*This is a brief post about how I began this business. It might resonate with you, but I do hope that it inspires you to try something you’ve always wanted to do.
I come from a family of entrepreneurs. From my grandmother to my mother to other family members, I always been surrounded by those who had their own businesses. I have also been surrounded by educators (that’s for another post). While I didn’t think of this business until a few years ago, I often wondered what my “thing” would be, should I ever venture into the world of entrepreneurship. Well, it wouldn’t take too long to find out what my “thing” (i.e. specialty) would become.
My specialty came from two missions: 1) to create something for the overworked, overwhelmed, and too busy person, and 2) to create something that would work for my family. Luckily, this business covered those two missions. From my primary job, I knew what it was like to be tired and overwhelmed with little to no time for myself, and many of my friends and colleagues felt the same way. We all wanted something that felt like a spa day or date night in our own homes [we’re not very good at slowing down]. That’s when I thought of the “feel good” baskets. Items like lotion, tea, soap, body butter, bath salts, and anything else that could be used a couple of times over was the perfect solution. I started with bath salts. I then thought of my most favorite thing to do: journaling. Because I keep all of my journals and I believe strongly in reflection, I learned to make Coptic Stitch journals.
Next, I wanted to add some more personally made items that would work for those baskets, so I ventured into candles. Living in a city with a strong Moravian history, I knew that had to go with beeswax candles. Then, I wanted to venture into body butters and soaps, but I needed them to work for my family, not just customers. Well, my family (including small children) suffers from eczema and psoriasis, so I needed soothing items that wouldn’t irritate their skin. That’s when I came up with the Mango and Shea Body Butter and the Milk and Honey Soap (not pictured yet). Those items, along with other products from small businesses completed my mission.
RoK Handmade is now in it’s third year and we’ve been fortunate enough to make products that work for a variety of people. We’ve shipped nationally and internationally now. Whether is a cocoa basket, a spa basket, a journal, or a room spray, the products work for the entire family, which is what I strived for. If you have an idea that you want to try out, go for it. The idea is in your head for a reason.
– RoK Handmade
