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

Rebekah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My and my son’s sensitive skin started my search for skincare that was safe and gentle. My mom had started making handmade natural soap as a hobby. She soon lost interest but taught me what she knew before moving on to her next hobby. The first soap I started making gave my friends daughter great relief from her eczema. As demand grew, I was diagnosed with some major health issues and became a single mom. Working full time as a sick mother of 4 became difficult and near impossible some days. So I took the risk, quit my job and opened a gift shop where I sell my products as well as those from other local artists. Though I didn’t plan to be where I am, I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

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?

I answered some of these questions in my last answer lol. I use quality ingredients to make skincare in small batches. All my life I was never able to afford name brand skincare for my sensitive skin. Now that I make my own, I want it to be affordable to people like me. My goal is not to get rich but to provide people like myself with an amazing product that satisfies their needs without breaking the bank. It is greatly satisfying to me when customers tell me they quit using store bought products and use exclusively my skin care line! I make soap, bath treats, moisturizers, scrubs and facial care to name a few.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One lesson I’ve learned is to be fluid and resilient. If I make a product I love but my consumers don’t love it, there’s no point crying about it. I move on and keep creating in another direction. I introduced lip scrub to my facial care line several years ago. I didn’t sell alot of it so I quit making it even though it was a great product. 2 years later, a few name brand companies started making it an customers started asking for it. I could’ve said where we’re you 2 yrs ago or I could’ve said I already tried that…instead I started making it again and now it sells great.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Word of mouth and quality product have definitely been two things that have brought business to my door. I have spent money on advertising but a customer sharing my product or telling their friends and family has been my greatest advertisement! And my product sells itself. Good quality product that does what it is supposed to will bring clients back repeatedly

Contact Info:

• Website: Ediemaessoap.com
• Instagram: @ediemaessoap
• Facebook: Edie Mae’s Soap