Growing Your Business: 6 Things to Look for When Choosing a Trade Association

Sara WagnerBusiness & Finance, Membership & BenefitsLeave a Comment

When you talk to Handcrafters, you hear many positive things. Handcrafters love to help people feel beautiful, love to innovate when it comes to formulation, and especially love to educate others about their products. One thing that the majority of Handcrafters we’ve spoken to also voice is the loneliness of the industry. Because the art of making handcrafted soap and … Read More

The Complete How-to on Hiring Employees

Executive DirectorBusiness & FinanceLeave a Comment

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

Facebook Marketing

Executive DirectorBusiness & FinanceLeave a Comment

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

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

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

Vendor Spotlight: Rustic Escentuals

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Happy Friday Tracers! This week’s #HSCGVendorSpotlight goes to our lovely friends at Rustic Escentuals in Roebuck, South Carolina! Having started out in 1999 with founder and owner Amy Pascoe filling orders in the middle of her laundry room, it’s quite impressive that now Rustic Escentuals has grown into a widely popular specialty warehouse that acts as a “one-stop-shop” for the industry! … Read More

Vendor Spotlight: Mission Peak Soap & Supplies

Executive DirectorMember Spotlights2 Comments

Happy Friday peeps – you made it through another week! And yes, it’s that time of the week again – We’re excited to let you know that this week’s #HSCGVendorSpotlight is going to Mission Peak Soap & Supplies! How beautiful are those castille soaps in the background image? (They let me in on the fact that they made them with … Read More

Protect Your Ass(ets): Why your website needs Terms & Conditions

Executive DirectorBusiness & FinanceLeave a Comment

Nowadays, more and more business owners are primarily conducting their business online.  In this digital age, why wouldn’t you?  It costs less than a brick and mortar storefront, it allows access to a larger customer base, and gives you the convenience of working from anywhere. What a lot of biz owners don’t realize though, is that there are actually certain … Read More

Vendor Spotlight: Mad Oils, Inc.

Executive DirectorMember Spotlights10 Comments

  Howdy Tracers!  It’s been decided that we’re going to start showcasing all of our lovely feature posts right here on Ye Olde Blogg so that we (and you) will be able to admire them for years to come! I know, we’re excited too. We are even more excited to say that this week’s #HSCGVendorSpotlight goes toooo….(*drum roll*) Mad Oils, … Read More

5 Business Lessons to Learn From Taylor Swift

Executive DirectorBusiness & FinanceLeave a Comment

  Whether you’re totally fed up with seeing her face and hearing her music everywhere, or are a diehard fan, you can’t deny that T.Swift is a marketing genius. You may not think that, as a professional entertainer, her tactics bear any relevance in your own life and business, but you’d be wrong. Being a big-time celebrity today doesn’t just … Read More