Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Douglas Coggeshall. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Douglas thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you share a customer success story with us?
As any beer lover knows, beer is brewed from grain and hops. Hops are a flowering plant that provides beer its characteristic bitterness and aroma. What beer-lovers may not know is that hops were used for medicinal purposes long before they were ever used to make beer.
Hops contain bitter acids, known as alpha-acids, beta-acids, and iso-alpha-acids which have been shown in studies to reduce inflammation. That’s why hops have long been used as a remedy for ear infections. Thanks to these anti-inflammatory properties of hops, beer soap may help soothe inflamed, itchy skin.
Douglas, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I come from a middle-class family in a middle class called Belleville in Southern Illinois. I have 5 brothers. We learned quickly, the value of hard work and how to manage money. Dad encouraged us to go to college but because there were so many of us we had to finance it ourselves. I worked multiple jobs, as a fry cook, department store clerk and cutting grass. It took me 6 years to earn three degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (Fine Arts Painting, Graphic Design and Cinematography). I went straight to Chicago as a graphic artist and struggled in and out of jobs to find my niche.
In 1988, quite by a twist of fate, I bumped into a gentleman who wanted some private artwork hand painted in his home. Having done this since I was 15 as a hobby, I took his offer and in one week earned more money that I did as a graphic artist in a month. I moonlighted as a decorative artist for 2 more years until 1990, when I took a big step to go full time. That was a very tough couple of years. But I survived and gained notoriety as a highly qualified muralist and trompe-l’oeil artist. I continued this career for the next 35 years.
In 2004, I competed for the first time in the International Trompe-L’oeil Festival in Italy. I returned and competed the following year. On that trip, I spent the next two weeks wandering around Northern Italy absorbing local art, culture, food and experiences. I returned home to Chicago and applied as much as I could to my Art Business (Coggeshall Artistry). Many of my private works of art can still be found in a basic Google search.
With the economic collapse in 2008, my art business all but evaporated. Because I was no stranger to hard work, nothing was beneath me. I worked for an Amish Co-Op as a driver and bootlegged raw dairy across State lines in the early morning hours. I also taught basic art in a wine/art party company while taking on ANY mural or art project that came my way. Through this, I was able to maintain my mortgage and buy food. These were lean years from 2008 – 2014.
On a creative binge, in the comfort of my home, I began making soap because I was tired of the skin drying, itchy varieties offered in the local stores. I started by purchasing other people’s hand made soaps and simply thought I could do a better job. So, I bought a book on basic soap making and began.
My first soaps were pretty bad but I was determined. I studied oils, their effects in a cold process formula. I read and read and kept trying and experimenting while still driving the midnight milk run and teaching art.
In 2013, I finally had a nice bar soap formula and earned a spot in a local farmers market. My hard work had only just begun.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I was classically trained as an artist and ran a successful business as such for 35 years. I competed and traveled extensively internationally. In 2008, my art career died a slow death as the economy shifted away from home opulence.
In 2013, I emerged as a small batch, vegan soap company. Despite the two-careers, producing different products, running a small business is pretty much the same. Selling art is the same as hawking soap in a farmers’ market. If you have an honest and healthy product, the passion of your truth will sell it for you.
There is no free lunch and if life gives you hardships – bounce back.
If you struggle and fail, learn the lessons. Get up and keep going.
Anyone can brag when their bills are paid and their future is bright. It’s the struggles and failures that offer the best lessons. Keep Growing!
If you have a dream, you must understand that NO ONE is going to work as hard as you to make it happen.
Life is short and you get one chance at it.
Yes you can. Yes you will. But you have to WANT IT!
How did you build your audience on social media?
There’s a saying: “If you continue to throw paint against a wall, eventually some will stick.” This is, my mantra and I am still… throwing social media posts against then wall.
One of my many college degrees is film making. I never thought I would ever find a use for this learned skill set until…. I stumbled upon a website (Storyblocks) that provides me with near unlimited copyright paid: music, soft effects, video clips, still photos, graphics, illustrations, etc., AND…. my Apple computer happens to contain a video editing program.
When work is slow or late at night… I produce videos and post them to every single social media platform that is available to me. I created a YouTube channel and now have over 207 videos posted. I repost on Instagram, TikTok and FaceBook.
I have learned that videos 20-30 sec long are ideal. Music should be fast and contemporary. Subject matter should be small or short concepts.
My following is still small but growing and I continue to learn.
We learn as we grow. Keep Growing!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.waterfallglensoap.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wfgsoap/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waterfallglensoap
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-coggeshall-9504b08/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wfgsoap
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@waterfallglensoapcompany9485
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/bi48OTSPxbrrGJ2UldHQNw
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@waterfallglensoap
Image Credits
Storyblocks