Rising Stars: Meet Rebecca Walker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Walker.

Hi Rebecca, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
In late November 2023, I purchased Lake Soap Company from its founder, Christy Vadaboncoeur. Lake Soap Company offered the highest quality handmade soaps and skincare products I had ever seen, had a loyal Traverse City fanbase built on a decade of Christy’s hard work and entrepreneurship, and was a business I could completely run and produce from home. Christy was looking to retire and wanted to see her business carry on in the hands of someone who would handcraft her one-of-a-kind products with the same love and quality that she had founded her business on. Cut to an introduction from a mutual acquaintance, and a beautiful friendship was born! I trained under Christy for an intensive 3.5 months, where she taught me everything – from a master class in soapmaking and crafting all of her natural products to running the website, managing shipping, wholesaling, supplies, etc. The sale of the business was final in time for Thanksgiving, and she had completely set me up for a successful and profitable 2023 holiday season! In the new year, I have added to my wholesale clientele, listed my products on Faire.com, and am now poised to get my products on store shelves all over the nation. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Knock on wood, it’s been a pretty smooth road so far. I felt so well prepared to step right into Christy’s shoes, and she has remained completely available to me whenever anything pops up that I need help with. The hardest part of this job, without a doubt, is making the soap! Soapmaking is highly unpredictable; there are a lot of moving parts to our soap designs, and it’s so easy to mess up. For now, I stick very small batches that are easier to control. Where Christy could make 6 loaves of a complicated soap at one time, I make 1 – but I’ll get there! 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
So, I make a variety of unique handmade soaps, many specific to the beloved features of Northern Michigan. For example, The Lake Michigan Soap is crafted to look like a beachy scene – with sandy bottom, deep blue and gray waters, a white wavey top, and a scent reminiscent of the wild blueberries and warm breeze you might find along its shore. There’s the Sleeping Bear Dunes Soap with its rich, sandy-colored, sloped layers and warm vanilla scent. The fan-favorite Traverse City Cherry Soap, which, of course, just bursts with cherry scent. I have soaps designed for Torch Lake, West Bay, East Bay, Lake Leelanau, Northern Lights, Leland Blue, Petoskey Stone, Beach Glass. I have a Natural’s Collection made with essential oils, soaps for kids, soaps for men! I also make luxurious and nourishing Body Butters (made with Shea, Avacado & Mango Butters), Bath Bombs, Lip Balms, Bee Butter, Paw Cream, Clay Face Masks, and lots of other handcrafted goodies that you just have to check out at Lakesoap.com! Having said all that, what sets Lake Soap apart from others is the Sugar Scrub! There is no other like it on the market. It is an exfoliating scrub loaded with sugar in a foaming soap base. It lathers up super thick and creamy, then dissolves completely and washes away clean. Traditional sugar or salt scrubs are made in oily bases that leave bath and shower floors super slippery, which can be dangerous. People who have tried our sugar scrub absolutely rave about it! 

What matters most to you? Why?
My family and living in this northern splendor that is Traverse City are what matter most to me in the world. Taking on this new business has been such an adventure for my family. It really has been a whole family affair. This summer, my teenage son will be driving and making wholesale deliveries for me. Both my kids and husband help me craft when I have lots of orders. My parents and sister came up from the Detroit area over the holiday and helped me fill jars of sugar scrubs and make bath bombs! My husband, Dan Walker, runs his own Advertising and Design business in Traverse City as well, so I am so fortunate to have my own in-house designer and director of all things web! People can check out his business at DWalkerStudio.com. Being able to do all this while living a setting rich with forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, beaches…it’s just beyond compare.! We enjoy canoeing, bike riding, hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, our dog Opal and our 4 cats! We are just so proud to be Michiganders! 

Pricing:

• Handmade Soaps $8.00
• 8oz Body Butter $16.00
• 8oz Sugar Scrub $16.00
• Lip Balms $4.00
• Bath Bombs $7.00

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Lakesoap.com
• Instagram: @LakeSoapCo