I’ve been looking back on my soap making journey and realized there were three soap makers who’ve influenced me most. I’m excited to tell you about them.
La Shonda Tyree of Nyah Beauty
I’d been making soap about 8 years when I met La Shonda. I was a self taught soap maker. I’d gone to my local library, taken out a book, and taught myself how to make soap. I was a hobbyist for a long time, making soap for fun. The first soap I made was in 1999, and there was no internet, google or YouTube. I didn’t know anyone else who made soap.
I received a catalog in the mail for a place in NYC called The Open Center. There was an all day class one Saturday afternoon on soap and lotion making. My first thought was “There’s someone else who does this?” My second was “and she has a business?” I needed to go to this workshop.
At the time The Open Center was in SoHo, so not only did I have to take the train, I needed to figure out the subway system. This was a big deal for me, especially since I had no idea where I was going. I made it there, and when the class was offered again as a 6 week workshop, I signed up. La Shonda took one look at me in the 6 week workshop and asked me what I was doing there again. I told her how excited I was to find another soap maker. I brought her some of my soaps. And she gave me my first piece of business advice. “Don’t be afraid to say no. Burn out is real”
La Shonda put the idea in my head that maybe, just maybe, I could have a soap making business. Always a collaborator, she gave me the push I needed to think about starting a business.
Marla Bosworth of Back Porch Soap.
I met Marla when I was online searching for more soap making classes. I had already taken classes with La Shonda, and wanted to take more! At that time, Marla was based in Boston and doing her “Bath and Body University” classes there. I kept looking and finally she was coming to NYC to do a class. Marla was in the city teaching for a week and she brought a friend with her to assist. Now, that was a job I would love!
The next time she came to NYC, she emailed a few of us from that first class and asked if anyone wanted to help her. But I answered it too late, someone else had said yes. I took a class that week, and had a great time again.
Marla came down once a month to teach and I got to assist her the third time she came. I took the LIRR into the city and hopped on the subway to get to the Little Shop of Crafts, which is where Marla held her classes. Soap making had already pushed me out of my comfort zone, taking subways, going int the city at night, and meeting new people.
From then on, wherever Marla came , I was there, helping out. I learned so much watching her. How to make balms, butters, liquid soap, bath fizzies and so on. She did a workshop on starting a business and made me believe I could. Some of her students wanted to have bath and beauty businesses, but didn’t want to make the soap, so I offered to make it for them. That’s how the private label part of my business started.
I worked with Marla many years, until it got to be too much, working full time during the day and traveling into the city for a week each month at night. Marla gave me the confidence I needed when I started my business, and taught me how to teach.
Holly Port of Lotion Bar Cafe
What can I say about Holly that I haven’t already said? She was the kindest person I knew, and didn’t have a mean bone in her body. Not once did I ever hear her say a negative thing about anyone. She was so full of life, loved soap making and was the bath fizzie expert. Holly was pure love, alive and breathing. I will always miss her. Holly gave me a living example of the kind of person I want to be. She was fearless, up for anything and a beacon of positivity. Make it Fizz was her book. Soap for Soup was inspired by her Trash Soap. She said yes, and figured it out later, always jumping in two feet first. Her deep faith in God ran through everything she did. Holly is my hero.
I’m grateful for all of these women.
Yours in Gratitude,
Angela