'Fragrant Blossom Soaps Interview'

Name of your website?

Fragrant Blossom Soaps

Your name?

Lillian Newman

Your Location (city, etc)

Noblesville

Description of website:

Handmade soaps, triple scented handcrafted soy candles, bath and body.

What inspired you to launch your own website?

Stay at home mom looking to supplement family income.

When did you launch your first website, and what was it?

About 5 years ago. Fragrantblossom.com, for handmade soaps and candles.

How did you decide on a name for your website?

Religious significance. Roman Catholic, flower being significant for Blessed Mother.

What makes it different from other, similar offerings?

My bars of soap are larger than most and I never use lard, shortening or any animal fat. Only high quality oils and superior scents are used in the production of my handmade soaps. My candles are made with natural wax and triple scented.

What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)

I would love to someday open my own shop!

How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?

You have to work really hard to get business on the internet. There is a lot of competition.

If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?

I would definitely get a retail shop and try to diversify my market as much as possible.

If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?

Definitely would try!

What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?

Online trolls (big sigh). Other than that, not much. It's been pretty good.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Saying no to people who want to learn what I do so they can compete with me.

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

Search engine optimization by selecting keywords in domain name.

How has running your website differed from your expectations?

It's been slower than I thought it would be.

How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?

I would love to have it forever. It's my dream business.

Why are your soaps better?

I use only the highest quality ingredients. I don't pour crisco shortening into my soaps. They are hard and longlasting. Some of my customers love to use them as shampoo bars as well. Also, I work for my customers by making their special orders a priority.

What is your website address?

Fragrant Blossom Soaps

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