Episode #87
Episode 87: She Went From a 10×10 Shed to Making 12 MILLION Bars of Soap
What does it take to go from a 10×10 tax shed to making 12 MILLION bars of soap in a year? Joanna Couch — better known as The Soap Gal (@thesoapgal) — knows exactly what that looks like. In Part 1 of our conversation with Joanna, we go WAY beyond the usual “how I started my soap business” story. Joanna takes us through the messy, surprising, and sometimes downright terrifying journey from farmers markets and family recipes to 80,000-bar purchase orders, private label manufacturing, massive production facilities, and millions of bars of soap. And the biggest lesson? Scaling isn't just about making more soap. We talk about: How Joanna went from a 10×10 tax shed to a 44,000-square-foot facility The 80,000-bar purchase order that changed everything How she eventually produced as many as 12 million bars in one year When you should actually consider scaling your soap business Why Joanna says makers quit their jobs too soon How to know when it's time to hire help Private label and contract manufacturing Why knowing your numbers matters The equipment that actually makes a difference when you're scaling Why your time is worth more than you think Slab molds, emulsion blenders, batch software, drying racks and automation Why buying ALL the equipment at once can be a huge mistake Systems, SOPs, documentation and consistency MoCRA, sanitation and why production standards matter Why you should narrow down your fragrance lineup Limited drops and keeping your customers engaged The difference between simply selling more and actually scaling One absolutely BRUTAL production mistake involving 200 blocks of soap Why mentorship and collaboration matter so much in this industry Joanna's story is huge, but this conversation isn't just for people dreaming about making millions of bars. It's for the soap maker making 20 bars, 200 bars, or 2,000 bars who is wondering: “When do I know it's time to grow?” And Joanna has some very honest answers. This is Part 1 of our three-part conversation with The Soap Gal , so if you're a soap maker, small business owner, or just someone fascinated by what happens when a handmade business gets REALLY big, you're going to want to stick around for the rest of this conversation. Subscribe to The Dirty Heifers so you don't miss Parts 2 and 3. And tell us in the comments: What's the biggest thing holding you back from scaling your soap business? Follow Joanna: @thesoapgal #TheDirtyHeifers #SoapMaking #SoapBusiness #SoapMaker #SmallBusiness #HandmadeBusiness #SoapBusinessTips #PrivateLabel #SoapManufacturing #Entrepreneurship
