Sam - “Pat and I met six years ago and we've been working together for almost as long. We genuinely have a good time while doing stuff together and work is just another one of those things.”
Pat - “Sam, Matt (our third partner) and I are all in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. I was trying to find anything to do that kept me from sitting still. This business began as something for us to do instead of drinking alone or spending hours at bars. Somehow we landed on making soap. It was fun. Maybe there’s some symbolism there, like ‘getting clean?’ I never made that connection at the time.”
Sam - “I enjoy using my hands to create. I have an affection for designing goods and appreciate the satisfaction of seeing a finished product that’s useful. The idea of sharing my creations with others was attractive to me from early on.
Because all bosses suck, our initial motivation was to create a livelihood so we wouldn’t have to work for someone. Once we were able to hire employees, our goal was to try and not be bosses who suck (laughs).
We receive much satisfaction in hiring others because we believe our workplace is inclusive. We try to compensate fairly, at the very least a living wage, and we provide benefits.”
Pat - “We’re still figuring it out, but I believe it’s best to partner up with people you enjoy because maintaining a small business is a lot to do on your own. Each of us brings our talents to the table. A perfect example is that all of our formulas were created by Sam."
Pat - "I’m interested in all people and truly have a good time hanging out with our staff. I don’t feel like a boss, which can sometimes lead to issues. Hopefully, they aren’t annoyed by it. We think a big part of any success we've had is because we’ve enjoyed ourselves throughout the whole process.”
Sam - “I’m most proud of the fact that we can employ people. When I talk to others about our company, the fact that we have employees is what impresses them the most. We never thought we’d be able to do that.”
Pat - “Let’s hope we can keep it up.”
*This post is sponsored by Comcast Business. Please reach out to Comcast Business Associate, Shun Patterson, if you are interested using Comcast for your small business.
