Masterclass in Denver: Growing Your Indie Beauty Business in 2017

Ready to get proactive about launching and running your indie beauty business? Ready to stop taking all the opportunities that come your way, even if they might not be profitable or a good match for your company? Ready to scale and grow your business?

In this information-packed, full-day masterclass, Marla Bosworth will help bring clarity to your goals and what you wish to manifest for you and your indie beauty business in 2017. Whether you have an existing booming business or just getting ready to launch, this intimate workshop will help you put goals in place to take these next steps in your business. 

You'll learn from Marla, a bath and beauty expert and market research analyst, who launched Back Porch Soap Company nearly 20 years ago. She is known in the indie beauty industry for her sage personal and business coaching. In addition to teaching formulating and business workshops all over the U.S., she has successfully opened and run retail stores in both the Boston, Massachusetts area and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She brings 30 years experience as a market research analyst and retail sales expert to this workshop.

Among the topics Marla will cover in this full-day, intensive masterclass:

• Beyond the Products - What Really Makes Consumers Buy

• What to Expect for the Indie Beauty Business Market in 2017 

• Avoiding Pitfalls: Why Indie Brands Go Out of Business

• How to Be an Indie Beauty Trailblazer

• Creative & Profitable Business Ideas

• Product Packaging

• How to Generate Excitement Around Your Brand

• Social Media Hotspots - Finding the Buzz

• Getting Media Attention

• Pricing and Profit Margins

• Protecting Your Business - The Truth About Insurance Coverage & Trademarks

• The New Age of Wholesale (It's Changing and How to Adapt)

• How To Master Retail Sales, Including Opening and Running a Retail Establishment

• Hiring, Delegating and Outsourcing

• Best Practices for Pitching Sales/Opportunities and Negotiating

• Creating a Long-Term Plan to Scale Your Business

Attendees will receive a binder of valuable handouts. There will be plenty of time for Q&A's throughout the session. Link for more information visit our website. 

How to Make 100 lb. Batch of Handmade Soap

Like many soapmakers, I started my business in my home kitchen, making small batches of soap. As demand for my products grew, I found myself outgrowing a stockpot, then a 5 gallon pail. Stickblenders were no longer large enough to emulsify a batch of soap.

After much research, I invested more than $10,000 in soap making equipment: water-jacketed electric tanks to melt oils, large stainless steel mixing pot on tipping stand, 350 bar molds, drill with paddle attachment to replace stick blender, electric soap cutter, more stainless steel tables and baker's racks.

In this video I'm making a 100 lb. batch which will yield approximately 400 bars of soap. I'm mixing my oils and lye water together and getting ready to add essential oils and herbs. Let me show you how I combine 10 lbs. of lye, 73 lbs. of oils/butters and 56 oz. of essential oil!

As a business, we need to be mindful of operating efficiently. What areas of your production would you like to improve?