stories that resonate

A few days ago, I posted here about my new Etsy shop. My mom, who reads my blog posts, followed the link to my shop. There, she found a new listing I had put up for Blood Orange soap. In the listing, I tell shoppers a story about how Blood Oranges remind me of my mother reminiscing about her father, my grandfather. I knew when I wrote the listing that I was writing something that really added value to that listing, because it was so very true, you know?

My mom left me a voicemail message that day, letting me know that she had been very touched by reading the listing. I had made my mom cry. She missed her dad. But she was happy I'd shared the story.

You know what? It seems to me that my business, all businesses, especially handmade ones, really and truly benefit from that kind of authenticity. Not because my story in that listing is so amazing, or life-changing, or amazingly written. Just simply because it is more true, and more authentic, than any marketing spin or silly copy I could have put in that listing. Because when you strip away all the luxurious this and moisturizing that and hyped ingredient this...I make Blood Orange soap because the smell reminds me of my mom, telling me stories about her dad, telling her stories about Italy. Period.

Hope you liked the story in the listing, because you can expect a whole lot more real stories about the simple, and sometimes silly, but very real reasons that I make the things I make. I hope they resonate with you--they certainly do with me.