I’m sad to announce that Simple Apothecary is, for the most part, going out of business. If I can find a way to continue making a few of my products, I may do that. But as of now, I can’t continue this business AND have the life I need. This isn’t a decision that has come lightly or quickly, but I have no doubt it is the right one.
I love making my products. I love coming up with new products after talking with customers. I love nothing more than hearing someone tell me how much my products have helped them. But when I started my business, I didn’t grasp the true extent of the amount of work involved in building a small business around a brand of products. Especially when your goal is to do it all ethically and without investors.
I truly believe someone with business savvy could make Simple Apothecary successful at the level I always imagined. But I now humbly realize, I am not that person.
I’m not afraid of hard work and have busted my tail the last 3.5 years to build an ethical business. But it has been at a cost. I started this company with a dream to do something different, but completely failed myself in the process.
First, I made a series of unfortunate mistakes as a novice business owner that really set a path of ongoing obstacles. This combined with the fact I got my business license on March 15, 2020 (insert groans and laughter here), set me off on a rocky start. Quite a few, “if only I had known…” moments for sure.
But more importantly, this led me to work so much it has left my personal life in a permanent on-hold pattern. When I quit my last job to do Simple Apothecary full-time I swore I wouldn’t be like other business owners who ONLY worked. Well… in addition to working 50-60 hours a week, this year I’ve missed birthdays, vacations, and my own FIRST wedding anniversary. My husband and I used to travel the country in our RV, but Simple Apothecary was not well-suited for that life.
If I can find a MUCH smaller way to keep making some of my products that is financially viable, I will happily let you all know. But for now, I will be slowly selling everything off and I do not intend to make more product anytime soon. As I still have the raw ingredients in bulk, I may sell some pre-weighed kits for making your own version of my products at home.
In the meantime, I’m working on a new small business that takes me in a completely different direction- Redesign by Bex. Redesign by Bex gives new life to old junk as artful jewelry, notions, and more. This is tapping my creative spirit and requires a lot less physical space to make happen. Redesign by Bex will also allow me to travel with my husband again in our RV.
Thank you to everyone that has supported this small business over the years. Hearing the stories of how my products impacted your lives truly brought me joy. It also gave me a glimpse of the vision I had for Simple Apothecary to be a company of ethics with a goal of so much more than profit. I wish all of you the very best.
Rebecca Foster
4 comments
We appreciate you!!
Your product for pain relief has been extremely beneficial for relieving my chronic hand pain. Thank you for making it available while you could.
So sorry to hear this Becca as your products were awesome but I think you are wise in not continuing to burn yourself out. Please take care of yourself
as you work to find what fulfills you & still gives you a life. Take care!
Thank you so much for sharing, I really did love your products. Sending so much love to you, thank you for being authentically you.