We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emlyn Roesler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Emlyn, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

To me, what defines success isn’t money for fancy things. It’s freedom. Freedom to choose a career path that’s fulfilling and meaningful. Freedom to express my authentic self through my work.

My thoughts have definitely changed since switching careers from an advanced practice nurse to artisan soapmaker. I enjoy sharing my craft and teaching others how to make soap. I love the flexibility of my work schedule – I can take a slow morning if I want. My ultimate goal this year in 2024 is to holiday in Europe for a month while Solid Soaps continues to run independently in the states during the summer. I feel like this would be a milestone because I can appreciate the hard work I put into Solid Soaps.

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?

Hey there. I’m Emlyn, founder and “Soap Lady” of Solid Soaps. In 2013 I wanted to gift something handmade to family and friends, so I made soap! My soaps were a hit, and that’s how the idea for Solid Soaps started. I wanted to create a consumable gift that was also practical. Handwashing is such a mundane task, and my idea for Solid Soaps was to transform that task into a luxurious ritual. Gifting artisan soap accomplishes all of these things.

Solid Soaps became an official business in 2018, and I quit my job as an advanced practice nurse in cardiology to become a full-time soapmaker in April 2021.

Solid Soaps creates consciously-crafted soaps using the cold process method. I use phthalate-free fragrance and essential oils, natural colorants and botanicals, and all products are vegan. I design all of Solid Soaps’ products with simplicity in mind. My packaging is compostable or recyclable without the use of plastic.

I also teach soap making workshops! Teaching people of all ages how to make soap is so much fun, and I love seeing the creativity of my students.

My community is a key component to my business. I enjoy doing markets or popups locally, getting to know my customers and vendor friends, and being actively involved in different local organizations. In addition, Solid Soaps makes contributions and in-kind donations to local and national charities and events.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I first started selling soap on Etsy. I decided on Etsy because this platform already has a significant following. Whenever I want to find a gift, I look on Etsy. If I wanted something handmade and unique, I went on Etsy. When people are looking for bridal party gifts, they look on Etsy. It just seemed like the easiest way to get my soaps in front of an audience that were already looking for something handmade. It’s also very easy to upload products and create your own page.

Currently I sell on Shopify. I am no longer selling on Etsy, although I do still have an account there (just no products listed). I just direct my Etsy customers to my website: solidsoaps.com. I decided to pivot away from Etsy because I had a significant following on social media (Instagram) that I could direct to my ecommerce website, and Etsy’s fees had increased. With my Shopify account, I can create a website with my own look and feel. It’s fully customizable. I also like that Shopify integrates with Quickbooks and Faire Marketplace.

I use Faire Marketplace for the same reason I’ve used Etsy. Faire is a platform that most businesses use to purchase wholesale products. I am still on Faire, but I am doing most wholesale transactions outside of Faire now for the same reason I’ve moved away from Etsy – the cost of fees. I have also noticed that it’s difficult to gain visibility on platforms like Faire or Etsy without having to pay for sponsored ads. Occasionally I’ll get a random buyer from Faire, but I rely on my marketing in person or via email and social media to get new accounts.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

My primary social media presence is on Instagram. I grew my audience by taking photos of my soap creations, videos of soap making, soap cutting, and packaging. People love watching the process. I added relevant hashtags and engaged with my audience, including other soap makers on social media. It’s amazing how big the soapmaking community is on Instagram!

I remember sharing my failed attempts at making bath bombs with plastic Easter eggs. It must have been a humid day because my bath bombs were an utter disaster. They basically exploded out of their molds and did not look cute. I share my failures on social media because it shows my audience that we all make mistakes. lesson learned: I do not enjoy making bath bombs!

If you’re trying to build that social media presence, be authentic. Share your triumphs AND failures. Show them that you’re human by including your face occasionally on posts, but don’t overshare about your life. Stick to relevancy of your business, but also include some personality and other interests that your audience might enjoy seeing.

Contact Info:

• Website: solidsoaps.com
• Instagram: @solid.soaps

Image Credits
Joi Conti Photography, Khrysten Dyane Photography, Parker + Scott