives and experience the power positive thinking can have on your life.
The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Convention has been an unbelievable learning experience - opening our eyes to the entire world of handcrafted soaps, lotions, baths salts, scrubs...the possibilities are endless. After attending the liquid soap making seminar yesterday, I think it's safe to say AnnaKate Soaps will be adding liquid soaps to their product line soon. In addition to liquid soaps, watch for more product line additions, including bath salts, scrubs, bath fizzies and more.
We have been so fortunate to be able to attend this convention and have met many other soapmakers from around the country who have been more than willing to share their stories, experiences and offer suggestions to help AnnaKate Soaps reach it's full potential. The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Convention has definitely played a major role in shaping the future of AnnaKate Soaps, helping us to define our goals and plan for the future. Expect great things from AnnaKate Soaps, we do!
Today we really concentrated on marketing our business and telling our story. Kayla Fiorvanti from Essential Wholesale discussed how every business has a story and your branding and marketing should tell consumers that story. It should help them connect with you and your business. You can tell your story in many different ways like packaging, slogans, logos, brand names, and social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and blogs (like this one!). The key is to make your story short and condensed so it will reach customers.
She also talked about the stages of a business and how this cycle often mirrors the cycle of life. Each business goes through the stages of birth, infancy, childhood, teen, adulthood, midlife crisis (possible), and legacy. She said that so many mistakes are made in the infancy stage, which is a little scary to think about since AnnaKate Soaps is in that stage now. Mistakes are a natural and important part of the growth process -- in both life and business. We look forward to growing AnnaKate Soaps, even if that means it's uncomfortable and we stumble along the way. If we can learn from our mistakes, we'll be better in the end!
We're Jen and Laura, the creative minds behind AnnaKate Soaps. We hope you enjoy the ideas, tutorials and other content on our blog! Please feel free to comment if you have any questions, ideas or stories.
