Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alicia Pickles. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Alicia, thanks for joining us today. Often outsiders look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight. Even media and especially movies love to gloss over nitty, gritty details that went into that middle phase of your business – after you started but before you got to where you are today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. Can you talk to us about your scaling up story – what are some of the nitty, gritty details folks should know about?

Going from the initial “fun” of making soap as a hobby into the initial phase of starting a business was a big decision, but I was excited about the opportunity. I especially enjoyed all of the initial set up phase and the things involved, such as creating a website, making labels and taking product photos. Things started slowly and at my own pace. I had occasional website sales, often from supportive friends and family. I soon began participating as a vendor in various events such as art fairs and craft shows. However, over time, I was faced with both the need and desire to scale up my business.

One of the things that actually made this possible was related to those early vendor events, as well as the use of social media. I found that connections made, particularly with other small businesses, turned out to be one of the most valuable and rewarding ways to expand my own business. This came as a surprise to me! Meeting other small business owners locally and via social media was a fun experience. I enjoyed the opportunities offered to interact with, learn from, and support other people in similar situations. I did, however, completely underestimate the value these connections offered in terms of expansion, especially in the area of wholesale to some of these store owners. There is just something magical about genuine connections and the mutual benefit for all involved.

After being contacted by numerous stores wanting to sell my items, I took a closer look at my products and cost of goods. I had made a conscious effort to make some profit on each item, and still keep prices very reasonable. I quickly learned though that wholesale is a whole different ball game! I had not allowed myself enough to make a profit if many of my sales were wholesale. This required a bit of figuring things out and restructuring pricing on my part. Once that was established though, it was full steam ahead!

Wholesale isn’t for everyone, but for me it significantly increased both my sales and exposure. About a year later, a good friend of mine in marketing suggested I consider adding options for corporate gifts and private label products as another avenue of income. By this time, due to time constraints, I had limited my number of “in person” events. His idea seemed to fit nicely with what I was doing, so I pursued it! I began working directly with several companies making various types of products and gift baskets, and this was also beneficial in helping me scale up.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

In March of 2019, I was diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread to my lymph nodes. This was a complete shock and led to immediate surgeries, followed by chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It was a whirlwind, to say the least! Within one month’s time, I had a mastectomy, had another surgery to put a port in, got MARRIED, and 3 days afterward began chemo.

During this time I was unable to work my regular job at the post office, so I spent a lot of time around the house planning a garden, canning and freezing produce, and generally feeling like a pioneer. (Thank you, Little House on the Prairie Books of childhood!) When I tried making my own soap from scratch, immediately I was hooked. Initially this was just a fun hobby that led to gifts of soap for family and friends, but down the road after my health improved, Pine Creek Soapworks was born!

Today, Pine Creek Soapworks has expanded to include solid shampoo and conditioner bars, perfumes, mineral bath salts, shave soaps and other bath and body products. Our home goods collection includes handmade concrete soap dishes, planters, candles and shave bowls, as well as linen sprays, laundry stain sticks and car diffusers. These products can be found online and in many stores in southeast Michigan, Northwest Ohio, and over twelve states.

I take pride in my products, which are all handcrafted in small batches. All bath and body products are free from parabens, sulfates and phthalates, and I strive to combine high quality with excellent customer service.

These days, eco-friendly and sustainable options are more important than ever before. I enjoy being able to share what I love with others, and I’m so grateful for family, friends, and loyal customers for their support in this endeavor!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe that one of the most essential things is not only being open and transparent in my own business, but also being supportive of other small business owners, even those that are considered to be competitors! Some of my biggest supporters have been wonderful people that I have connected with on social media. Many are owners of companies very similar to my own. I’ve found that you can’t go wrong with being a cheerleader for others. I try my best to support and encourage other small business owners, and the blessings come back, multiplied!

Have you ever had to pivot?

For quite a few years, I had a career position with good pay as a postal clerk. I genuinely enjoyed the job and had wonderful coworkers, so I just assumed that would be my path until retirement. With the diagnosis of cancer, many things in life were immediately uncertain. I mentally wrestled for a long time over whether to keep or quit my postal job, due to several factors that made for a complicated situation. Prior to getting married to my wonderful husband in 2019, I was widowed and supporting 3 kids. My postal job had been a lifeline of sorts, not only for the income but also because of my coworkers, who were a huge support system. When for multiple reasons I decided to put in my 2 weeks’ notice, I was still nervous about making this pivotal life change. While it did take a while to really get things up and going in my new venture, business has steadily increased since that time. I have such an immense love for what I do in running Pine Creek Soapworks, and I am thankful every day for the joy and opportunities this business has brought to my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pinecreeksoapworks.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/pinecreeksoapworks
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/pinecreeksoapworks