We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Suzanne Siebert. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Suzanne below.

Suzanne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I started natural soapmaking about 7 years ago when my son was battling eczema. After trying every “gentle” commercially produced baby soap and lotion without success, I did my own research and discovered that baby cleansing products are still filled with shelf-life extending preservatives and artificial fragrances that can irritate sensitive skin. Cold process soapmaking enabled me to control all of the ingredients. Olive oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter did wonders for my son’s skin. I started to share my soap bars with loved ones who encouraged me to run with it, and create a business.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

What would you like people to know about your brand?

At first glance, people notice the fun colors and designs in my soap: trees, birds, mountains, etc. These are all inspired by my hikes and travels around the Pacific Northwest, where I live. And then, people notice how the bar has a consistent lather to the very last sliver. The base recipe of my bars took 3 years to perfect. I turned my laundry room into an organic chemistry lab – tweaking the recipe of each batch little-by-little. Every oil has different properties when converted into soap. For example: Coconut oil produces a highly cleansing and bubbly soap, but has the tendency to dry skin. Olive oil is hydrating, but by itself, takes a very long time to harden and cure. Rich butters like shea have high moisturizing benefits, but low lathering properties. So it took a while for me to find the right combination of oils to create a balanced, long-lasting, and bubbly bar. The soaps that you now see on my website (passthebarsoaps.com) are the culmination of 3 years of trial, error, and a few tears over spilled soap batter.

But beyond the bar (dare I say “past the bar”), my soap making business has enabled me to support social causes that I believe in. I am a passionate supporter of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) initiatives, and giving underrepresented people the tools to succeed in life. Those who follow my Instagram @passthebarsoaps, know that I am an Operational Partner at ANACAONA Community, a soap upcycling non-profit organization in Haiti. Run mostly by single-mothers who have no other source of income and an average of 10 family dependents, this organization trains women to purify and upcycle used hotel soap. This soap is then distributed to thousands of Haitian school kids for free to prevent disease. This upcycled soap reduces waste, creates jobs for women, and saves children’s lives so that they can become educated and have a chance at rising out of poverty. I am in constant awe of how brilliantly this operation has been run by Laure Bottinelli, Founder of ANACAONA Community. And I’m so proud to support her efforts. (You can learn more about this amazing organization at: www.anacaona.org)

How did you get involved with ANACAONA Community?

With travel restrictions imposed during the pandemic, hotel and tourism businesses were suffering. I had been following @anacaona.community on Instagram for a while, and realized that their hotel soap supply must be dwindling. So in 2020, I contacted Laure to see if there was a way to donate my soap scraps and extra bars to her cause. She found a volunteer in Georgia, who was willing to include my donation on a humanitarian relief boat that travels twice a year to Haiti. From there, my wheels started turning… soapmakers end up with a lot of soap scraps after each batch. What if I could get more soapmakers to donate? At the time, I had reached 1000 followers on Instagram – many of whom were fellow soapmakers. This gave me a platform to market ANACAONA’s cause. So I started posting donation requests, and received an overwhelming amount of support from soapmakers all over the US, and even as far as Dubai and the UK. To date, we have raised nearly 3000 pounds of soap, which services 19 primary schools and over 3600 students in Haiti. This number is still growing thanks to the continued support and generosity of the soapmaking community.

Do you have personal ties with Haiti?

I don’t have any relations in Haiti. I am the daughter of a courageous Korean immigrant single mother who worked hard to provide me with an education. I was drawn to ANACAONA’s mission because it creates jobs for other single moms who are trying to survive in a difficult environment while also promoting children’s education and welfare. My brand’s slogan: “Spread joy – not germs” is a promise that my bars are doing something tangible for those who need it the most. Every bar sold helps me cover the costs of running a business, so that I can continue my humanitarian efforts. I’m so thankful to those who love my bars and have supported my work.

“Pass the Bar” – there has to be a story behind this name.

Yes! I’m a sucker for puns and double-entendres. The name really started out as an inside joke. I’m a licensed attorney, and passed the Washington State Bar Exam in 2008. When I was “passing” out my soap bars to loved ones, I thought: ‘Wouldn’t it present better with nice labels and a clever logo?’ So after some hemming and hawing, “Pass the Bar Soaps” was born. The ingredients “pass the bar” for quality. The designs “pass the bar” for aesthetics. And “passing” the legal bar has served me well in my advocacy work for organizations like ANACAONA Community.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Soapmaking is actually my side-hustle. On weekdays, I am a communications consultant (eq-ity.com). I pivoted from the law over a decade ago to pursue a career path that allowed me the flexibility to raise my two young children. I was a plaintiff’s civil litigation attorney representing “the underdog” against corporations. It was an incredible experience to be the voice for people who didn’t know how to negotiate the daunting US legal system. Yet the hours and personal sacrifice of being a litigator are relentless, and I couldn’t envision how I could be the mother I wanted to be and still give my clients the best representation that they deserved. Knowing myself, it would have affected my mental health to be mediocre in any role that I took on. So I took all of the things that I enjoyed about litigation – oral and written communications – and created a business teaching others how to find their voices, present, and advocate for themselves. Most of my clients are women and BIPOC, and I facilitate skill-building communication workshops that support DEIB efforts within institutions. So, I guess at the heart of everything I do – whether it’s soapmaking or consulting – I have always been an advocate and ally for underrepresented groups.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

As a child, I didn’t dream of being a business owner one day. I was on a very traditional and linear career path. But life circumstances took me somewhere different, and I have never looked backwards. I would never tell a person to simply quit their day job to pursue a small business dream. Nor would I advise people to just go the safe traditional route. Good solid plans take time and patience to develop. My advice to those with an entrepreneurial spirit: start small. Find your talent, learn how to really master it, and figure out how to fit it into your lifestyle. Let it grow organically, and then take the leap when there’s traction. Ultimately, what you do with your time on this earth should bring you joy and align with your values.

Contact Info:

• Website: passthebarsoaps.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passthebarsoaps/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/passthebarsoaps
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pass-the-bar-soaps/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@passthebarsoaps