I need your help to fund my new business, B-Town Bubbles.  Your money will help me build a solid and sustainable local product / company that will be proactive in our community.

Disabled But Want To Work

After years of going through the hire / lay-off cycle and experiencing first-hand how broken our (un)employment system is; I am tired.  My last employer laid me off after I was injured on the job. 

It has been a real fight with Sedgewick (a private L&I insurance company), leaving me to rely on a cane to get around, having my treatment slow-walked & blocked, and in pain constantly.  

Freedom To Make My Own Future

I have made a decision; I am not their monkey any more.  It is time for me to make something myself, with your help.  Instead of selling someone else’s products, I will make and sell my own.

Time to take these lemons and make lemonade... lemonade soap that is!  

My Inspiration

Why? This is something I can do and do well.  I began making soap as a young child after reading Little House in The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Do you remember that scene where they make those brown balls of soap?  I was so excited by this idea!  When we had a market in middle school to make and sell our own products, my bath salts were quite successful and I have created these as gifts for many years.

The West Seattle Tool Library has even hosted my soap making classes:

http://wstoollibrary.org/calendar/introduction-to-soap-making/

http://www.sustainablewestseattle.org/2011/12/intro-to-soap-making-the-tool-library/

My classes always sold out and I’d like to think I can do the same with my soaps.

My Background

In addition to having sold these products professionally, and making them for years, I have cleaning in my background!  My mother’s mother’s mother was Amish and they had a wealth of recipes and ways of doing things that we sometimes miss out on in our modern society.  My father’s father owned Primer Cleaners in the Chicago area, a family run dry cleaning business.

Becoming An Entrepreneur

I would like to start by selling in small locally owned stores, online, at my local farmer’s markets, at local festivals / shows, and eventually have a small shop-front here in the Burien / West Seattle area.  Then I can offer crafts classes too.

My starting product line-up is going to include glycerin style soaps that I can make now with the supplies I already have from previous soap making.  I can also begin creating cold process soaps that take a longer term time investment to make (curing process).  In turn, this will create more glycerin to make more molded soaps, making my business sustainable.  I also make bath salts, bath milk, fizzy products, lip balm, body butter, liquid soaps, bath scrubs, bath & massage oils, hair tonic, and even laundry detergent! 

Where Is The Funding Going?

To make my dream reality, I need a bigger place with room for my lab / kitchen / workshop as well as storage, and the ability to rent it for a few months so I have a real window to work within to see profits.  Ideally I would also purchase more supplies, the accoutrements of selling at farmer's markets, and packaging for the local small businesses that have shown interest in stocking my product.  There is licensing, fees for the farmer’s markets and fairs (Victorian Country Christmas and others), equipment to set up a mini shop at these events (some of it has to be either approved by the fire marshal or you buy a specific item that is pre-approved), and other supplies and expenses. 

I really want to build a solid foundation so that my business can be a success long term.  That means looking at the building process as being a multiple month prospect and having enough capital on hand to get through this process. 

This is where YOU come in!  By being part of the crowd to fund my business, you can help make the American Dream come true for me.  This is a dream that anyone, anywhere in the world could have; to build a successful business, from the ground up.

I have several opportunities in local businesses, with farmer’s markets, and etc.  There are a lot of options I can pursue but building a new business is expensive and I cannot do it alone. 

Building Our Community

I have always been active in my community and want to build my business on a model that gives back; donating to my local food banks (West Seattle Food Bank), homeless, and other causes (JDRF, NW Hope and Healing, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, West Seattle Community Orchard, West Seattle Tool Library, and etc.), that have been important to me over the years.  Helping me build my business the right way means supporting this long term goal.

How You Can Help

Please consider participating in my crowd funder both by donating and by telling your friends.

Please share my campaign on social media.

Share this campaign on facebook.

Tweet it.

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Pin it.

Tell everyone you know to tell everyone they know.

Thank-you

Thanks so much for checking out my campaign and reading my story.

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PERKS:

$25 - Free Soap to 1st Contributor of $25+

1st Contributor of $25 or more gets a bonus of a free soap or other product valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you are responsible for shipping; but I would include the free soap with reduced shipping on your 1st order. I anticipate fulfilling these between October 2014 and February 2015. Each month I will feature between 3 and 5 items (possibly more) that qualify. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

$25 - Free Soap to 1st Contributor of $25+

1st Contributor of $25 or more (that is not in my familY) gets a bonus of a free soap or other product valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you are responsible for shipping; but I would include the free soap with reduced shipping on your 1st order. I anticipate fulfilling these between October 2014 and February 2015. Each month I will feature between 3 and 5 items (possibly more) that qualify. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

$25 - A 50% Off Coupon

A one-time use coupon for 50% off the purchase of a single product valued up to $10.

$50 - Two 50% Off Coupons

Two one-time use coupons for 50% off the purchase of a single product valued up to $10.

$100 - Free Soap & 50% Off Coupons

Two one-time use coupons for 50% off the purchase of a single product valued up to $10.

Plus a free soap or other product valued between $5 and $10.  If you are not local to me, you are responsible for shipping; but I would include the free soap with reduced shipping on your 1st order.  I anticipate fulfilling these between October 2014 and February 2015.  Each month I will feature between 3 and 5 items (possibly more) that qualify.  If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

$250 - Freebies and 50% Off Coupons

Three one-time use coupons for 50% off the purchase of a single product valued up to $10.

Plus a free soap or other product valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you are responsible for shipping; but I would include the free soap with reduced shipping on your 1st order. I anticipate fulfilling these between October 2014 and February 2015. Each month I will feature between 3 and 5 items (possibly more) that qualify. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

& a Surprise Bonus product valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

$500 - More Freebies and 50% Off Coupons

Four one-time use coupons for 50% off the purchase of a single product valued up to $10.

Plus two free soaps or other products valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you are responsible for shipping; but I would include the free soap with reduced shipping on your 1st order. I anticipate fulfilling these between October 2014 and February 2015. Each month I will feature between 3 and 5 items (possibly more) that qualify. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

& a Surprise Bonus product valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

750 - Freebies, 50% off Coupons, and Discount Card

Four one-time use coupons for 50% off the purchase of a single product valued up to $10.

Plus two free soaps or other products valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you are responsible for shipping; but I would include the free soap with reduced shipping on your 1st order. I anticipate fulfilling these between October 2014 and February 2015. Each month I will feature between 3 and 5 items (possibly more) that qualify. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

& a Surprise Bonus product valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

PLUSPLUS a Discount Card – You get a 5 punch 10% off of each purchase of up to $500 card. No expiration date.

$1,000 - Custom Creation

Four one-time use coupons for 50% off the purchase of a single product valued up to $10.

Plus two free soaps or other products valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you are responsible for shipping; but I would include the free soap with reduced shipping on your 1st order. I anticipate fulfilling these between October 2014 and February 2015. Each month I will feature between 3 and 5 items (possibly more) that qualify. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

& a Surprise Bonus product valued between $5 and $10. If you are not local to me, you may have a bonus coupon instead.

PLUSPLUS a Discount Card – You get a 5 punch 10% off of each purchase of up to $500 card. No expiration date.

*** I will also name a product after you, we will discuss what product and the scents to customize it and you get 3 free!