# How do you teach soaping, without losing business?



## Angelknitter12 (Feb 16, 2012)

I am really hoping for some answers, and this post is not simply a vent.

Since I started soaping a couple of years ago I have had many, many people ask me to teach them. I have been happy to share with them and now find myself in a difficult position because a couple of the people I taught have now opened their own soaping business and are my direct competitors using my exact recipe. When I do shows they are right there selling the soaps I taught them to make. 

So how do you share your knowledge without putting your business in danger? Do you teach others to soap, and if not what do you say to those who ask to be taught? I would not be where I am without Vicki, and the knowledge she has been willing to share. Do I pay it forward? I do offer a fairly unique product in my particular felted soap, but I constantly have people in my area asking me to teach them.


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2012)

Stop teaching for free... have soap workshops and charge for your time and you can teach more than one person at a time.. Stop sharing your recipe, its yours.. pick a simple recipe to teach and make sure you tell them you won't share your personal hard earned recipe.. they can do that on their own.. they are less likely to copy you when they have to work harder to get there.. Its not easy starting a business and keeping it going.. I have had one person do this same thing to me.. I still outsell her.. find different avenues than the one she has. you have a specialty product, don't teach to others near you... Its yours alone.. your felted soaps.
You can share without giving the best secrets away.. Market your products and it will fall into place for you..Many give up after just a couple of years.. and stop, make sure you are still there to sell soap..


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I do not teach my recipe, I teach the walmart recipe only, although I do explain how to tweak a recipe for size and ingredients on the sage.com I do not share everything. 

I have seen other felted soaps Kami and you are so talented, although I would not be selling or teaching this technique, I would explain it basically during class. While you used a basic recipe to teach. I know so many of your use the walmart recipe to sell, I would be guarding that as a secret, it simply is (that percentage of hard to soft oils) much better soap than most other bars.

Nobody I have taught to soap has effected my sales. I did note this year several were doing, are doing exactly the same marketing I am, to many of the same exact people on FB, but it has not hurt my sales, which are up from last year.

So for me it is about sales, perhaps when I see a hurt in sales I will stop.

But yes, behind the scenes we do talk privately about this. With livestock you help because it is the welfare of the animal. But as your soap business grows at some point you are shooting yourself in the foot helping, especially locals. 

With the does dry making an extra $40 a day up to $160 a day doing classes 2 or 3 times a week, plus they buy soap and toiletries and kits, I won't be stopping classes anytime soon. It can cause you pause when a large buyer wants to learn how to make soap out of her own goatmilk, but that can go two ways, if you say no, she will either learn elsewhere or she may not buy from you anymore because she is pissed. But in reality, duplicating what I do for retail, is going to take a very long time, or she will fail  V


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

I do not teach soaping any more. Only a couple of people are "allowed to help" and my 4-Hers make their soaps here. I did not let them have two of my recipes...just my standard. I am so glad to have let the 4-Hers make soap for their fund raisers...it has brought in plenty of money for their projects already and not much is left. It did not take sales away from me so it is a good deal.
Tam


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## Lynn_Theesfeld (Feb 21, 2010)

I say teach away!!! These ladies have hit all the major "nails" on the head already.

Go for it!


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## jdranch (Jan 31, 2010)

Maybe have people sign a non compete that they will not do "your" markets or sell within x number of miles?


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## Terri-Lynn (Nov 7, 2007)

I charge $85 an afternoon and actually no one I've ever taught has gone into business, and 1 person who had thought about it has decided it's easier to subcontract me to make the soaps she wanted to add to her farm business. I only teach a few times a year and do a minimum of 3 people no more than 5 an afternoon. Most had an interest and a few have remained hobby soapers who buy supplies from me. I say good luck and make sure you have proper insurance.


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## Angelknitter12 (Feb 16, 2012)

Thank you. I appreciate the information. I do not have the proper insurance, so I think I will just tell people that I won't be teaching. Yay!


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