Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Schober.
Lindsey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started my journey with The Happy Shark in August 2020. I’m a huge planner and decided to make a bunch of fun relaxing gifts, to help cope with Covid, for Christmas presents. I made candles, bath bombs, deconstructed clay face masks, beard balm, beard oil, and solid lotion bars. My brother said, “Wow, when are you going to open your Etsy shop?” I laughed and then realized he wasn’t joking. And that got me thinking.
I opened up my Etsy shop and got my LLC in March of 2021. I thought I’d see how the first year went and go from there. This spring, I decided to get a booth at the Olathe Farmers Market and it’s been really fun so far! I’ve met so many people, and amazing vendors and I’m even getting regulars each week!
So many products on the market today have questionable ingredients, to say the least. When I couldn’t find the ingredients list on my store-bought lip balm, that concerned me. All of my products are homemade by me in small batches on a weekly basis using quality ingredients you can pronounce. It means a lot to me to know exactly what goes into my products and be proud of what I make. If you have allergies to some things like tree nuts or other ingredients like lavender, I can always customize any of my products so that you can enjoy them too!
A lot of people ask me why I named my company The Happy Shark. A lot of cosmetic products contain Squalene. Squalene is an oil that all organisms produce and it’s predominantly found in the liver. Sharks have HUGE livers and are often killed specifically for this valuable oil. None of my products will ever contain ingredients that harm animals. The only reason my products are not vegan is that some of them contain beeswax. Simple answer: Sharks are also my favorite animals in the entire world and they make me really happy.
I’m really proud of the products I make and you can be too!
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?
It has not been an easy road. I also own a service-based business and a product-based business is harder. It’s fun but it’s also time-consuming. Navigating the ins and outs of a commerce website, researching payment methods, integrating them, figuring out sales tax, and how to report it.
I designed all of the labels and promo items myself. I make everything in my kitchen and package it on a weekly basis. And then most of my income goes right back into buying more supplies and ingredients. As I get my name out there though, I know that will change.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Happy Shark, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The Happy Shark, LLC is a homemade spa product business using quality ingredients that help you relax and get back to being awesome!
I’m a solopreneur that was tired of seeing ingredients that I couldn’t pronounce on products I was using on a daily basis. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, can I make my own?’
I use natural, quality ingredients known to be amazing for your skin. I only use natural preservatives like vitamin e and I use essential oils to scent most of my products. I pride myself in creating an almost zero waste product because almost all of the containers can either be recycled or reused.
I can customize any of my products based on allergy preferences. Just contact me and I’ll see what I can substitute for you instead!
I offer free delivery in the Kansas City area. Just e-mail me your order to avoid shipping costs!
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I have always LOVED reading. My love for sharks started in 4th grade. When I had read most of the animal books in my tiny school library, I came across the shark section. I was shocked and fascinated. They were not the mindless eating machines portrayed in thousands of movies. They were 450 million-year-old predators that we still know very little about. How is this possible?
Shark Week on Discovery Channel has been running for 34 years strong and it’s my favorite week of the entire year. The other 51 weeks are just preparation. Celebrities and shark attack stories aside, they do have a lot of amazing research and discoveries to share with us as well!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thehappysharkllc.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thehappysharkco
- Facebook: facebook.com/thehappysharkco
