Bets and Beginnings

Overlooking the top of Capulin Volcano

I've been asked here lately, "Why soap? What makes it so special?"

This post is my attempt to answer this question.

I've never easily accepted someone telling me that I can't do something or telling me that their ideas are better than mine. Funny enough, the first physical fight I remember getting into was when I was in 1st grade and it was with one of my, now, closest friends. We laugh about it now (obviously) but what's funnier about the story is that we fought over how the Ninja Turtles fingers were. I said that they crossed their index and middle finger and crossed the pinky and ring finger. He said that they just tucked their pinky fingers. How the hell that turned into a physical altercation is beyond me. Anyway, this is the first memory I have of arguing with someone based on the above premises.

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Fast forward 19 years. Erika and I were at the Syrup Festival November 2009 and as with any festival, there were crafts everywhere. Erika drifted to a soap stand and proceeded to dive in and smell as many soaps as she could. I looked around some and told her "I can make this stuff..." and she gave me a look like I was crazy, and said, "I bet you can't..."

OH, it was on after that. Within a month's time I had my first batch of soap made. I've been making it ever since.

Not happy with producing it for personal consumption, I started looking for ways to sell my new product. I won't go into details about that. Just know that it took off and continues to do well (by my standards). I will elaborate on one of the ways I tested sales.

Enter Soap Parties. Several of my co-workers had their hands in this due to them asking when I was going to do a "party". I finally gave in and did one. In preparation for this, I started researching soap. Much to my surprise. It has an incredibly long story.  The earliest record histories of soap date back to the Babylonians. That is, 2800 years B.C. The Romans also used it as a way to style hair and was mostly used by men. It wasn't until Medieval times that Guilds were created to tally the production of soap and that it was mostly women's work but just as important as baking, carpentry, and black-smithing. Also surprising was that vegetable oil soaps (scent and all) mostly started in the Middle East and the traditional bar of soap that we know and love today, started there as well. After that, it has spiraled out of control.

Soap was made from the corpses of Jews in World War II.
Soap has been smuggled.
Soap has been used as a form of punishment.
Soap has had claims to weight loss.
Soap has been used to promote racism.
Soap has evolved into vernacular.

Not as innocuous and boring as you thought huh?

Needless to say, the first soap party was a success, but I itched for more. The next corner was the legality of what I was doing. I became a legal entity, created this website, and with Erika's help, named it The Soap Closet. We named it The Soap Closet because as most small businesses, we started at home. Tired of seeing it on the kitchen counters and tables, she told me to put it away. Where did the soaps go? In the coat closet.

And so here we are. Having created the soap site, I felt there was more that it needed. I wanted to feel like a part of the people who I sell to. What better way to connect with the people who trust me enough with soap than to find a way for me to communicate to them directly? The blog doesn't exist to promote a product. It's not here to brag. It's not here to even blow steam. I created this blog to connect with anyone who is willing to hear whatever messages I have. I want your opinions, comments, and help. I will not pretend to have all the answers, but with your help I can post better material worthy of posting. I want to learn from each and every one of you. This is the future I see for this site. A place for people to come and discuss any topic I may post about. That being said, thank you for taking the time to read all this. Now, comment away!