Apr 18, 2012

Made in Birmingham: Local Entrepreneur Whips Up Craft Soap and Natural Body Care ProductsBy Emily LowreyMagicCityPost.com

Birmingham, AL – Sandi Garrett Little is among a growing trend of entrepreneurs starting home-based businesses. Her position at EBSCO was eliminated over two years ago, and it was then that Little decided to take her 10 years of experience making soap from hobby to full-time job. “After I got through freaking out over not having a full-time job,” says Little, “I went to Facebook and posted ‘Does anyone want to buy some soap’ and I got back some yes’s.” Harmony Bath and Body (Harmony) was born.

Since 1992, the number of small businesses without employees (like Little’s) has grown from 14 million to 22 million, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. The number of small business firms with employees has grown from just under 5 million to over 6 million in the last 25 years. “I do everything,” says Little. “I formate the products, make them, create my packaging as well as print and apply labels. I’m Formulator, Purchasing, Production, Inventory Control and Sales and Marketing. I’d like to hire someone to help me soon while I continue to be creative with making the products.”

Little now sells her line of natural soaps and body care to a few local salons, spas (both human and dog) and retailers. She also takes custom orders and sells direct-to-customer at festivals throughout the year and at summer farmer’s markets. It’s easy to see she’s passionate about her work. I asked her about the differences between large-scale manufactured soaps that you buy in big stores and her line, and she leaned forward quickly to answer. “There are no detergents, no rendered animal fat, no artificial preservatives, no hydrogenated oils, and no petroleum in my line. I use the cold process to make soaps in small batches, so my soaps have to cure for at least six weeks, and I use herbs, oils, natural pigments, essential oils and other quality ingredients.”

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