Benjamin Aaron is the Co-Founder & Director of Prairie Soap Company in Lee’sSummit, MO. Out of a retail store that is open 362 days out of the year, Benjamin teaches and oversees an array of soap and body care classes and workshops. He started Prairie Soap Company’s rise by selling wholesale, which he continually does, having branched out into large retail health food markets such as Whole Foods Market, Lucky, The Fresh Market, Sprouts and Natural Grocers Vitamin Cottage
among others. In addition to his for-profit business, Benjamin is the proud Co-Director of a very meaningful Non-for-Profit Organization called the Lovin’ Soap Project. He and the team have traveled recurrently to different regions of Haiti and will continue to do so as teachers, mentors and consultants for women who need a livable wage and better social standing. The Lovin Soap Project teaches the artisan
craft of soapmaking, business start-up, basic business skills & goal-setting. Benjamin and the Lovin Soap Project team will soon be in Uganda (July) to teach a new group of women who could use one of the most overlooked trades in the third world – the access and means to hygiene. Benjamin loves, lives and promotes positivity and does so through his business. Anyone who has been around him knows how much he reveres the power of goal setting and how it positively affects the human condition and business. “I believe that high self-reverence is all you really need to start and run a successful business. The more you believe, befriend, and truly cherish yourself, the more success follows you. You will always have the right people, circumstances and events come into your life if you focus on positivity and keep yourself accountable to what you truly want.”
- Kenna Cote
Kendra Cote, known as Kenna by fellow soapcrafters, started soaping in 2004 and spent many years honing her techniques, formulas, and knowledge. In 2008, Kenna attended cosmetology school, which fueled her interest in the chemistry behind beauty, eventually leading to the day her vegan bath & body company was created in 2011.
Finding immense passion and joy in combining aesthetics and function in cold process soap making, she specializes in complex design/coloring techniques. Kenna is the author of various soapmaking ebooks, blogs, and articles. She hosts the annual Central Soapers Workshop in Kansas City, and teaches soap crafting, both locally and online, while growing her own soap company, Amathia Soapworks.
We hope you will come and join us at the 16th annual Alabama Soap & Candle Association Meeting that will be held at the Doster Center in Historic Downtown Prattville, Alabama! We have a link to the Rand-McNally website that will give you step by step directions to the meeting location when you provide your starting point.
The Alabama Soap and Candle Association began as the Alabama Soap Meeting in 1998 with 4 members, and has grown to well over 100 members. Join our Yahoo Group to keep up with activities like monthly luncheons, our winter gathering, and more.
We promise fun, fellowship, food, my three favorite “f’s”!, education, and some awesome shopping opportunities. There will be several vendors there from whom you can buy on the spot, and many of our generous sponsors will provide samples of new products so we can try before we buy. Put this event on your calendar now…. it’ll be the *must attend* event of the Summer of 2014! There are always several swaps in which you can participate. We promise you two fun-filled days of amazing speakers and demos. We have had amazingly generous sponsors who provide items for door prizes and for our goodie bags. I’m sure that they will be even more generous in 2014. Some of our vendors may offer specials such as free delivery to the meeting.
We’d love to see you there! Make plans now to be there, Friday, June 6th and Saturday, June 7th, 2014. Early-Bird Registration ends March 31! REGULAR REGISTRATION ENDS MAY 31!!
