Eileen Backman shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Eileen, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day in the Woke Soap household starts way before the sun comes up. First thing? I make my iced espresso latte from BrewHollow Coffee Bar (my brand new business launched in 2024)! Once that caffeine hits, it’s straight into soap mode. Candles pouring, batches mixing, natural products curing, labels printing, and the whole tiny apartment smelling like a dream.
With 14K followers on Facebook, the orders come in nonstop now. Our days are full of packaging, shipping, answering messages, and running around town picking up supplies. It’s hectic, it’s busy, it’s loud, and it’s absolutely a blessing.
To be yall favorite soap dealer… that means everything to my babies & I. Thank you for riding with Woke Soap as we grow, expand, and build something beautiful for our family and our community!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Starr, and I’m the creator and owner of Woke Soap Apothecary — an Indigenous woman–owned brand that has grown into a full apothecary of handcrafted soaps, candles, herbal blends, diffusers, and wellness products. I started my business nearly a decade ago as a way to heal, create, and provide for my family, and it has grown into a community-supported brand with over 14K loyal followers across Turtle Island.
What makes Woke Soap unique is the heart, culture, and intention behind every product. I blend traditional ingredients, natural elements, and Indigenous teachings with modern artistry to create items that not only smell amazing but also carry meaning, grounding, and spiritual comfort. Everything is handmade in my home — from early morning soap batches to late-night candle pours — and every order is treated with the love and respect of ceremony.
In 2024, I expanded into my newest venture, BrewHollow Coffee Bar, a mobile specialty coffee brand inspired by my roots and my passion for creating experiences that feel warm, soulful, and unforgettable. Between both businesses, my household stays busy, creative, and blessed — packaging orders, vending at community events, and dreaming up new ways to share beauty, culture, and intention with the world.
Right now, I’m working on expanding Woke Soap into an even larger product line, offering more workshops, and building a space that honors Indigenous entrepreneurship, community, and the power of self-made success. My goal is to continue paving the way for future makers, showing that with heart, hustle, and cultural pride, you can create something powerful and lasting.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
A pastry chef. A cook. A creator with flour on my hands, flavor in my mind, and a heart full of dreams. I was someone who built beauty from scratch, trusted my craft, and poured love into everything I made, long before the world tried to label me.
That passion is still in me. It just evolved into soaps, candles, and a whole apothecary of creativity.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely. More than once. The most recent time was after feeling deeply betrayed having to rebuild myself while moving from Dallas back to South Dakota, and then again to Fargo, ND. I was carrying a broken heart, fighting depression and anxiety, and trying to survive the battles of life. Life felt heavy, confusing, and overwhelming. I’ve almost given up so many times… but every time, I chose to get back up, piece by piece. Those moments shaped my strength and made Woke Soap what it is today.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
They’d tell you my kids and my soap business mean everything to me. My children are my reason, my drive, and my softness. And Woke Soap is my passion, my purpose, and the legacy I’m building for them. Everything I do comes back to those two things, my family I created and the dream I’ve created with my own hands for them.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would stop working so hard and start spending more time with my kids and the people I love most. Every moment with them is precious, and I’d choose presence, laughter, and memories over stress and hustle. My family is my heart & that’s where my time would go.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.BuySoapNotDope.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wokesoap
