Ground Soap an Example of Entrepreneurial Success
Angela Youngs really knows how to clean-up on the competition.
Ever since she was a young teenager, the owner and chief soap maker behind Ground Soap, has loved experimenting with the fragrances of blended herbs, then a few years later, essential oils. It was a nearly secret passion she indulged in for her own satisfaction as many of her friends were not even aware of it.
After completing the Self-Employment Assistance program offered via St. Lawrence College in Cornwall nearly three years ago, when she looks back on her life’s direction, there was a clear path leading her to where she is today.
“It began with my addiction to scent, for sure,” stated Youngs. “Subconsciously, I was always trying to find something to blend, whether it was herbs in the garden or the essential oils kit I purchased at 17 to start making my own perfumes. As I began to do more research on them, I was fascinated by their medicinal properties and what they were used for historically.”
Six years ago, Youngs and her partner/hubby, Glenn Forrester, decided to try making a batch of lye soap out on their front porch. It was “definitely old-fashioned, with no essential oils,” she said, but it piqued her interest enough to start tweaking the recipe.
“I purchased quality organic ingredients and essential oils,” Youngs continued. “When I started handing out samples to friends, I began getting requests. It was very motivational for me.”
Youngs was also at a crossroads in her life. A long- time employee in the restaurant industry, she toyed with the idea of pursuing self-employment, but hadn’t really thought her passion was an option.
“I’d second guess myself,” she said. “I’d think, ‘It’s just soap.’”
The she heard about the SEA program offered at the Cornwall campus of St. Lawrence College. Consisting of eight weeks of in-school training, followed by 32 weeks of business coaching, the program teaches all the necessary components such as start-up strategies, market research, advertising and promotion, business plan development, small business bookkeeping, best practices in small business, and computers in small business.
“The great thing is that all of the teachers had to be currently or previously small business owners, so they really knew the ups and downs. That’s what was really awesome, they were able to provide a realistic perspective and it was so helpful.”
The SEA program is by no means, she adds, a “quick save” for someone at a loss for employment.
“It’s 24:7, it’s not 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” Youngs emphasized. “There’s been a lot of 3 a.m.’s for me wrapping and labelling soap.”
Her tenacity is paying off. Currently, she sells 10 soap blends in 54 stores across Ontario. She ships as far away as Los Angeles, while a Manotick store sells it online where it’s shipped to Europe. Not bad for “just soap,” to coin her own words.
These days her so-called grocery list is anything but ordinary. There’s cholorophyll, organic lemons and oranges, 90 kilo containers of olive oil and coconut oil, plus 25 kilogram containers of cocoa and mango butters.
“I knew it was possible to make a product that was honest,” says Youngs, who continues to educate herself. “Unfortunately, shoppers are sometimes attracted to a product because they read ‘organic’ or ‘natural,’ however, they don’t realize all of the preservatives or synthetic scents and oils which are in it.”
For instance, she refers to what she calls the “science of the bubble.” The base ingredients of the soap – its oils and butters – have different properties once they’re saponified. This occurs when the lye and water mixture bonds with the molecules of these ingredients.
“That’s why we measure everything on a digital scale to ensure a proper balance, there’s no room for error,” she explained. “Olive oil makes big round bubbles, while coconut butter makes smaller, dense ones. Some become better cleaning agents than moisturizers when saponified, and you need a balance between moisturizers, cleaning agents and the bubbles. That’s why the product costs more, but you’re getting more benefits.”
These are exciting days for Youngs as she continues to explore new avenues. Currently, there are some new product lines in development, and more markets are opening up for Ground Soap.
“I knew if I worked as hard for myself, as I did for other employers, something good would happen. You need to keep a balanced perspective and stay focused,” Youngs stated.
For more information on the SEA program, call 613-933-6080, ext. 2246 or visit www.stlawrencecollege.ca/parttime/cornSEAP.htm
To learn more about Ground Soap, visit www.groundsoap.com
You can also view a video of Angela talking about Ground Soap on the Choose Cornwall YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ChooseCornwall#p/a/f/1/6QZ_C44_PJs
The above story and photo was written in by Kathleen Hay and was published in the Cornwall Seaway News. The newspaper is available online at www.CornwallSeawayNews.com
