As the part time site director for a local YMCA after school program for 80 children, Maggie was overworked and underpaid. Not that she didn't like the job mind you, but she knew there had to be something more. In the nick of time, she discovered how to make soap by hand from scratch. Of course making soap is a passion for thousands of people, but for this DIY-er, not only was it fun, it turned out to be the unexpected ticket to the kind of freedom and joy most people only dream of.

All In The Family Business

Maggie and Mike, her husband of 28 years, live in Manor, Texas, a small town outside Austin. They have two sons, Cael and Jory, both in their early twenties. Maggie makes the soap, Jory serves as her "right hand man," and Mike is whatever is needed at the time. Says Maggie, "My husband does all of the cooking and grocery shopping. He also builds displays and gadgets, runs errands, does repairs or whatever else needs doing at the time. He's an all around helpful kind of guy," she proudly brags.

And perhaps it's that family involvement that has helped make A Wild Soap Bar one of the most successful, consistent and longstanding ventures in the handmade beauty products industry. Maggie and Mike were both raised by parents who owned family businesses. As children, Maggie picked cotton and Mike sold family grown produce at the local farmers market. Says Maggie, "when you grow up in a family business, doing your part is not an option, it's a way of life." For the nearly 11 years Maggie has been making and selling soap, Jory and Cael learned how to develop their own creativity, count money, display products, greet customers and make a sale. Since their parents were self-reliant, there was never any question in Jory and Cael's lives that they had options. Working in a family enterprise taught them that a typical 9 to 5 job was just one of the many choices they had, and that they did not have to wait for opportunity to knock. Instead, they could actually go out into the world and create it for themselves!

Maggie is quick to point out that the family business is not just about making money. "One of the most important things that family members do for the business is work together for the common good. Our sons grew up knowing that in order to survive, we had to all pull together to get the job done. Work came first and hard earned play followed," she says. "When families learn to depend on each other for their livelihood, an unbreakable and abiding sense of caring, respect and trust is born and this benefits everyone,” says Maggie. “Today, we see the results of the sense of family commitment we instilled in our sons when they were young."

The Soap Granny Cometh!

According to Maggie, the nickname "Soap Granny" came from one of her grandchildren and "just sort of stuck." There probably is no more suitable nickname for a grandmother whose mission it is to "provide the finest, skin-loving natural handmade soap along with exceptional customer service, social responsibility, a commitment to our environment and a sustainable future." She fulfills this mission in two places -- a home office located in the log cabin she and her family built for themselves, and the small manufacturing facility located a short walk through the woods from her front door. "The window from my office looks out on our 'wildscaped' wooded front yard where I watch butterflies, birds and other small wild life," says Maggie. "I need an office in my home, otherwise I'd never see my family because I spend so much time at my computer," she adds.

A Wild Soap Bar was launched on a real shoe string but Maggie wouldn't have had it any other way. "I've always been a do-it-yourselfer so finding creative ways to solve problems that don't necessarily involve much money comes naturally to me," she says. "I paid for everything as I went along so I didn't incur much debt, and my mom helped me some financially along the way too," she adds. Now that the business has established itself, it is sustained with 70% wholesale sales. Maggie relies on Jory as her only full time employee. Says Maggie, "He's simply the greatest! He easily performs the work of two employees, and does it all with a huge amount of responsibility, enthusiasm and caring. I don't even have to ask and it's already done. He takes care of the manufacturing so that I can focus on marketing and bookkeeping. He also brings a fresh young perspective to the business which is very useful. I hope I can keep him interested in the business." Since the apple never falls far from the tree, it's not surprising that Jory recently launched his own line of soap, which Maggie says is selling very well.

... The Competition Cometh Too!

Maggie freely admits that she has chosen a highly competitive industry in which to build her corporate ladder. "The competition is stiff," she says. "Everybody is making handmade soap these days, and there are many excellent companies out there. But the reality is that many of them are also under pricing their products and/or making inferior products which not only hurts me but also the industry," says Maggie. "I have to work hard to stand out from the crowd and to show people that not all handmade soaps are created equal," she says.

On Advice and Helping Others

Maggie offers sage advice for any woman considering owning a business of her own. "First, lower your expectations," she says. "Prioritize, and focus on the positive. A dusty house or overgrown flowerbed is not the end of the world. Make lists, prioritize them, and feel good about the items that DO get crossed off. Focus on what truly needs to be done and don't sweat the small stuff," she recommends. After over a dozen years in business, Maggie sure knows the ropes, but one piece of advice she received changed not only the way she runs her business but also the way she lives her life. "A dear, hard working neighbor and friend who has passed on, and who lived in a small wooden 3 room house with very few material possessions, once told me that when times are hard, 'don't never look down; just always look up,'" says Maggie. She frequently sees how this simple act of will transforms even the most hopeless situation into a new and exciting opportunity.

It's Exhausting, But Fun!

"I work hard to be unique and stay focused," Maggie says. "I resist trying to make what everyone else is making and I don't try to make everything I see. At the same time, I stay one step ahead of the crowd by focusing on a special niche. I have to do this time and time again after everyone else starts copying my unique ideas," she sighs. On top of that, there are "long, long hours, a seemingly unending work load, and I'm always wearing too many hats," she says.

So why does this 50-year old grandmother invite that sort of stress into her life? "Because I love it!" she says. "I love designing new products and packaging, doing trade shows, publishing my newsletter, working on promotional materials and updating my website," she says. " I'm constantly studying ways to creatively market my products and there's so much to do and so much to learn."

Clearly for Maggie, being the master of your day is well worth the effort. In June 2005, her unique "Soap on the Rocks" product won the D.I.C.E. Award in the Mind, Body & Spirit category at the Dallas International Gift & Home Accessories Market for outstanding Design, Innovation, Creativity and Excellence. She's also been featured in several local television and news stories. Last year, she was nominated for the Handmade Beauty Business of the Year Award, an award given annually by the Handmade Beauty Network, to which Maggie belongs. She regularly donates soap to good causes, such as the 330 bars sent to help Hurricane Katrina victims last year and the soap donated to "Soap for the Troops," a project managed by the Handcrafted Soap Maker's Guild.

In retrospect, Maggie wouldn't change much about her decision to own and manage her own business. The one thing she might do differently if given the chance is to plan her manufacturing facility to better accommodate growth. "After only 2 1/2 years, our little 20 x 30 foot metal building is bursting at the seams," she quips. In true "Maggie Style," however, she finds a silver lining. "It forces me to be neat and stay organized, and it discourages overbuying, and those things are good." she concludes.

Looking Ahead

You might think Maggie would be considering slowing down to spend more time with her grandchildren and savor life amongst the Texas wildflowers. Not! "I want to add salves and body butters to my line in the near future because they use many of the same ingredients that we already stock and it seems like a natural progression," she says. "I'm not counting out a small retail store at some point, maybe a kiosk in a mall or even a small retail space in our rural manufacturing facility," she continues. "I also hope to have a line of USDA certified organic products some day. I believe organics are the wave of the future."

If you're not feeling Maggie's positive energy and excitement by now, you need a cold shower. Or better yet, do what Maggie suggests. "Hang onto your dreams, but don't forget to also act on them! Don't wait for the perfect moment -- create the perfect moment. Take the plunge," she suggests strongly. "You won't regret it."