Maker of the Month: Quench Bear
I started making bath and body products in 2017. I was recovering from a severe psoriasis flare-up that covered 70% of my body. In my quest to find gentle and soothing skincare, I discovered that soap can be made at home through Soap Queen’s channel on YouTube.
What sets your products apart, what makes them unique?
My products not only celebrate the power of nature and botanicals, they also are designed to reflect nature’s beauty as well. Botanicals are used not only in oil infusions, but also in powder form and extracts. I also often use those very botanicals to decorate the final product, which gives my customers the feeling of bringing nature into their showers and baths.
Where do you find your creative inspiration?
I make products that are inspired by my beautiful surroundings in Washington state. Our home is located in a forested area, on 2+ acres of land that includes vegetable and botanical gardens. I try to incorporate as much of the local flora into my products as possible, while sharing the amazing properties of those botanicals with my customers and audience on YouTube.
What has been your biggest challenge to navigate as a small business owner?
My biggest challenge as a small business owner has been the multiple moves I’ve made in the 8 years I’ve owned my soap business. Each move was necessary, but they definitely set me back in terms of scaling my business and having inventory reliably stocked. Now that I’m in my current home, I feel that I can truly begin putting down my roots and building my small business on a stable foundation.
What advice would you give to makers looking to start their own business from home?
My advice would be to be realistic about the time, effort, and money you’ll be able to put into your small business. Making enough money to leave my stable 9-5 office job took me 3 years and a lot of effort. Also, I would highly recommend making your small business around a product and process you love because it will be that passion that keeps you going through the years of little to no profit, posting on social media daily with little engagement and the disappointment of failing and making mistakes over and over again.
What other makers do you admire, and what do you like about their work?
I absolutely adore Allen, the owner of Earthglow Candles. I’m a subscriber to his YouTube channel and I admire his honesty and willingness to share his processes and story with his audience. I also admire skincare formulators Tara Lee and Marie Rayma, whose multiple YouTube videos and expertise I found so helpful throughout my skincare making journey.
What are your dreams for Velvet Bubble Shop? Where would you like to see your business in 5 or 10 years?
I see Quench Bear finding its way to my local gift shops over the next 5 years. I would love to continue seeing my company’s presence grow in my community and city over time, and continue to scale at a sustainable pace. In 10 years, I’d like to use that momentum to gain wholesale accounts with stores throughout the United States, and become a recognizable brand.
What are your three must-have Bramble Berry products and why?
I love all of Bramble Berry’s botanicals, specifically the Pink Cornflower Petals, Jasmine Flowers and Calendula Petals. They’re so versatile and can be used as decoration, for infusions and as natural exfoliants.
Bramble Berry’s Sea Salt and Lily Fragrance Oil is to die for! This fragrance oil not only smells amazing, but it doesn’t cause acceleration or discolouration in cold process soap.
Finally, I love Bramble Berry’s silicone cavity molds - namely the Monstera Silicone Mold and the Succulent Silicone Mold. The molds are thick, durable and produce the cutest hand soaps that easily pop out.
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