We had the good fortune of connecting with Connie Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Connie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I retired after working for UC Davis after 34 years of service and wanted to continue to help my local community in some way. Prior to my retirement I was making soap and other skin loving products for my family. My family has very sensitive skin and with research, classes and lots of practice I perfected my skill and became a certified soap maker to provide my family with handmade soap, etc that they could use. Once I retired, I felt starting my business, Simply Handmade For You, would allow me to sell my product at the local farmers market and craft fairs. I love helping and providing a natural handmade skin-loving product. The bonus of starting my business, I have met some wonderful people that love handmade skin loving products.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started making handmade soap in 2011, a few years before I retired from UC Davis in July 2014. My family has always had eczema on their skin. Everything we bought from our local grocery store irritated their eczema . In 2011 I was invited to a soap party. I had no idea what you do in a soap party other than buying soap. During the soapmaker’s presentation, she made soap for us. I was totally clueless that making soap in your home was even possible. I asked many questions and even visited the soapmaker in her home. She was the one that got me started on my research and where I could take classes to make soap. I took many classes, watched many youtube videos and did lots of practicing learning how to make soap. in Jan 2015 I became a member of The Handcrafted Soap Guild and started my business – Simply Handmade For You. in 2017 I became a certified soapmaker through The Handcrafted Soap Guild. My business motto is to provide a natural skin loving handmade product for all especially those that have sensitive skin. No matter what I make, I always have a simply naked version (no scent or colorant) for those sensitive customers. Every product I sell is either handmade by me, my husband Chuck or my good friend Joan. Happy Skin, Happy Life!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take her to one of the many wineries we have in Yolo County or neighboring counties. We have a boat, so if she visited in the summer, I would take her to a local lake or river for a boating adventure. I would take her to our local farmers market to purchase all of the items and host a bbq in our backyard around the pool sipping some of the wine we purchased at the local winery.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have many people to thank. My husband Chuck Smith has been my biggest supporter. Anything I need whether it being the muscle of helping with setting up for a market, helping me with my think process when creating or packaging a product, creating shelves using his wood working skills or even making soap dishes for my table, I can count on him. Another person that has helped me from the beginning is my good friend Joan Emery. She has helped me on many occasions testing, spreading the word, or confidence building when I needed it in addition to using her crochet skills to making body scrubbies for my business. There are many others – too many to name but all of the other soapmakers that have answered my questions, during my learning process. The local farmers and vendors that have helped me during this journey. My fellow soapmakers, farmers and vendors are a close and supportive and wonderful community and it has been an honor to be a part of it.

Website: https://www.simplyhandmadeforyou.com

Instagram: simplyhandmade4you

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplyhandmade4you

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/simply-handmade-for-you-woodland

Youtube: @simplyhandmadeforyou7386

Image Credits
All of these were taken by me or friends with the exception of the first picture of myself. That was taken professionally by KLJ Studios. I do own the rights to reproduce.

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