YWLP Profile: Young Woman Entrepreneur Builds Own Business Selling Eco-Friendly Laundry Soap

As part of our new Young Women's Learning Partnership program (YWLP), WLP will be profiling exceptional young women leaders. This month we spoke with Maggie Dawson, founder of Maggie's Pure Land Products. At the age of 29 Maggie is the head of a successful company that sells the dried fruit from the Chinese Soapberry tree as a natural, environmentally friendly alternative to laundry detergent.

Maggie first learned about the dried soap nuts when she was visiting a friend in Europe. Upon her return to the US, she tried to find and order them online. After doing extensive research on soap nuts, learning how they have been used for thousands of years, she teamed up with an experienced business partner who helped her locate suppliers of the soap nuts in Indonesia. She traveled there to meet with the suppliers, and while she was there met a woman artist, Ni Made Sriasih, in Bali who painted the cover for the soap nut box. She began contacting local stores and soon the soap nut packets were featured in nearly 800 natural food stores in the US and Canada.

WLP spoke with Maggie about her experience:

What was the biggest challenge you faced in starting up your own business?

Dawson: The biggest challenge was that I had no business experience and training. It was helpful that I had a business partner who had more experience in the business world. It was also challenging to keep a balance between my work and social life. There were moments when all my life was filled with work and I lost touch with friends.

How did you build your business?

Dawson: We began with a list of local health food stores and called and sent samples to sell in their stores. It took off from there with people calling to request more soap nuts. We also hired a PR and marketing person who helped us with media outreach. We sent our samples and letters and heard back from a selection of publications.

How did you enlist the support of others?

Dawson: I got a huge amount of support from customers who applauded the environmental benefits of the soap nuts. Their feedback was that we were doing something positive for the world. My family was very supportive. I felt that with this venture I was both making my family proud and being true to myself. My parents and grandparents both supported me. My grandfather is a businessman and investor and was a tremendous mentor for me.

What was the most important lesson you learned?

Dawson: To have trust and faith that labor and work will pay off. When times get rough, remember the bigger plan, take one step at a time, and stick to your path. With perseverance you can succeed.

What is your inspiration?

Dawson: I was at an Ani DiFranco concert several years ago and she said something about making art your life’s work, to shift our consciousness from laboring for a dime to creating something beautiful. Her work continues to inspire me. One of her song lyrics says, "I'm going to do my best swan dive into the shark infested waters." Maybe I fail, maybe I succeed, but what is important is that I'm out there doing it.

Learn more about Maggie’s Pure Land Products at http://maggiespureland.com/ and about the artist Ni Made Sriasih at http://maggiespureland.com/artist.html