JBSoaps

Etsy Shop Name: JBSoaps stands for: (Jabonero Blake Soap Works)
JBSoaps is the creation of my son Eric who is 12 years old.
This all started when Eric had a school project in which he needed to demonstrate how a business was run. He had to pick a product, show how he got money, bought supplies, sell his product, and deliver to the customer. We decided to use soaps as we had been making them for a while. He came up with the name JBSoaps, which stands for Jabonero Blake Soap Works. Jabonero is a Spanish word for someone that makes soaps, (Not to be confused with Habanero which is a type of Chili pepper) Blake is the name that he uses in one of his games.
We created JBSoaps for him on paper, and after making some samples, we set up a mock bank account to pay the bills for supplies, advertisement and running a store, etc. When the project was completed, he told us that he wanted to try selling them for real, and kept asking us for an Etsy store for the business. My husband opened the account for my son as a birthday present, and now we run the business as a family.
Eric makes Glycerin soaps and I make the Hot and Cold press soaps. I run the Etsy shop and do all the listings, he makes soaps and my husband is the helper. We do this as a family, and hope to take the money from what we make and apply it towards his college education, and also teach him how to run a business.

What you sell: We specialize in Cold Processed, Hot Processed, and Melt and Pour soaps for your delight. We make traditional soaps for adults, and soaps for kids of all ages. We are bilingual (Se Habla Espanol) and will gladly handle any special requests.

Tell us about your featured item:
Our featured item is our “Little Goats Milk Sheep Soap”. We wanted to bring something special that can be used by our adult customers and kids as well. Our little Sheep is made out of Goats Milk and other oils; and provides an incredible lather with a rich creamy feel on your skin. The soaps can be unscented or custom made with a variety of fragrances. We can also make them in a variety of colors, but most clients like them just white. The Goats Milk soaps are handmade made at the time of purchase, and we make each one special to meet the needs of each client.

Have you taken any business classes to help you prepare for being an Etsy shop owner? What class would you like to take?

I have attended various business training classes in relation to my other business ventures. I was also a cosmetologist for many years and ran my own business, so we have a bit of knowledge of what it takes to run a business.

Do you hire an accountant to help with your Etsy shop finances? Why or why not?

Right now, I do all the work of keeping records for both shops, and at the end of the year I send my paperwork to my accountant. He has been doing our taxes for the past 19 years and is an old family friend.