Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Packaging (Part 1) – Finding the Best Fit for Your Bar

Executive DirectorTips, Tricks & Tutorials1 Comment

You’ve made your product; that swirl is just right, the scent; amazing! Now comes the big decision…how are you going to package it? When it comes to packaging soap and cosmetics, there are many different options on the market. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, and everyone has opinions on which type is best; we won’t try to decide … Read More

How to Sell an Experience – Secrets to Superior Customer Service

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Think back on a time where you had really fantastic customer service. Now, think back on a time where you had a negative customer service experience; what do you notice? Most likely, when you thought about the positive experience, you felt happy; when you thought about the negative experience, you likely felt sad, embarrassed or angry. Every customer is an … Read More

The Complete How-to on Hiring Employees

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The Complete How-to on hiring and keeping good employees. So, your business is off the ground running and you are getting to that point where you are asking that very tough question: “Am I ready to hire my first employee?” For the sake of this article, we will discuss the logistics and practice of hiring your first employee. However, you … Read More

Why I Love Instagram for You!

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I’ve tried my hand at all the social media options that are out there and it’s safe to say I am in love with Instagram. Being a visual person and short on attention span lends the photo-based platform to fit me perfectly, but I am here to tell you why I think it’s perfect for you too! Handmade soaps and … Read More

Facebook Marketing

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Marketing on Facebook is easy in the sense that it’s free (we’ll talk paid ads later) and you can do it as soon as you’ve created your page, but getting results is a bit more difficult. I want to highlight a few things that I think are relevant and intentional when it comes to self-promotion on Facebook.   Branding Consistency … Read More

Creating a Facebook Page for Your Business

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So you have decided to start your own business, you’ve spent long hours choosing the perfect name, you’ve decided on the coolest logo and your business cards just arrived in the mail yesterday. You’re ready to hit the local craft shows, peddle your products to all the trendiest local boutiques and have told everyone you know (even the last person … Read More

Vendor Spotlight: Essential Depot

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Greener Life Diamond

Greener Life Diamond In anticipation of their exciting new announcement regarding The Greener Life Diamond™, we recently caught up with Derek Hodges President and CEO of Essential Depot, Inc. to ask a few questions about the conceptualization and need for The Greener Life Diamond. Q. How did you come up with the Greener Life Diamond concept? A. It was a … Read More

Why Are Bills Introduced? (A Legislative Guide)

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If you have been following the HSCG’s Legislative Advocacy or the bills that have come out seeking to further regulate soap and cosmetics, then you know we have been seeing bills from different Members of Congress since about 2008.  In some terms we have seen as many as 3 active bills relating to soap and cosmetics at a time.  This … Read More

The Ultimate Guide to UPC Codes for Handcrafters

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  Happy post-holidays everyone! I hope that you all enjoyed a marvelous holiday season with your loved ones! Today I will be bringing forth some info on something that we’ve been getting a lot of questions about recently… UPC codes!! I’ll admit that it may not sound like the most exciting topic in the world, but these little suckers will … Read More

The What, Why, & Where of NAICS Codes

Executive DirectorBusiness & Finance1 Comment

As a small business owner, you’ve probably heard of NAICS codes before but may not know what they are, what they’re for, or how to find out which one is right for your business.  Here’s a quick overview of what you need to know!     // What is a NAICS code? // A NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) … Read More