We recently connected with Keegan Nunes and have shared our conversation below.
Keegan, appreciate you joining us today. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.
On April 6, 2019 I spent the morning putting together shower packs for the grand opening of Carebag Inc’s mobile shower unit. That morning showed me that there were a lot of people in my community that are in need. This is something that before that day I wasn’t aware of.
A year later, when I started making soap during Covid lockdown, the memory of putting those shower packs together sparked an idea. I knew that I could help Carebag directly in some way, but I wasn’t exactly sure how to do it. As my soap business has grown, I am now able to make that connection. For every bar of soap I sell, I donate a bar to Carebag Inc.’s Hygiene Pantry. This Hygiene Pantry goes to various locations throughout the Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches to bring supplies to families that need them. The Pantry stocks and distributes items such as lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving cream, shampoo and conditioner and of course, soap.
I am happy to be able to use my soap-making skills to help others in my local community.
I encourage everyone to go to the Carebag, Inc. website and learn more about their mission “to provide access to proper hygiene to those in need, for wellness in our community”. I am passionate about this partnership because as Carebag Inc. states, proper hygiene is a right, not a privilege.
Keegan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My soaping journey started when I was 9 years old. During Covid lockdown, I was looking for things to do and I made my first bar of melt-and-pour glycerin soap. I loved the colors and the shapes I was able to create and I wanted to learn more. After doing research online (and watching lots of YouTube videos) I discovered the cold process method of soap making which is the traditional method of soap making. It combines oils with sodium hydroxide lye to create the process of saponification. Once I started working with this process, that is when my passion was sparked. I’m an artist at heart and I love the way soap lets me unleash my creativity.
I started experimenting with different techniques, colors, scents and recipes. I made so much soap I had to start giving it to friends and family. Everyone loved my bars so much that they asked for more and kept saying, “You really should sell this”. So, I decided to do just that, and K Soap was launched.
I perfected my soap recipe over time and I use that for all my small batches of artisan soap. I only use high-quality, natural ingredients. No two loaves ever look the same and I feel like I have my own signature style that stands out. The color swirls and the fragrances are what make my soaps so unique, but the tops of my soaps are my specialty and I am pretty particular about how they look. I have to do the tops at a very particular batter consistency — I can’t wait too long and I can’t start too soon. It’s an art form.
In December 2022 I was honored to be named the first ever Youth Entrepreneur of the Year by the Business Development Board of Martin County.
Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?
I sell my products through my website. I decided against an Etsy store because of the competition and the fees to be honest. I know the platform would probably generate more traffic for me but I prefer to keep sales going through my website so I can be more in control of pricing and service. Also, I am still in middle school so my production time is limited to nights and weekends and not ready for that type of exposure yet.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Definitely in-person events. Customers can get to know me and they can touch, feel, and smell my product which really sells it. Once they have tried my product they are more likely to order on my website the next time. I also get a lot of people asking me where I am going to be each weekend so they can come shop in person with me. I also got a lot of exposure when I won Youth Entrepreneur of the Year in 2022.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ksoapshop.com/
- Instagram: @ksoapshop
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ksoapshop/