I had always been happy with my 9 to 5 job of 29 years. However, one day I woke up and thought, “Gee – you need some kind of hobby”.

I soon found myself at the craft store in front of the soap aisle. This looked like it could be fun so I bought a melt and pour kit. After some practice, I started selling soaps to my fellow co-workers and I started to gather a small but loyal following. I had always liked chemistry, so CP soap became a natural step to take.

By this time, my job situation began to change and I could see myself eventually becoming a dinosaur. I began to think that maybe I could make a business out of my “hobby”. But first I needed a unique product identity and something that would make my soap standout (there seemed to be many handcrafted soaps in the local area). Since I live in Oregon City – the end of the Oregon Trail – I thought that maybe I could use that as a theme. I did some research and decided upon the name “Oregon Trail Soap Co.”. The next step was finding a logo to go with the name. I thought that a scene of pioneers walking across the prairie with their wagon and the mountains off in the distance would depict my image of a soap made in the tradition of the Oregon pioneers. I searched and searched but could not find what I wanted. Then one day I was chatting with a co-worker and telling her what a hard time I was having. She commented “I know exactly what you are talking about”, and pulled out a book she was reading. There on the cover was exactly what I had been searching for! I contacted the publisher and they gave me the rights to use the photo in my marketing.

Now I needed to develop a product line. Keeping in line with the Oregon Trail theme, I decided to name my soaps for sites located along the trail. Hence, names like “Pioneer Oatmeal & Honey”, “Soda Springs Elixir”, and “Sweetwater Lavender”. It was during my research of fragrances that I encountered Bramble Berry and their very knowledgeable and friendly staff. I was off and running!

After finalizing my recipes and packaging, I began selling at craft fairs and bazaars. My product was receiving good reviews and the name was getting known in the local area. I decided to try the wholesale market with a booth at the Portland Gift Show. I did quite well and the rest is history. I finally left my tech industry job and now have a new career, with a web site and a couple of employees. My eventual goal is to have my soaps for sale in gift shops located along the entire Oregon Trail. I am now in the process of trying to locate an independent sales rep to promote my soaps to the gift shop industry.