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

Ellie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How do you think about cost-management? Growing a business is always exciting, but often businesses run into issues when costs grow faster than revenue – have you experienced such an episode? Any advice for other operators around how to keep costs in line?

We keep our costs low by minimizing our overhead. Rather then paying for a storefront, and all the expenses that come with it, we work out of our home office and focus on our online store, Etsy shop, and local markets. As we grow our business, we are able to keep our costs down by buying in bulk and investing in quality equipment to streamline our manufacturing process-while still keeping everything handmade. We expand our streams of income through consignment/commission based stores and wholesale accounts. These “tricks” can make all the difference in keeping your business profitable during a difficult time.

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

My name is Ellie and I am the owner of Bibbidi Bubbly Soaps. As the only employee, I currently wear many hats such as the product maker, social media manager, bookkeeper, ect. My business specializes in safe, small batch skin care products such as artisan soaps, facial bars, scrubs, and more! I started Bibbidi Bubbly Soaps as a way to bring color and creativity to non-toxic, skin-loving items. I am incredible proud and grateful for the community we have made within the last two years of our business. Our local customers are our bread and butter and their support has turned this small business into a full time job.

The most important things I want our customers to know is that we care. We care about creating quality, affordable products that can make a positive impact on you and your family. Each product is handmade, hand-wrapped, and hand-labeled by yours truly. Thank you for making us apart of your daily self-care routine.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson I had to unlearn when starting Bibbidi Bubbly Soaps is that you need a storefront, employees, and expensive equipment to have a successful business. While that may be necessary for some businesses, that isn’t the case for me. I started from scratch with basic necessities such as the raw materials, insurance (non-negotiable), and a pot from the thrift store. Start with what you have. Don’t put you and your business in a financial stress before even giving it a chance.

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

2024 is the first year of being a business owner full time. I left my job at the end of 2023 and immediately jumped into farmers markets, craft fairs, vendor shows, and anything I could. As the year progressed, I have had to pivot on how I spend my marketing dollars and time. Rather than signing up for any markets with availability, I have taken a step back from in-person shows and focused more into expanding our wholesale accounts and online store.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bibbidibubblysoaps.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bibbidibubblysoaps/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BibbidiBubblySoaps/
• Other: https://etsy.com/shop/bibbidibubblysoaps