My Digital Farmer Podcast – Episode 350

"Lessons from a Handmade Goat Soap Business"

Guest: Alan Laird, Hooves and Feathers
Host: Corinna Bench
Date: February 25, 2026

Episode Overview

In this value-packed episode, Corinna Bench interviews Alan Laird, retired law enforcement officer turned sustainable farmer and the founder of Hooves and Feathers, a direct-to-consumer handmade goat milk soap business based in Idaho. The episode delves into the origin of his farm, the evolution of the goat milk soap venture, and the marketing strategies that shaped his growing business. Alan’s story highlights the practical journey from hobby production for family use to a thriving, brand-driven microbusiness—with actionable lessons for any farm-based entrepreneur.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Backstory: From Retirement to Farm Business

• Alan’s Transition: After 46 years in public safety, Alan returned to his farm roots with his wife Sue, managing cattle, hogs, poultry, and sustainable pastures in Idaho. What began as a step toward retirement fun quickly evolved into a new, busier phase of work (06:38–09:00).
  • Quote: "As soon as you jump into running your own life... you work harder than you did when you were working." – Alan (06:55)
• Discovery of Goat Milk Soap: The business emerged out of necessity—using byproduct lard from home-raised hogs, sparked by a family need for effective, healthy skincare products (daughters with skin issues, personal health goals). (09:20–10:44)
  • Quote: “We had to do something with all the fat… and I had a daughter who had skin issues… so we started to research how to take care of them.” – Alan (08:40)

2. Development of the Product Line

• Started with a “Plain Jane” basic bar, using minimal ingredients—goat milk, lard, coconut oil, olive oil, and lye—following expert advice to avoid complexity at the outset. (12:17–13:57)
  • Quote: "When you're working on trying to solve people's problems, you need to not add a whole bunch of extra things into it." – Alan (12:39)
• Early product validation happened through family and friends. Positive word of mouth led to broader demand and iterative product development—e.g., facial bars with activated charcoal and clay, custom scents for men, and more. (14:24–17:29)
  • Quote: "Our customers were driving the product development, really." – Corinna (17:29)
  • Quote: “If you get it into their hand, you’ve got a sale.” – Alan (32:32)
• Sourcing recipes and best practices: Alan learned through online goat milk soap groups and followed the advice to test and scale carefully (13:18–13:57).

3. Transition from Hobby to Business

• The move from gifting to selling was driven by increasing demand (“You can only give away stuff for so long before you have to charge”).
• The business officially pivoted to selling soap two years prior to the podcast (10:19–10:40).

4. The Marketing Journey: Building the Sales Funnel

Customer Journey

• First Touch: Nearly all customers are initially friends/family or word-of-mouth referrals, often prompted by health issues like eczema or acne. (29:30–30:41)
• Product Sampling: At in-person events (bazaars/farmers markets), Alan’s “alphabetical sniff test” method leads customers to engage with the product physically—significantly increasing the chance of a sale. He encourages handling and sniffing bars, using coffee grounds as a palate cleanser, mimicking the wine-tasting approach (32:32–33:31).

Offers and Product Ladder

• Entry Product ("Starter Box"): A low-barrier entry point containing soap samples, a soap dish, a soap saver mesh bag, and a coupon for a future purchase. The box is designed to introduce new customers to the product suite while solving common problems (melting/dissolving soap, how to use small pieces, etc.). (35:12–42:18)
• Variety & Value Offers: Discounts on bundles (e.g., buy 6 bars for a reduced price), ongoing “loss leader” items to encourage first-time buyers, and special offers at events.
  • Quote: "If they gather up six bars of soap... I give them a deal—that says, hey, it's only going to cost you $25... you should see the look in their eyes, the twinkle that says, hey, I just got a deal." – Alan (34:15)
• Subscriber/VIP Program: Many regulars buy a six-bar box monthly. VIPs and loyalists are rewarded at holidays with thank-you gifts and small surprises (e.g., coffee mugs).

Email & List-Building Strategy

• Alan uses lead magnets, order forms at events, and raffle sign-ups to grow his email list (up to ~700 contacts). He then nurtures new leads with a trickle email sequence introducing the farm story, the animals, and finally the product. (45:54–48:51)

  • Quote: “Welcome to our farm, welcome to our family… it’s set up as a novel… we don’t talk about soap until… the lard turns into soap.” – Alan (47:30)

• Email Frequency: He avoids overloading, sending monthly or bi-monthly updates, product launches, and event notifications, with separate broadcast lists for locals and non-locals. (48:53–52:21)

In-Person Events as a Funnel

• Alan prefers bazaars and select farmers markets (which allow flexible attendance) as low-stress, high-return ways to meet the right audience without overcommitting post-retirement. (31:11–31:29)
• At events, each order comes with extra business cards for virality. He captures emails with a soap box raffle (45:27–45:54).

5. Product & Inventory Management

• Production Planning: Soap requires a 6-week curing time ("the manufacturing pipeline"), so Alan encountered early challenges when his first event wiped out his entire stock. He learned to stagger batches and involve help (grandson as apprentice). (19:29–21:43)
• Variety: Hooves and Feathers offers ~78 scents, organized for easy store navigation by scent type (wood, floral, spice) both online and at events. Categories and curation play a crucial role in preventing customer overwhelm and boosting sales. (59:10–61:07)
  • Quote: "You become...the curator of those items. You have to help your customer organize it. You'll see greater sales as a result." – Corinna (60:26)

6. Classic Marketing & Brand Lessons

• Solving Real Customer Problems: Prioritized addressing actual needs (eczema, acne, natural skin care) while later identifying desires around gifting and self-care/luxury. (24:06–29:04)
• Elevated Status: The soap isn't just for skin; it's about lifestyle, gifting, and self-image ("It says something about you as a person; I value quality..."). (28:45)
• Iterative Development: Product innovations stem from attentive listening to customers, both in-person and via email comments.
• Customer Feedback Loops: Adding new products and categories based on customer requests—i.e., small guest soaps, masculine scents, new packaging ideas.
• Standing Out: The starter box experience—premium packaging, hand-written notes, small bonuses—creates shareable delight and encourages repeat business. (36:01–42:18)
• List Growth: Smart use of raffles, sample giveaways, and thoughtful lead magnets powers email list growth at events and online. (45:27–46:00)
• Marketing School Value: Alan credits learning about customer journeys, value ladders, and digital marketing with transforming his business from hobby to sustainable revenue source.
  • Quote: "If you just wait for people to come to your door, they're probably going to go somewhere else." – Alan (69:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Retirement and Entrepreneurship
  “You work harder than you did when you were working.” – Alan (06:55)
• Why a Basic Product First?
  “When you're working on trying to solve people's problems, you need to not add a whole bunch of extra things into it.” – Alan (12:39)
• On Learning and Saving Time
  “She just basically handed you the framework. Right? Like here. Right. That's just brilliant.” – Corinna (13:57)
• Physical Tactics at Events
  “All you got to do as a salesman is say, ‘smells are free.’ And they're alphabetized... If you can get [the soap] in their hand you got a sale.” – Alan (32:32)
• On Customer-Driven Innovation
  “Our customers were driving the product development, really.” – Corinna (17:29)
• VIP Customers as Evangelists
  “They're the ones that are...word of mouth advertising for me. So I don't pay for anything as advertising, but I don't, I don't really need to.” – Alan (17:33)
• Starter Box as Habit Builder
  “It is designed to get you to come back for the next bar. Next box, next order...” – Alan (39:53)
• On Prioritization as a Small Producer
  “Don’t give up...you need to prioritize what you are doing so that you can be in charge of marketing your product.” – Alan (69:18)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Alan’s Backstory & Farm Origins: 06:00–10:44
• Early Product Development & Lessons: 12:17–17:00
• Pain Points & Initial Learnings: 19:29–21:43
• Solving Real Problems (Skin/Health): 24:06–29:04
• Customer Journey & In-person Selling Techniques: 29:30–34:15
• The Starter Box (Unboxing and Intent): 35:12–42:18
• Pricing, Quantities, and Subscription Mindset: 43:11–44:18
• List-building Strategies (Events, Email, Raffles): 45:27–48:51
• Marketing Communication: Email Strategy & Segmentation: 48:53–52:21
• Iterative Product & Inventory Management: 55:45–58:18
• Store Experience/Inventory Curation: 59:10–61:07
• Lessons from Marketing School & Final Advice: 65:31–69:49

Final Takeaways & Lessons for Listeners

• Don’t Overcomplicate Early: Start with a minimum viable product and validate with close contacts before expanding.
• Turn Buyers into Habitual Customers: Use offers, bundles, loyalty rewards, and an easy start experience (“starter box”) to encourage return visits and higher customer lifetime value.
• Let Your Customers Steer Development: Regular feedback creates organic growth and strong brand loyalty.
• Use Simple, Authentic Marketing: Word of mouth, thoughtful list growth, and generous sampling drive organic sales—without big ad budgets.
• Email List is Everything: Capture every warm lead, nurture with personalized, story-driven emails, and use simple automations to streamline.
• Continuously Learn: Alan highlights how even experienced business owners need new marketing frameworks for the digital age—and how training resources or peer groups can fill those gaps.

Where to Learn More:
Visit hoovesandfeathers.com

Learn more about farm marketing at: mydigitalfarmer.com

This episode is a practical, step-by-step illustration of evolving a microbusiness into a mature direct-to-consumer brand—with invaluable advice for any small producer seeking to clarify their product offering, elevate their customer journey, and master modern marketing skills.