My first soap making class

I had been making soap about 10 years when I received a catalog for The Open Center in NYC.  I was looking through it and saw there was a class on cold process soap making.  When I wanted to learn how to make soap, I went to my local library and took out a book on the subject.  There were no classes that I could find in 1998.  But even though I knew how to make soap, I signed up for the class.  I figured there was always something new to learn.  The class was from 10-4 on a Saturday. I walked into a room of about 30 people. In the room were three people who would become good friends, although I didn't know it at the time.  Deloris of Daisy May Natural Soap, Rosie of Brooklyn Bath, and our instructor, LaShonda Tyree the Handmade Soap Coach.

Delores, me, Rosie and LaShonda

Once I was seated I looked over the class outline.  We were also going to learn how to make lotions, creams, bath bombs, bath salts and body scrubs. Can I tell you how ecstatic I was? I knew this class would change my life. LaShonda was a wealth of information and was willing to share it. Her attitude was infectious, and I enjoyed her class so much I took more with her. The most important piece of advice she gave me was "Don't be afraid to say "No, I don't make that" to a customer".  It's easy to burn out once you start a business, trying to make everything for everyone. She has a new way of saying it now, Build Deep Before Expanding Wide.  Now that I have so many friends in the business, if I have a customer who wants something I don't make, I can refer them to someone who can help them. But in the beginning, it helped to remember LaShonda's words.  Thanks LaShonda!!

Yours in Gratitude,
Angela