10 Crafty Questions With Megan Green (Stinky Bomb Soap)

10 Crafty Questions With Megan Green of Stinky Bomb Soap

1. What kind of art or crafts do you make? My husband and I have a mom and pop shop named Stinkybomb Soap. We have created a line of bath and beauty products that take irony to it’s sudsiest form. Our soaps resemble hand grenades and our cassette tapes appeal to anyone over the age of 10 who remember tape decks. All of our soaps are created by us by casting molds from their real life counterparts, therefore carrying all the detail that the original product contains into our soap. Our beauty products appeal to the ladies but continue our militant theme with products like bath bombs and napalm lip balm, which is vegan friendly. My husband, Rob, makes all the molds and while he is a silent partner, he offers support and continued inspiration.  I manage the day to day operations, handle all the production, marketing and sales.

2. When did you get started – and when did you realize this could be a business? I should state that I have all ways been a crafty minded individual.  My grandmother gave me my first lesson with a sewing machine. I’ve dabbled in candle making, beads, and created a line of plush dolls.  It wasn’t until after the birth of our daughter that the Stinkybomb line came to be. I should also divulge that Rob has a side business where he makes replica knives and grenades out of resin. He had a bunch of old grenade molds lying around the house and I just kept telling him that I thought those molds would make some sweet bars of soap. So with nothing but time, and diapers to change, I went to work sourcing out different soap bases.  Once the recipes came to be, then it became searching out containers and creating labels. As soon as I started telling my friends I knew from their response that we were really going to have a lasting product and brand.

3. Where do you get inspiration for your projects? Our inspiration comes our general interest, Rob’s being military history, mine consisting more of pop culture and movies. A good deal of ideas come from our friends. We saw an artist friend speak the other night about her body of work, she resculpts and transforms plastic baby dolls into sculptures. It immediately gave us the idea of baby doll head soaps. It took less than two days for Rob to come back with a mold ready for soap production.

4. What do you like best about selling through more traditional venues (craft fairs)? First, would be the networking of other crafters and artist. I spend so much time in my work room or behind a computer, I love getting to talk them in person and seeing what they have been creating.  Next, is seeing the look on people faces when they walk by my booth. People either fully embrace our Stinky personality or walk away in disgust. I love engaging with those people in particular. They tend to walk away with a better idea of what this whole indie art movement is all about.

5. Now, what do you like best about selling online? Attempting to work from home while my daughter explores the house.

6. How do you price your work? This is always so hard. I do take a mark up from my cost of supplies. Every item used for the creation of one soap has been measured. From the colorants to the crinkle paper used in our packaging. I then have timed each step of the production process, that includes pouring soap to shipping. All of this factors into the product cost.

7. What has been your biggest struggle with your business? How did you overcome it? My husband plays such an integral part to Stinkybomb but it comes down to him finding time to create new products for the line. I am currently starting to learn more about his process so I can rely less on him and start making my own molds.

8. What has been the most rewarding part of your business? Hearing customer feedback. People love our soaps but are not likely to use them as the shape gets washed away with each use. So when people actually use them regularly and rave about the soap itself, I get warm fuzzies. REALLY PEOPLE: wash, rinse and repeat!

9. What is something you wish you knew when you were first starting your business? It takes time to grow a business, nothing happens over night. Also constantly apply yourself. Oh and relish in the parts of the process you love most.  I guess that was three things.

10. Do you mind sharing a business goal that you hope to accomplish with your business? We hope in a years time to attend a wholesale mart as a vendor. A very scary thought for many reasons but one that could lead to an exciting new place.