Teach Soap

I know most people don't blog until they have a business setup. But as I was reading all the business article on the soap queen blog I got to thinking. I read all these interviews and business tips and thought "Why not start a blog on the steps I have to take to make a small soap business?" I figure it would be a cool lure for the people that are already fans of me (yes I have fans! Fans that watch my videos and want my soap ) and in the future once it's all sorted out it can be revisited as a trip down memory lane. The only concern I have is the name of the blog. I found out my original name, The Pampered Panda, was already taken by some evil idea stealing time traveling wizard in Chicago so does anyone know of a blog where I can do a name change if necessary? It would seem silly to come up with a name to use for a blog that would be nothing like the name of my future business name. I'm thinking of using Wordpress since the soap queen blog looks so nice but I'm open to good suggestions (especially if I can name change!)

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The Black Currant- Shipping within the US!

My shop: The Black Currant on Etsy!
My blog: http://www.theblackcurrantshop.wordpress.com
Also on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube!

I have a blog, but I don't post regularly. There just isn't enough hours in the day to do everything with just myself.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I have a blog and don't own or am starting a buiesness (but one day maybe....) and to be honest I do it for me and the other readers are a bonus

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Anna Rose @-}--
blog

I blog occasionally. As for who you blog with, depends more on what you want to do with it. Soap queen I would almost definitely say has a paid domain with wordpress.org, which is totally different from having a blog at wordpress.com, paid or free. What leads me to think that is heavy ads to brambleberry on the soapqueen blog. A free blog at wordpress.com is not supposed to put up ads like that, and if they think your blog exists to drive traffic to somewhere besides your blog they will yank it down. The odd link to a resource here or there when it's relevant will slide though.

You could always start free and switch if the need ever arose, they make that fairly simple. I use wordpress myself, but haven't really looked into other blogging sites, I tried wordpress first and liked it so never shopped around anymore, lol.

Also, I don't have a business or anything, I just like it. I post on it when I try new things and whatnot, as an outlet because I'm sure my friends and family would be sick of me if I talked about using shampoo bars or making green smoothies all the time.

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"Effective questioning brings insight which fuels curiosity which cultivates wisdom"

I would definitely go with wordpress if you are just starting out. It is fairly easy to work with and very user friendly. I like it cause there are many plugins you can add to your blog/site to get it to do what you want. They also have complete guides, videos and forums to help you set up, maintain and help troubleshoot if you run into a snag. I use wordpress for blogging and my college recruiting site.
Kinda like Irena, I blog but I don't keep up with it regularly. I actually forgot to load 2 posts last month and they have been sitting in my draft folder. [oops]. I do like to do it occasionally though. One of the benefits I have found is that I can go back and look at the recipe, colors and scent I used for a specific bar. I am not always good at keeping up with my papers and sometimes misplace them for weeks.
As to the name. Changing it is totally up to you. I was looking around and The Pampered Panda in Illinois is a bath and body/candle shop but technically their website is up for sale. There is also a livejournal blog out there pamperedpanda.livejournal.com [nothing since Jan 2006] and she owns pamperedpanda.com [no 'the' and I get an error whenever I try to go to it]. It says she does soaps and gifts so....

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**ERIN**

**I've taken up photography because it's the only hobby I can shoot people and cut their heads off without going to jail**

I think we're kinda in the same boat. I just checked out wordpress last night, a few others, and I'm trying to start up a business as well. It's so overwhelming! To blog, not to blog, to start a web page or not, I swear my head hurt by the time I went to bed. The only easy thing for me was the name. and so far, that's ok. and then.........if I blog what do I blog about? Yes ma'am I feel for you big time!!!!