Daily Inspiration: Meet Dani Shirey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dani Shirey.

Hi Dani, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I found my passion just as much as my passion found me during my early years at Youngstown State University. 

As a group project for a class, we had to write a business plan for a business we created. We came up with the idea that we should do a soap and candle company. 

My classmate already made candles, so she had that area covered. I went out and bought a mold and some soap base to make some soaps for our presentation. I never looked back from there. I started making soaps and opened an Etsy shop that was full of beautiful novelty soaps for different occasions, filled with bright colors and fun fragrances. I sold headstones for Halloween, starfish for the summertime, and so much more. 

For a full-time college student who was also working part-time, my shop was doing quite well. After about five years, I no longer wanted to focus on novelty soaps and decided to completely rebrand my business. I wanted a more wholesome and natural look to my products, so I sold off all of my novelty molds and supplies and started developing on my new idea. 

After countless hours of research, development, and self-evaluation, I was finally ready to launch my new business. I debuted Gypsy Women Soap Co on November 14th, 2015. The business has continued to grow and expand since the launch, and I was very happy. 

In April of 2023, I rebranded to Twisted Raven Apothecary because I wanted to encompass so much more of my product line in the name, and I felt like I had outgrown the old name. Twisted Raven Apothecary is something that is so special to me, and I feel such a sense of pride whenever I am selling or talking about my products. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Rashida Rowe said, “The road to success is paved with failures” and in some instances that has been true while developing my business. 

As I mentioned, I completely rebranded a previously well-operating business, which was a huge gamble. I lost some customers along the way because the new products did not fit what they wanted. However, I gained many loyal new customers with Gypsy Women Soap Co. and even more with Twisted Raven Apothecary while still retaining my previous customers. 

I have had some people tell me that my business will not make it and it will be nothing more than a hobby. I struggled to believe in myself and continue chasing my dream, but I never gave up, and I am growing and thriving. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Twisted Raven Apothecary creates vegan hand-crafted soaps and apothecary items, which is my specialty. All of the products at Twisted Raven Apothecary are handcrafted with all-natural and locally sourced ingredients. The soaps are made through the hand milling process, and all of the products are created in small batches to ensure the best possible product. In addition to the small-batch, hand milling process and high product quality standards, I also devote a great deal of time and attention to sustainability. 

Twisted Raven Apothecary is a business that is dedicated to sustainability. From curation to shipping, sustainability is included in every single step of the process and is part of the mission and values of Twisted Raven Apothecary. All of the products at Twisted Raven Apothecary are packaged in recycled, recyclable, or compostable packaging. All of the shipping materials are recycled from previous shipments that I have received, and the mailers are 100% recyclable. 

I grow as many of my herbs and ingredients at home as I can so I can ensure the highest quality ingredients for my products and my customers. I am planning on expanding my garden this spring so I can grow even more of my ingredients. I make my compost which includes our kitchen scraps but also has any unusable soap labels. My compost feeds my garden, which helps everything come full circle from garden to product to packaging to compost and then back to the garden again. 

Many aspects of Twisted Raven Apothecary set me apart from others. Twisted Raven Apothecary is an honest and ethical business that focuses on sustainable business practices. I believe in giving my customers what they want, so I use customer engagement in the development and improvement of products. I frequently evaluate my inventory to see what is selling and what is not and ask my customers how I can improve those underperforming products. 

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I am always grateful for my customers who help my business continue to grow and expand. Without my customers, I would not have the business that I do right now, and I am forever grateful for that. 

I have so many wonderful friends who support my business and are always telling so many people about my products and gifting them to other people. I can never thank them enough for not only supporting me but also my business and my dream. I love hearing from new customers that they heard about me from one of my close friends or were gifted my products and just had to buy more. It warms my heart to know that I have been blessed with such supporting and loving friends. 

My family has been supporting my business since it was just a college project. They truly have been with me since day 1 and they are always supporting, encouraging, and motivating me to improve and evolve. My parents and my sister are some of my biggest cheerleaders by sharing my products with people and sharing my social media posts with the world. My family means so much to me for countless reasons, but their support of my little dream is truly the best feeling in the world. I cannot wait until the day I can tell them that Twisted Raven Apothecary is my full-time job. 

Finally, my husband, Adam, is by far my biggest supporter. He is always encouraging me to keep following my dream and to never stop believing in myself. He has given up countless weekends and evenings to work with me at markets and events when he could have been relaxing at home instead of outside in the elements, selling soaps. He is always by my side whenever I need him and never complains about the situation at hand. He is always the first to celebrate a victory with me and the first to comfort me about a failure. He has given so much time to helping me follow and reach my dreams that I cannot wait to make him so proud one day soon. 

Pricing:

• Lip Balms $3
• Bar Soap $6
• Facial and Beard Oil $12
• Body Scrubs $12
• Herbal Salve $12

Contact Info:

• Website: www.twistedravenapothecary.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/twistedravenapothecary
• Facebook: facebook.com/twistedravenapothecary