- Alaska Made
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We (Denali Dreams) were born from the dreams of two stay-at-home moms (Barb and Janie) who wanted to make a little extra money while raising their kids. With a pot, a wooden spoon and a worthy recipe, they started Denali Dreams Soap Co in their kitchen in 1997. Caitlin (That’s me!) began working for Denali Dreams in 2005, labeling lip balms. Through the years I learned the ins and outs of the business and bought the company in 2015. I was born and raised in Alaska and am always ready for an adventure, for a corny pun, or a good bowl of soup.
At Denali Dreams we love creating quality products that are good for you and your skin. It warms our hearts to know that a little piece of Alaska will go home with you, wherever in the world that may be. Despite our wide reach, we remain a small shop in the heart of Anchorage, where we make all our products by hand from start to finish. We’re a tight-knit crew that loves music, laughs, and most importantly: good smells. If you’re in town, feel free to stop by our little factory to say hi! We’d love to show you how we “make the dream”.
I get this question all the time and usually, I say whatever is currently in my shower/sink. I do have a soap I tend to go back to which is our signature soap, Denali Dreams. It's an orange spice and I call it a blanket in the shower. I love this bar because after being outside in the cold and when a blanket or a cup of tea doesn't warm the bones, I pop in the shower with this bar and I immediately feel the warmth. The cinnamon and clove are so comforting while the splash of orange lifts the spirits.
My story is a little different as I didn't start the company. I started working for the original owners when I was in high school. I started off labeling lip balms and over the next ten years, I learned the ins and outs of the business, cutting and grooming to making soap to managing the shop. In 2015, Barb and Janie were ready to retire and I was ready to carry on the dream. I've been crafting at Denali Dreams for 17 years and look forward to what the next 17 years have to offer.
Traveling! Whether that's up the street to a trailhead or across the world to eat a big bowl of Pho, explore the beaches of Thailand, or raft the icy cold water of Alaska, getting out to see what the world has to offer is a breath of fresh air and a reset button.
Take the next step. Each step will add up to opening your own small business. It can be overwhelming to look at the big picture of all the things you need to get done, so start small and then it doesn't seem so bad. Think of it as a marathon, you aren't going to go out tomorrow and run a marathon without training (maybe you will but it's going to hurt down the road), business is the same. It's all about the long haul and business is just that. So don't try and sprint because you'll run out of steam.
“One more piece of advice that I've found helpful is to surround yourself with people who are good at what they do. Play to your strengths and get help for the stuff you don't like doing or aren't good at. You will thank yourself later.”
Some Fun Facts about Denali Dreams & Caitlin:
We are grateful to carry such incredible work from artists with big hearts and burning passions here at Forests, Tides & Treasures, and consider many of them family. Thank you to Caitlin for interviewing with us and revealing her love of both S-O-A-P and S-O-U-P. It is our goal at FTT to bridge the gap between our vendors and consumers and embrace the humanity that we all share. After all, we are better together.
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