We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashton Boehman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ashton, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
I’ve always been kind of obsessed with naming things and the meaning behind words. When I was a kid I loved writing and anything artistic, and for awhile I wanted to be a novelist. I used a baby names book to name characters in my short stories. I frequently looked up the names of new people in my life, as if I was going to glean something about their personality or history. This kind of applies to how I thought about naming my company.
I went by a few different names before settling on my brand name: Salt & Ash. I wanted something that didn’t specifically point to me, the maker, but kind of alluded to the person behind the soap. I only get a little science-y sometimes, so lye + fat (oil) = salt of a fatty acid (soap). I also use a lot of salt in my body scrubs and other products. That’s the origin of “salt”. The other part is peeled off my name, Ashton, and the soap lore of making soap with wood ash extract.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Salt & Ash started as sort of an accident when I was in college. I love making things with my hands so I learned to make soap, then realized the hobby was too expensive and started selling the products I made. As I learned the craft I picked up some diehard soap fans, and amazing customers that are so gracious to be with me still to this day.
Flash forward to 2021 when Salt & Ash Soap Co. was founded, and I began learning all I could about running a small business (as someone with a fine arts degree!) We did a lot of pop ups and markets, opened a website, and sold to some of our favorite stores.
Our focus has always been handcrafting premium bar soap, body scrubs, lip balm, and other products for self care that are kind on the body and planet. We don’t use plastic bottles or jars, instead replace single use plastics with glass, metal, and paperboard packaging. Our products are all free from palm oil, phthalates, and parabens. We’ve shared the benefits of switching to bar soap with so many people, and that’s something I’m really proud of. I’m always learning more about sustainability in cosmetics and business in general, so we’re always evolving in that regard.
In 2022 we opened a production and retail space in our city, and we’ve enjoyed growing our audience and offerings that way! I’m so proud of my little 322sq ft soap store and I can’t wait to see how it grows in the future.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
My first bit of advice on this topic is that growth takes time. Sure, we all saw during the early days of the pandemic what seemed like overnight success for small businesses on Instagram and TikTok. But the reality is that a million followers does not equal a million sales. So don’t get too hung up on the numbers. Instead, nurture the base you have. I’ve found a lot of success by asking questions and doing polls in my Instagram stories, because people want to feel included and valued. Also, share other small businesses on your profile. Collaborate with others who have a similar customer base, and always show up positive and inviting. The right people will be attracted to that. A bulk of my followers came from the publicity around my storefront opening, but that took years.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Word of mouth! Happy people will tell their friends, and if you get them on your email list, they will have more opportunities to sing your praise. I listened to my customers feedback and made adjustments as necessary to formulas, packaging, and more.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.saltandashsoap.com
- Instagram: @saltandashsoapco