Meet Janet Baum | Soap maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Janet Baum and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Janet, what are you inspired by?
I began making soap as a hobby. I gave it to all my friends and family and it kept piling up. I thought about how I could use them to help people and Hopey Soapy was born.

I make small, homemade soaps and wrap them in a plastic bags and began donating them. There is no shortage of people in need so I started with the first organization I called. They were very excited and grateful which made me want to keep going.

I am self funded and all proceeds go back into making soap for those in need.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As for my art, I never knew I was creative in any way until I started making soap. After a while everything I saw I tried to image making out of soap. The good news is, if you don’t like what you have made, you can always melt in down and make something else.

All the while I was making what I call my Hopey Soapy’s and those are the ones I donate. I am most proud of the fact that I have donated over 6,000 bars for people in need.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a hard one for me to ask as I don’t go out very much. I would certainly recommend a walk and dinner on Atlantic Avenue, South Beach or Las Olas. There is a super fun Italian restaurant called Louis Bossi’s which is a lot of fun. South beach is probably one of the most exciting areas, where you can dance, eat and drink the night away.

We’d likely go to the beach and maybe grab a bite and a drink looking at the ocean. A drive to Key West is always a good time and there are beautiful gardens to see, zoos, helicopter rides and of course I generally get a better idea of how to select based on who I am entertaining.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shout out to the Kindness Angels 😇. This group’s mission is to nourish the hungry and the homeless while nourishing the hearts and souls of the underserved children.

In conjunction with the Kindness Angels, I can include my love of sharing the Hopey Soapy bars as we serve the same constituents.

Website: Hopeysoapy.com

Facebook: Janet Heyman Baum