Today we’d like to introduce you to Desiree Weaver.
Desiree, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always been creative and had an ambition to develop my own business doing something I love. I really enjoy arts and crafts and believe handmade gifts provide a special touch. When I was eight years old a girlfriend and I painted pictures for Valentine’s Day. I had an idea to sell them, so we set up a display in front of our house and we sold a couple.
My first sell felt so exciting and that’s when I first felt a feeling of achievement. My journey had its challenges but I’ve learned from strong women in my family, thanks to my mom, grandma and sister, to never stop moving forward and learn from your experiences. Being a very young single mom was a challenge of its own. My path had changed but I never stopped believing I could still accomplish the goals I had for myself. I worked two jobs and several times that was barely enough to cover bills and groceries. I had always been interested in healthcare so I decided to go to a trade school and received my dental assisting license. The dental field has been my life career, I currently work as an office manager in La Jolla, CA. I have been happy with my career but still had this eagerness to develop my own business. I decided to go back to school for business management as this would help my career and hopefully, one day my own business.
I have always suffered from severe allergies and must be very careful of products I use on my skin. April of last year, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that has changed my life. I became very interested and cautious of what I was putting in and on my body as many fabricated ingredients can intensify my pain and tiredness. I’ve had to make adjustment to my lifestyle and have chosen a more natural alternative.
My sister and I have always encouraged each other and talked about having our own businesses. I was so proud of her when she took the leap and developed her own microblading business. She kept encouraging me to create my own business, but I couldn’t figure out what to do or how to do it. One day I was talking to her about the soap I bought that was natural and I hoped I wouldn’t have an allergic reaction. She then said, “why don’t you make your own soap?”. I thought why not, I’m creative and then I’ll know exactly what is in my soap. It started off as a hobby and with encouragement from my husband, I decided to try creating a business out of it.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been struggles along the way and moments I wanted to give up on my business. Working full time, having a family, dealing with health issues, has been at times overwhelming. I felt I didn’t have enough time for everything, especially myself! I realized I was trying to do too much all at once and that I needed to organize and prioritize. Also realizing things don’t happen overnight, but even little steps are still steps toward your goals. I learned and still learning that time management and patience is key to organization. When feeling discouraged, the best cure is surrounding yourself with positive and motivating people. Take a step back and reassess your situation, then make necessary adjustments. My husband has been a huge support and helped me along the way, even through moments, I felt overwhelmed. My family and friends have been very supportive and are so excited telling others about my products.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Suds & Bath Buds – what should we know?
I make artisan soap and handcrafted bath products such as bath bombs and sugar scrubs. I have spent time and research getting high-quality natural ingredients to create luxurious soap. The soap making process I use takes several weeks to cure, this provides a safer more nourishing cleansing and body care. I am most proud of as a brand that I can share with others a healthy alternative for skincare. I believe what sets me apart from others is creating beautiful looking soap while keeping all the nourishing ingredients that help prevent dry, itchy skin while moisturizing the skin. I pay attention to detail and continue to develop high-quality products.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
The best course of action when starting out is to just get yourself out there and talk to people in the same field. When I first started, I didn’t know where to start so I went to markets and spoke with people in the soap business. I was surprised to find that people are very helpful and give advice. I then signed up for classes and did a lot of research online. I was lucky to meet Judy from Sun Gold Soaps during a class she was teaching. She inspired me to start my business and has given great advice during my business development. I then went to a local market and spoke to Edel the founder of SD Small Business Forum. She has been a lot of help and the perfect stepping stone to get my product out to the community. Since I’ve been at the markets, I have met many people and have learn tips from other vendors. I am looking forward to the future, expanding my business, and to create even more luxurious bath products.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sudsandbathbuds.com
- Email: sudsandbathbuds@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sudsandbathbuds/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sudsandbathbuds/
Image Credit:
Will William Photography
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