Meet Aubrey Lindsey

We recently connected with Aubrey Lindsey and have shared our conversation below.

Aubrey, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?

Being a small business owner in 2025 is not something I thought I would ever be. I went to college for biology and had a very different vision for what my life would be. I think that in today’s society it is difficult to be and remain a business owner for so many reasons. From finances to societal norms or government overreach to being able to keep your head up on hard days. We live in a time where things are fast-paced and 2-day or same day shipping is available for nearly everything we could think of. I operate a small (micro rather) soap and skincare company out of my home. I am a one woman show and wear every hat in my business. I simply can’t operate on the fast-paced life that corporations do. The craft of soap making is an old practice that takes planning, testing and patience.

A single bar of soap cures for 4-6 weeks before it is ready to be sold, so patience is truly important for a quality bar of soap. I bevel each edge of my soap, hand stamp each one, box and label – the entire works. I want the love to be felt in each bar.
I want everyone to be able to find even just a moment during the day where a simple shower routine can be like a reset button. A simple suds can be a glimmer of peace and happiness in your day. When customers make a purchase from me, I get to talk with them about their skincare needs. Sometimes we don’t talk about soap at all and we talk about our pets, or kids. I’ve sat and talked with customers about love and loss, tragedy and success. To me, the love of my small business comes from the connections I am able to make with people. Where we share time, something so valuable for today, together. That is what gives me hope and something to look forward too. It is a time where scrolling and consumerism can slow down – because I do not offer a fast-paced business. It is intentionally slow, thoughtful and soapy art. I stay optimistic because when the world is rapidly going around me and business models change, I have those who appreciate and seek out what I do. That will always mean more than I can put into words.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am the owner and maker at Ollie Lue Soap Co. LLC. Ollie Lue is a soap and skincare company based in Indiana, USA. I began officially in February 2021, but I have been making skincare for myself for 17 years due to my own deodorant allergy. I offer a wide variety of products with a focus on handmade soap and skincare. All of my products are dairy free and made in small batches. I offer dairy free due to my son’s severe dairy allergy. He is slowly improving with age, but when he was born it turned our world inside out and upside down on sorting through foods and skincare that may contain milk ingredients. Having a push to create skincare for my family made me appreciate what goes into what we put on our bodies so much more than I did before. I am intentional about what is used and always transparent about why I use certain ingredients.

I started with soap and body butters in my first year. That quickly expanded into skincare such as, lotion, face wash, serums, shampoo bars, scented rollers, magnesium lotion and spray, soy candles and more! I am now in 13 stores across Indiana and continuing to grow more. I am a proud member of Indiana Grown and Indiana Owned. These are two outstanding organizations that have helped me to grow more than I ever imagined possible. Although I do not have store front of my own, I do have a website and am actively working on a goal of shipping to all 50 states in the USA. You can shop at ollieluesoapco.com or visit any of the locations I am in! I am incredibly thankful for the journey that I am on and always grateful to see where the years take me.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three skills crucial for my small business are, time management, skincare formulation, and customer service. I have learned all skills from various jobs during my life, motherhood, making my own skincare for 17 years and even college.

Time management is a skill that everyone can use. I highly recommend writing down your tasks in a calendar. I also use my phone for notes. However, writing helps to record things to memory better and that has proven helpful to me! Skincare formulation is a skill that takes practice over time. Once you learn how certain ingredients behave in different temperatures or mixtures it helps on formulating anything you might want to create! Customer service is a must for a business, but also any person in day to day interactions. Learning how to talk with people while standing firm on your business rooted morals is very important. I have learned how to communicate with people in a professional setting over time from management roles and various retail positions.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I would love to collaborate with those who offer custom gift boxes, realtors, hospitals, gift shops and wedding venues! I love to create custom soaps for those who offer themed gift boxes. I have done two this year and also offered my own advent calendar. I had so much fun creating these soaps and I would love to do more!

Realtors always need a closing gift for their clients! I offer branded soaps that are in the shape of a house. They are perfect for that “welcome home” gift. These also would be great for gift boxes.

For hospitals I have done event soaps and custom branded candles and soaps for employee welcome baskets. I would love to work with more hospitals for custom branded items for their fundraiser events and employee baskets!

A lot of the stores that I am in are small business retail and one stop gift shops. I have a soft spot for these stores and always am looking to share my products with other locations!

I would love to get in touch with more wedding venues as a “recommended vendor” for bridal gifts. I offer bridal party and wedding favor soaps and candles, which make the perfect gift for a very special day!

To collaborate contact me through email at [email protected] or fill out a form on the website under “contact us” or “wholesale” via ollieluesoapco.com.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Aubrey Lindsey – Ollie Lue Soap Co. LLC

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Productivity
What do you do for self-care and what impact has it had on your effectiveness?

We asked some of the most productive entrepreneurs and creatives out there to open up

Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
How do you keep your creativity alive?

Keeping your creativity alive has always been a challenge, but in the era of work