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

Executive DirectorMember SpotlightsLeave a Comment

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

7 Tips for Writing Stellar Product Descriptions

Executive DirectorBusiness & FinanceLeave a Comment

7 Tips For Writing Stellar Product Descriptions

When shopping online, the last thing that you want to see is a product description that tells you absolutely nothing about the item itself other than what you can plainly see in the picture.  I kid you not, I once saw a beautiful piece of pottery on Etsy that was super detailed with color and a mosaic-esque design with the description … Read More

FDA Responds to PO Box Petition

Executive DirectorIndustry Advocacy & News19 Comments

In August of 2012, the HSCG wrote a Citizen Petition to the FDA – Department of Health & Human Services, regarding the use of a PO Box in the place of a street address on a cosmetic label.  We did this mainly for the safety of the small businesses that make up the handcrafted soap and cosmetic industry as many … Read More

Member Benefits: Use ‘em, Don’t Lose ‘em

Executive DirectorMembership & BenefitsLeave a Comment

Are you getting the most out of your membership? Sure, we advocate for the entire handcrafted soap and cosmetic industry and we offer some pretty killer insurance to professional US and Canadian members as well as a not-to-be-missed yearly conference. But if you’re just here for the conferences or the insurance, you’re missing out on so much more. As we … Read More

Quick Tips: How to Make it Big

Executive DirectorBusiness & Finance2 Comments

The handcrafted soap and cosmetic industry is one talented bunch and the collective wisdom from the scores of intrepid entrepreneurs and budding business owners is truly astounding. However, it’s easy to miss out on that business savvy when you’re just getting started and aren’t part of any industry groups, pages, or forums. And that’s where the Guild comes in. We … Read More

There’s a New Store in Town!

Executive DirectorMembership & Benefits3 Comments

Did you catch the news earlier this month? We are excited to announce a new discount, exclusively for members, on your very own website (yup, no more sharing your ecommerce site with someone else or lots of someone elses. You can hog, I mean, have this one all to yourself, bwa ha ha haaaa). HSCG has partnered with Volusion to … Read More