The Surprising Path from Kitchen-Table Hobby to Business Success

May 8, 2019

If taking your favorite hobby and turning it into a business feels impossible, it’s not—and I have an amazing story to prove it to you.

She went from a teen mom making soap at her kitchen table to the owner of several multi-million dollar boutique brands—and she did it all with a sense of humor, style and grace that I’m just in awe of.

On today’s episode, you get to meet my friend Charlene Simon and hear the secret to what makes her businesses so successful (it’s not her products!), how she’s honed her ability to listen to her gut, and how YOU can monetize your creative hobby.

How her kitchen table hobby became a multi-million dollar business
The crazy thing that happens when she knew that soapmaking was her destiny
How she learned how to make soap without youtube tutorials
How you can monetize your creative hobby
How she includes her kids in the family business
What happened when she entered in a Mrs. Arkansas pageant
How she bounced back from a public failure

What I love about Charlene is just how authentic she is. This woman is the real deal: She is still as passionate about soap-making as she was as a 19-year-old, she has three amazing kids who work in the family business, and she knows how to follow her intuition without second-guessing herself. Her confidence is contagious! (Speaking of which, click here to download my guide to Cultivating Confidence from the Inside Out!)

I had so much fun creating this episode, and I think you’ll have just as much fun listening to it. You won’t want to miss Charlene’s crazy stories—from her courthouse wedding to how she ended up on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. (Yes, really!)

Check out Charlene’s boutiques Bathhouse Soapery , Fat Bottomed Girl’s Cupcakes, and Evilo!

And you can listen to this episode on iTunes, Spotify and Google Play.

"Coaching with Elle has given a brand new perspective, and I always look forward to our sessions. She tells me what I need to hear and guides me to find root problems and become more flexible. Now, I’ve filled the gaps in my leadership style so that I can be the leader my people need."

— Stacy Vorhees, Owner/Operator - McDonald's Corporation