Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in soap making but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Krista Lee, Co-Owner of Helix Soap Co, located in La Mesa, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Hi, we’re Krista and Eric from Helix Soap Co. We make locally sourced, natural soap in small batches with a focus on using local ingredients like raw goat milk, beeswax, honey, calendula, yarrow, mint, turmeric, and more! We also provide only sustainable packaging, you will never find plastic on our products! Our customers are awesome people who love clean, healthy skin, helping the earth, and keeping it local.
Tell us about yourself
I started making soap after trying an amazing cold-process soap bar that I traded for a while at my monthly backyard bounty swap event hosted by a Facebook group, “San Diego Backyard Bounty Exchange.” I LOVED the soap and, true to my nature, had to make my own. I researched, tinkered with, tested recipes, and focused on using local and natural ingredients. I started gifting to family and friends and bringing it to swap events. When the requests started flowing, we knew our hobby had become an opportunity and seized the day!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Starting and succeeding in business has been an accomplishment on its own. We’re so thrilled with our continual growth and recognition in the community. My favorite accomplishments are connecting and collaborating with other local businesses, such as a coffee soap made with real coffee from Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, beer soap made from Helix Brewing Pale Ale, gorgeous concrete soap dishes made by Form + Root, and as a special thank you from Chef Coral after her amazing weekend tasting menu from a true San Diego farm to table experience.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being small business owners with two full-time jobs and a family of 5, balance is a daily struggle. Balancing corporate and public school careers with homework, dinner, sports, and family time is something that is always at the forefront of our minds. It’s critical for us to plan ahead of time and set the priorities for our daily and weekly schedules. Beyond that, we work REALLY hard to make our dreams come true.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Do something that scares you every day.
- Try harder than anyone you know.
- What you focus on, you create more of.
- Don’t give up.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I just want to say thank you for all the love, appreciation, and support. Thanks to GoSolo Subkit for reaching out, and thanks to those who’ve read this far. I hope you can sense our passion for connecting our community and supporting healthy, sustainable habits.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://helixsoap.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Helixsoapco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helixsoapco/
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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