Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Joe McCutcheon, Founder of Carolina Castile Soap, located in Raleigh, NC, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Carolina Castile Soap, our customers are everyday people who are either fans of organic and natural products or people who are led to our brand as a result of sensitivities to other shampoos, soaps, and body washes that contain ingredients to them.

Often people that have eczema or other allergies and rashes caused by fragrances or other synthetic ingredients look to our products because they’re certified organic, have a minimal ingredient list, and use essential oils for scents.

Tell us about yourself

In 2007, I started a residential cleaning company (that is still in business today and employs 30 www.enovanagreencleaning.com) that uses “green” cleaning products. I wanted us to use only the greenest, simplest ingredients in our products. In my quest for the best products, I discovered Castile soap.

After a couple of years, I started learning how to make bar soap and eventually liquid soap. I eventually perfected a formula for cleaning homes that our cleaning company still uses today. This also led me to launch Carolina Castile Soap which uses a different formula that is most well suited for body care use (shampoo, body wash, and hand soap).

Each day, I’m motivated to do what I do by the fact that I truly love my products. I don’t just create them because they’ll be good for business. I’ve used my soaps every day since I started making soap ten years ago. I love how they feel, and I really enjoy the aromatherapy aspect of them. I believe in our products and feel really proud that we’ve created a formula that doesn’t cut corners.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

It’s being resilient and getting through a crisis. Getting my cleaning company through the 2008 Financial crisis without laying anyone off, switching our employee pay structure without everyone quitting… for our soap company, it’s been getting through the Coronavirus pandemic.

In March 2020, people started to panic about buying soap. While this was great from a financial perspective but I truly despise running out of inventory/stock, and it was incredibly challenging keeping up with demand. Our soaps getting certified organic by Oregon Tilth are certainly up there on our list of accomplishments.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

One of the hardest things is setting boundaries for myself. I’m shifting and adjusting to being sure I’m not falling into the trap of working for work's sake or staying busy just to feel like I’m doing something. It’s been challenging to keep myself focused and spend time on my business in an efficient way.

I’m constantly needing to ask myself if what I’m doing in business is what I want for my life. Do I want to work 50 hours per week? Do I want to spend my time filling bottles myself? Is this the best use of my time, not only in business but in life? Owning a business can really suck you in, and having a successful business is not my only goal or only measurement of success in life. I want to live a quality life not only when I retire but now.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Work “ON” your business, not “IN” your business. Create a business, not a job.
  2. When things are challenging, when business is slow, that’s not the time to take your foot off the gas. I learned this from a fellow entrepreneur. He was a restaurant owner that I used to work for. In 2008 when the recession was really bad and restaurants were slow, he took that opportunity to renovate the dining room. I’ve learned to use the slow times to double down on my efforts that might otherwise be overlooked when busy.
  3. Learn to say no… to certain customers, to most salespeople that will inevitably call and email you, and to problem employees. For me, learning to say no quickly and easily has saved me from wasting a lot of time.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://castilesoap.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaCastileSoap/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinacastile/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carolinacastile
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-mccutcheon-a5b37019/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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