BALTIMORE BUMBLE CRAFTS
2012 to 2016
Company Structure
I am Baltimore Bumble Crafts. I am not an independent consultant for a larger skincare company. I do not buy pre-made bases for any of my products. Everything you see here is the result of my own imagination, intuition, and hard work (with plenty of inspiration from other soap makers, vendors, bloggers, and Pinterest). After inheriting a single, beautiful, and perfect recipe, I leapt on blind faith and began this business.
So the "company structure" is one woman, working over a hot stove, in front of a laptop, or under a tent, bringing you the best she can offer ... one woman and a borrowed truck, driving through the sunrise to get to market hours before you, going to the gym so that she will be able to lift her tent by herself, and worrying all the while that if she gets too sweaty, smelly, and gross that you will think her soap doesn't work ... one woman, wishing she could add jobs to this economy, but barely paying herself . This is what being a small business means in 21st century America.
When you see us, the small business women, the kitchen-witches, the artists, remember that your words count more with us. When you tell me you like something you bought, I run home and brag to anyone who'll listen. When you tell me that you don't like something, that carries even more weight. Be mindful of what you say to vendors; we have rough hands from hard work, but thin skin from pouring our hearts into these ventures.
What help I receive comes in the form of volunteer labor: product testers, super sniffers, and wordsmiths. These friends, coworkers, customers, and strangers contribute their time and energy to make sure I continue to produce the high-quality products you've come to know and love. I cannot thank them enough!
Vision
While some soap makers focus on aesthetics, on making the most beautiful and visually-stunning bars of soap, my focus is on creating captivating scent blends and therapeutic ingredients. When you use a bar of my soap, shampoo, or lotion, I want you to feel pampered in both mind and body.
Mission
As the artist and founder of Baltimore Bumble Crafts, I believe in creating the most natural, healthful products possible. I seek out the highest-quality organic, all-natural, and sustainable ingredients. Sometimes this requires compromise, as in the case of the Kama Sutra Soap where sustainability trumps all-natural ingredients. More often than not, however, the elements of organic, all-natural, and sustainable comes together to create a perfect product!
Values
I believe that our planet is a source of wonder, not a resource to be used up. Each of us, individuals and businesses alike, has a responsibility to protect the planet and the life it sustains. For Baltimore Bumble Crafts, that means reducing the amount of packaging I use, using recycled and recyclable materials for packaging, buying 100% recycled bags and business cards, and re-using packing peanuts. Furthermore, part of the profits from this business go to charities and organizations with a focus on protecting the environment.