Up and Coming is a new series profiling young entrepreneurs in Chattanooga. If you’d like to recommend a company or individual, email tips@chattarati.com
Working out of a barn in Athens that she renovated with the help of her mother, Jennifer Jack is creating beauty products that she says are good for the body—and the earth. Two and a half years after its first sale, her company, Good Fortune Soap, has expanded its distribution network to include numerous retail locations not only in Chattanooga, but as far away as California and Washington. Ms. Jack believes Good Fortune is poised for even bigger growth over the next twelve months.
With a staff of five part-time employees, and two interns, Good Fortune makes handcrafted soaps, body scrubs, massage oils, and lotions. According to Ms. Jack, the products are made with natural ingredients such as natural oils, bees wax, apricot seeds, oatmeal, and charcoal. The company also offers private label products, soap making classes, and parties for children and adults.
Ms. Jack says that Good Fortune's products are inspired by everyday life and the needs of everyday people like herself. "Simply, I make products I want to use. I appreciate products that are easy to use and understand, smell good—but not overly scented, and that are natural," she said.
Good Fortune is also focused on the environmental impact of its products. The company recycles and reuses incoming goods whenever possible, prints on post-consumer papers and uses natural cleaners in its studio.
"Thinking green is a way of life for us. After all, it's our duty to take care of this planet," she said. "Good Fortune supports clean and responsible living, while caring for each other and our beautiful earth. Our goal is to create less waste, consume less material, and use less energy."
While the recession means many shoppers are spending less per purchase, Ms. Jack believes that Good Fortune has an edge because shoppers are also thinking more about where their dollars go: "We are local, natural, and affordably priced so this economy has created a sense of loyalty to businesses like mine."
Ms. Jack was one of the first graduates of the SpringBoard program, and she is currently working with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center in Cleveland. She also admits to being more focused on people than numbers.
She said, "Money really isn't my strong point. The real reason I do what I do is Soap For Hope, a non-profit I started to help educate, empower, and enlighten at risk girls and women to start their own businesses and thrive—not just survive."
Ms. Jack believes that aspiring entrepreneurs, such as herself, have to be passionate and willing to work hard to find success:
"Listen to your gut, not the news or the people who love to tell you the number of businesses that fail," she said. "Go for it. Make friends and network. Two can accomplish more than one. Don't expect it to happen overnight. You're going to have to work at it more than you're probably even aware, so make sure you love it."
John Hawbaker
Allison on July 7, 2009
Awesome! I'm glad Good Fortune is getting some recognition--their products are INCREDIBLE, reasonably priced, and you get high quality and longevity with each one. Seriously! My husband's Irish Spring runs out twice as fast as one bar of GF...I'm trying to get him to switch! Congrats to Chattarati for a great spotlight on GF!
Jennifer Jack on July 8, 2009
Good Fortune's production may be in Athens, but Chattanooga is home. Local businesses such as Greenlife, Hair a Go Go, and the World Next Door Market keep Chattanooga stocked with Good Fortune. As for me, Jennifer Jack, I commute to Chattanooga every week.
Thanks for a great article Chattarati.