# Soaping income



## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

I know full well from "goating" that this is a loaded question... but how many folks here are making an income from their soap business? Enough to break even, supplement a job outside the home, or enough for it to be a full time job? Thanks in advance!


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## jdranch (Jan 31, 2010)

Like you said, it varies a great deal person to person. Like other businesses, you'll see some that are hugely successful, while others (even in the same business) can't make a go of it. The term success also varies greatly. Someone might consider their self successful because he/ she made $20K last year, while others might think that was a horrible year.

I asked a similar question awhile back and PJ (Goat Milk Stuff) replied her family (of 10) lived off their soaping income. I was so inspired! 

While I am not in PJ's league, my little soap biz is steadily growing. It is more limited by my personal circumstances and priorities (I homeschool and have young children) than by sales. I could do this full time and believe I'd have the sales to support to my efforts.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I don't want to soap full time, but yes my soap company makes a real income. I am clocking in about 20 to 24 hours a week and pay another person 8 hours. For now that is enough time.

I took baby step goals because I wanted this to be something that I was doing in my mid 60's as my husband retired, but it had this crazy mind of it's own. Adding stores yearly (which has always been my goal) we will have much more than a start up business when we are in our 60's.

The reality for my business is that Lonesome Doe Nubians cost Nubian Soaps just under $10,000 last year....and that was with Nubian Soaps buying milk from them. So I culled the herd by over half, have enough milk to feed babies, a few customers can get the extra when the kids are weaned and enough milk for soap, if soaping is going to float the goats, I simply have to have less goats. At this point it would be cheaper to buy milk than to continue milking. When I get information like that from my tax gal, I usually make the move to make more money off her suggestions, I did cull the herd down, but getting rid of the goats isn't happening anytime soon  V


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

For us, the soap business fully supports the herd and gives us a little income on the side. We could definitely cut back on the goats turning the biz into a better money maker but my dc want the herd, so it will stay as is for now. We also would like this to be a source of retirement income in another 13 years.


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

The purpose of my goat milk soap business is to make enough to feed the herd. It is doing that but I am doing an awful lot of extra work to make it happen along with a fulltime job BUT is was an experiment to see if I could supplement my retirement enough to keep my goats. And the answer is yes. Now to reitre.


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## Angelknitter12 (Feb 16, 2012)

I am still very new to it, but the business us paying for itself, and a good portion of the goat care. I am really hoping to grow a great deal icee the next 18 months.


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

Thanks for the replies! At the moment I'm working full time and taking a full class load, but when I start my clinical classes in the Fall I will no longer be able to commit time to working a regular job. I'm not counting on it, but it would certainly be nice to be bringing enough in to cover the goats at least. We too downsized this year to fund the addition of a very simple milk parlor and will benefit from less goats to feed.


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

I'll let you know when I finally get my taxes complete!

But from the cash, I can pay for all my supplies, produce 3x/week , deli meats/cheese, lamb and pork, all at the FM, plus a car payment. If I'd get my sh*t together and build inventory, I could do so much better. :sigh


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## Dorit (Apr 20, 2011)

I like your question. I asked myself the same, many times over. I got my first 2 goats one year ago and have been making soap for less than a year. I am learning, bit by bit how to track income vs expenses. And every month I make more money than the last. For me they key is selling direct to the customer, as in farmer's markets. I adore my goats and am so addicted to soaping you'd think it was crack. I can talk to customers all day about my goats and soap and I think its my enthusiasm that has made me successful. But its hard work, driving to markets, setting up, breaking down, weather, etc. I am sure there is a smarter way to do this but I really am having the best time of my life. I must add that I exchanged (some say sacrificed) a very different cushy city life to be so totally absorbed in the simple life. I'd never go back. And I do all this alone.....with the encouragement and support of the people on this very forum  So, to add my opinion, I'd say it can be done when you decide what you can or can not live with. Dorit


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## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

I don't make a living selling soap but I do make enough to buy my supplies and pay for the entry fee to the craft shows and baazars that I go to. I don't do farm markets anymore because I couldn't take the heat and humidity of the summer. A one day show can net 200.00 in a small community. I also sell wholesale to 4 stores in my area. Admittedly I am not pushing it very hard, but do see potential if I would try harder.


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

As was mentioned earlier, we make a great living from our soap business. But we're still working insane hours because we haven't found employees that we can keep. And we acted as a business right from the beginning, even when we were at hobby income levels. Plus we had money to put into the business to get it started. That makes a huge difference.

It can be done, but in my experience it isn't easy, nor is it common.

Hope that helps!
PJ


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## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

Wow, I really feel like a slacker. I just saw a soap maker in Texas that makes soap in her fifth wheel trailer. Guess she and her hubby live in it full time and travels to craft shows. No more whinnnnnnnnnning for me. I have more space than I need. Lmbo!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Most are shocked to see how small my area is that I actually soap in....other than storage for raw products and storage for stock once the soap is made, it takes very little space to soap in. Vicki


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## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

This lady is in texas. She made prickly pear soaps and gathers and cleans them in her trailer. I don't have a large space either but not sure I am organized enough to produce in a trailer. I lived in a motor home about 12 yrs. Ago and groomed dogs there, well, actually outside under the awning, so I guess I could make soap there if I had too.


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

We hope to set up a small area in our milk parlor, though we'll only be able to use it during mild times of the year as it won't have AC. Someday.


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## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

I need to get on the ball and get organized. I will be 65 in oct. And will start paying for medicare part B so I really need to step up my game. With the soap and the other crafts I make should be easy, right? Rofl.


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## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

Those of you that are making a living and /or making enough to cover goat upkeep by selling soap products, what percentage of your sales come from a web site, craft shows, wholesale and on the farm sales? How many of you do web sites? The only internet I have right now is on my phone. Would a web site pay for its self? Should I expand my product base to liquid soap, lotions etc.? Thanks for any input received.


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

With my goats my website most certainly paid for itself. Not just as advertising, but as an easy reference for people who contact me wanting information. Instead of spending time typing and retyping pedigree info, attaching pictures to emails, etc, I can just send a link to my website. It made my life easier. We're working on a soap site as well for online ordering. I suspect that not only will it open up a larger market but it would really simplify the sharing of information.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

My website costs very little. Most of our income comes from the big farmer's market we sell at during the summer and our wholesale accounts. And a smaller portion comes from milk and goat sales from the farm.


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

Darlene - all of our businesses will be different and have different income streams depending on where we put our effort. Only you can decide where you want. You can't just put up a website and expect traffic. You have to work it and get people to it. Some people (like me) enjoy that work, some don't. Some prefer going face to face at farmers' markets and some focus on wholesale. 

You need to come up with your own business plan and what you want to focus on.

My website definitely pays for itself. Others won't.

PJ


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I have to have a soap website for reference. It's just so much eaiser for buyers to have a list on the internet of what soap I am offering for them for sale. Which is not all the soap I make, but soap that packs into the flat rate shipping boxes. I wasted so much money on brochures. One day I will get my website done as far as sales go, but it's a huge undertaking, photos, text, I just hate all that.


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## tmfinley (Feb 21, 2008)

With websites it is not just the time put into the text, pictures, etc but like I think PJ was driving at you have to search engine optimize and really spend a lot of time driving traffic to your site. Otherwise you end up on page 15 on a Google search and no one will ever find you. I do not enjoy that work. I do have a website but, like Vicki, it is more there for a reference.


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## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks to all. The whole online thing scares me. Like how do u know someone ordered? Do u have to check it every 5 mins. Or is there an alert like a text ringtone. Lol see told u I am not online savey. I have grandchildren that set up websites for others and a daughter with a computer business but I am not ready for it yet. I want to build up 50 bar per type stockpile before I go online. May even more. I am in the process of a 1000 bar stockpile by august. So far I have 232 bars of soap plus shampoo bars. Lol.


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

Tiffany - exactly, and you're going to have a hard time getting in front of me and the bigger goat milk soap websites out there on google unless you really, really work it like we do. The bulk of my time goes to working my website and marketing.

Darlene- I wouldn't worry about building a large inventory before putting up a website. Even once it is up, it takes a long time before you start getting orders from it.

PJ


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