Be Kind Visits Hendersonville Coop--Nice Vibe

I spent some time at the Hendersonville Coop on Saturday. Arrion, the Wellness Coordinator, invited me to greet customers and explain how I make WARHORSE from biodiesel glycerin. It was fun to meet lots of people who are mindfully evaluating products and their lifestyle. Arrion also put me in touch with SCORE, a non-profit group of professionals that volunteers to advise and help new businesses. This focus group is soooo helpful. Got some homework to finish before our next meeting.

When traffic got a bit slow around my demo table, I just held up work pants that had a leg soaking in a bucket with some WARHORSE. Most people had never worn clothing that dirty. Take a look.



No scrubbing, just a little time in a bucket.


My table was set up near Devon's register. After two hours I had
watched him help many, many customers. As you can see
he is listening to the gentleman's question. During a lull, Devon
asked about the dirty pants and the jar of biodiesel. He smelled
some soap and commented he like the cucumber cedar. Another
free bottle given out, but it helps me too. If he likes it, he'll tell
someone else. Later in the afternoon I met Devon's mother, who
works here too. She smiled a lot and said her son was a "good boy."
He sure was good to all the customers who came to his register.


Hannah smiled as much as Devon. I was impressed with the
ease they had with all the customers. The Coop has a friendly,
atmosphere and the deli...best pimiento cheese I've ever eaten.
Free Soap to another smiling, attentive "neighbor."

So far so good. Giving out soap for several years is a sure fire way of getting feedback and creating a customer base. Three years ago, I had no plans of marketing and selling my biodiesel glycerin soaps. I'm starting slow and it's going well. My company goal is to make a high quality product. I just tweaked my shower gel and foaming soap recipe, making it even more concentrated-- a little does go a long way. Repeat sales could be weakened if my WARHORSE or Be Kind Shower Gel lasts longer. However, I like it when someone purchases one and realizes how concentrated and thick the soaps really are--no thickeners added. If you check my ingredient list, saponified vegetable oils and glycerin are the first two. See my previous blog for more info on this topic.

My company's success will rely on these factors:

• quality, sustainable, natural soaps
  
• information to the consumer; transparency
• continued commitment to community
  
• word-of-mouth; 3rd party sales
• creating products from customer feedback

I'm in no rush to grow big, and might not grow at all. I've enjoyed the learning curve and working with Elizabeth, Lyndsey, Anna, and Erin--all young, local talent. My bottling and labeling crew has got to read the Code of Production Handbook more closely. It's been interesting to see how this project has evolved and where it might go. We've got some advertising plans coming up. It's going to be homegrown--a Polk County brood and out-of-the-box. I'm excited.