Some of you have been following along for a while and know that over the years, our business has gone through some transitions right alongside us—because that’s what businesses do.
We started back in 2014, in our little 980-square-foot, 2-bedroom, 1-bath house with three of our four kids (all under the age of 5). The entire soap business happened inside our home as both the business and our family grew. We had shelves in every spot you could possibly squeeze a shelf. We used 55-gallon drums of oil as side tables in the living room. All of this while our house was constantly in some stage of an unfinished remodel. (Still is, to be honest.)
Eventually, we moved the soap business into a stationary travel trailer parked in our driveway. That lasted about a year while we worked on renovating and making space in our old garage. (We thought that would be a “quick and easy” project—bwahaha!) Reality check: it was a major undertaking. We put in long hours and a lot of effort to turn our falling-down, maybe-should-have-been-condemned garage into a beautiful, functional space.
Hats off to The Dirty Man himself—Ryan—the guy who made it all happen.
That garage space? It was dreamy. A designated space for the business that didn’t have to be shared with toys, meals, or laundry. We even hosted a few classes in there! It was a huge step forward and felt like such a win.
Awhile later (last August), we hit another pivot. We pressed pause on the business and moved our family into that 576-square-foot soap space so we could finally get everything out of the house and finish the renovations once and for all.
So here we are—nine months later—still living in the garage, house almost done, another business started (Northwest Restroom Trailers), and the soap business? Well... it’s getting back up and running.
“How?” you might ask. (Yeah, I ask myself that sometimes, too.)
We’ve cleared out another old shop on the property—up until now, it’s been the wood shop and general tool storage—and turned it into our new manufacturing space. It’s not as dreamy (I really miss having our own space and that big commercial sink...), but it’s working. And right now, that’s what matters.
I’m being reminded daily that there will always be obstacles between us and what we want, need, or feel called to do. But that doesn’t mean we stop. We figure it out. We make space—sometimes literally—where there doesn’t seem to be any.
Still small. Still scrappy. Still soapy. And still showing up.
Thanks for sticking with us through all the twists and turns. We’re glad you’re here.
