Staying in Business ** Nice People!

[Guest guest]

Hey Dave,

 

>>Lemme comment a bit on the below. There's a bit more to it than has

>>been presented .. and if some of you grow .. you will find yourselves

>>learning some things that haven't been presented. Its not about getting

>>into the ideal .. its about facing reality.

>

> [Dave:] Butch, thank you for good food for thought, and a dose of sober

> reality. I often ask myself where I stand - and where I wish to stand - on

> the hobby-to-business continuum. As things stand, I hope to grow the

> business to the point where I can semi-retire and do what's fun. I think on

> the one hand that's utopian, but on the other it might be possible.

 

Its possible for sure .. you can do it but there are a couple of hidden

costs. One is constant attention to the business .. perhaps less in the

soaping business than in the EO business .. I reply to a dozen or more

off line e-mails a day on EO.

 

The other factor(s) is/are Social Security. If you intend to draw it

where you retire will be a consideration .. and having someone who can

technically take control of the company is another .. which could be

offset if you file a joint return. I get the impression you are at or

near 60 .. I'll be 64 in July and if I take SS now I am big time limited

on the amount of income I can take without an offset .. I must wait

until I am 65 and 10 months to be free of the restriction.

 

> People keep telling me things that amaze me...like the HR director who

> told me I'm onto something " really big " ...

 

Which I would not pay a lot of attention to. HR directors are just

folks with an opinion .. if they were geniuses they would be CEOs. ;-)

 

> or the strangers who simply pick up a bar of soap and go on about being

> able to " feel the energy and love " or similar nonsense. Is it nonsense?

 

Probably .. but nonsense sells. Maybe something makes your product more

appealing than other products of a similar kind .. whatever it is, and

regardless of whether you get a handle on what it is .. go for it and

keep smiling. :-)

 

The one element that can not be discounted or shaved is customer

service. One aw shit can wipe out ten attaboys .. and we must do our

best to operate with a mindset that the customer is always right .. even

though we know that's not always the case. In time, we learn to be able

to distinguish between those who think they are right even when they are

not .. and those who just want something for nothing .. but its a real

delicate balance.

 

> Seems to me that most folks don't make comments like that about soap,

> maybe I am onto something " really big. "

 

Could be for sure .. like I said .. go for it. Who would have thought

that folks would pay the prices they pay for a cuppa coffee with this or

that in it? ;-)

 

> Rigbht now I'm making soap in my kitchen and simply cannot keep up with

> the demand.

 

A major problem of expansion .. as Chris also mentioned.

 

> That next step, to an " approved kitchen, " is one that seems impossible on

> the face of it, but who knows.

 

Not impossible .. but maybe difficult depending on where you live. I'm

not sure what an approved kitchen is in the soaping business .. but

getting a little shop from which to operate is not so hard .. but it

will shave a major part of your profit.

 

Good luck .. and keep trying if that's what you really want.

 

Y'all keep smiling. :-) Butch http://www.AV-AT.com