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A lot of people say if you follow your passion you will bank coin and lead a happy life. This saying has often left me conflicted, I myself have followed my passion, and, whilst I love what I do and am grateful everyday for the journey that has lead me to a fulfilling professional life, running a business takes grit.
Can people who choose to follow their creative passions truly "have it all?".
You know - success, balance and sound mental health?
With this in mind, I decided to interview another small business creative and get their take on all of this. Her name is Beth, she started Wild Emery with two children under two, in the the studio, at the back of her house. She is now paving her way in environmentally and socially sustainable self care products. Her philosophy that self care with quality products should not be a special occasion - they should be a daily routine and that luxury bathroom products should be an everyday occurrence, rather than a once in a blue moon event.
She has developed soaps, bath bombs, shower steamers and scents designed to slowly break down whilst you're in the shower or bath, which essentially force you to slow down with it. I found this concept fascinating and couldn't wait to dig in to our interview...
How did you come to starting your soap making business? I had post natal depression after having my kids. I was so distracted, I forgot that this (being creative) is what makes me tick. I started watching people making soap on YouTube and did this for 3 months before I started making soap. I have always known that I like working and like having projects and creating. By this stage I had already reached out for medical help and I felt that my mental health was improving. Now days, when I am making soap in my studio, I feel like that need to be creative is being fed and so my mental health has flourished as a result.
At what point did you decide to turn this hobby into a business?
My products made me feel mentally happy.
Making products that were designed to be an experience helped me so much with my mental health, that I wanted to share that.
It means that users are making time for themselves . My bath bombs for example don't fizz out quickly, they take at least 15 minutes to dissolve into the bath and the shower steamers for example, take 5-10 minutes to dissolve if used correctly. This means that people have to take the time to take care themselves,. which encourages good mental health practices.
You have to be consciously aware of your experience.
You mentioned there are other ways that your business encourages a healthy mental health state?
Yes, there is both a social sustainability and an environmental sustainability element to my business.
A big point for in the social sustainability side of it is that self care should not be a luxury it should be a daily routine.
I aim to revolutionise the way think about how we care for ourselves on a deeper level.
Beth explains that the environmental sustainability side of the business brings another element of peace of mind and joy to her as a small business owner:
When she started her business, she asked the end users, she found that consumers feel good when they know they are making choices to better the future of the planet. This is a real issue to them and knowing they are making choices that are aligned with that cause creates a sense of wellbeing.
They know then that here is a person that genuinely cares about giving something to her customers that she believes in . I am reflecting this in my own business model. I Could use so many more plastic products and be cheaper but I choose to make in a way that is kind to the environment. Also, 1% of all revenue goes to a not -or-profit.
What advice would you give to someone who is struggling with their mental health? I would say - have a hobby or a project that is just for you. Have a past time that you enjoy that is for no other benefit than for your own. There is something for everyone that can give them that mental fulfilment. I have something to be excited about, something to think about and I'm not doing it to impress anyone.
Find something to enjoy the shit out of.
For those looking to get into soap making as a creative outlet, what advice would you have? Go to a class. That way you will be a teacher who will explain properly and how to be safe around the soap making process. Beth will be releasing Make Your Own Bath Bomb Kits in collaboration with Art by Samantha Badrock that will be able to buy through www.samanthabadrock.com/shop
To find out more about Beth's business, simply follow the links below.
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