Zero Waste, Refill & Home Goods Shop

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Janette Spiezio, Owner of Sustainable Haus Mercantile, located in Summit, NJ, USA.

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

Sustainable Haus Mercantile is New Jersey's first zero waste, refill, and home goods shop with over 700 items that solve the single-use plastic problem. We offer personal care, beauty, cleaners, and home goods that are plastic-free and package-free with clean ingredients. Just bring in any clean and dry container that gets weighed and filled, so you just pay for the product you buy, whether it is a small or large amount. We make about 50 "haus" made products, from cotton napkins made from upcycled cotton to a cost-effective, powerful laundry detergent made from scratch with clean ingredients. We aren't your average refill shop. Our customers come for the local and handmade goods as well as the bulk refills, which are a good value as we aim to keep prices as low as possible so that reducing waste, plastic, and toxins is easy and affordable. Our tagline is Healthy People, Healthy Home, Healthy Planet.

Tell us about yourself

I am a first-generation American. I wanted not only to eat garden-grown and organic foods, but I wanted my home to be as organic and non-toxic as possible. I love nature and camping and know we must consume differently if we want our shared home, planet earth, to be beautiful. I want everyone to have a chance to live a clean lifestyle, and I teach about the dangers of plastics and toxins to allow that to happen.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Opening the brick-and-mortar shop in Summit, NJ, as the pandemic hit us hard while also creating a website with over 700 items, was a big accomplishment. Doing this while being a maker of products, working farmer's markets, and running our social media lifestyle pages was so much work, but all these things together have started us on a journey to success and have allowed us to find an amazing community. Our customers and followers are local and across the globe. That's exciting.

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

Honestly, being a business owner is hard in every way. You solve problems all day long, and finding your audience is challenging. Once you find them and when you have a sustainable and great product, they come back, which feels great!

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

Bring your passion to the job, and then bring more. Be ready to work harder than ever. And if you make sustainable choices, you will have a business edge.
Start social media as soon as possible, do it yourself, and find your way to success.
Have a great support team and be ready to take smart risks.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.sustainablehaus.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablehaus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablehaus/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janette-filbert-spiezio-05960212/

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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