While most children in their early teens spend their weekends meeting friends and having fun, Nahoon’s Amy de Bruyn is carefully pouring, moulding and curing batches of handcrafted soap, building a business that is already turning heads at local markets.
The grade 8 Stirling pupil has transformed a small opportunity into a growing enterprise, producing 100% natural, vegan-friendly soaps made with essential oils such as lavender, which is known for its therapeutic properties.
Amy’s enterprise began when family friends, twin sisters, Eva and Alexis Lessing left for university last year.
The twins had been making and selling soaps themselves, and when they moved on, Amy saw her chance.
“I asked if I could take it over,” Amy said.
“They taught me how to make soap, and now I’m teaching myself new products like bath bombs and car diffusers.”
Her first market in March marked the official beginning of her entrepreneurial adventure.
“I was so happy and excited when someone bought my soap for the first time,” she said.
Each batch takes about an hour to prepare, but patience is key. The soaps must cure for two to four weeks before they are ready for sale.
“The longer they cure, the more foamy they are.”
Amy said vanilla was her personal favourite scent.
Her products have steadily gained loyal supporters, including one regular customer who purchases ten soaps at a time and refers others to her stall when she participates at local markets.
But it is her specialty event soaps that have set her apart.
After a suggestion from a family friend, Amy began crafting delicate bootie-shaped soaps for baby showers, and now also offers options for bridal showers.
“I don’t just want it to be something on a shopping list. I want it to be for a special event,” she said.
Behind every young entrepreneur is a strong support system, and Amy’s mother, Carol, says she realised her daughter was serious when she asked to set up outside their family Gas SA Shop on Saturdays to sell her products.
“That’s when I knew she had a plan,” said Carol.
Carol assists Amy with gazebo set-ups at flea markets, stock orders and payments, but said the business drive belonged to her determined daughter.
“Amy sources her products, she does her marketing and she’s developed a strong financial understanding.
“What surprises me most is her confidence. When she sells, she explains the benefits of the ingredients she uses so naturally.”
Balancing school and business has not always been easy.
“It is quite difficult,” Amy said.
However, there is one clear rule at home: academics come first.
Soap-making is limited to weekends and school holidays, a discipline that Carol believes is teaching her daughter valuable life skills. “She’s learning responsibility and commitment. I would tell other parents embrace it, encourage it and most of all support it.”
Amy said entrepreneurship had been an eye-opening experience.
“It’s not for the weak. I’ve learnt responsibility, and that there’s always room for improvement.”
Looking ahead, her ambitions stretch far beyond the market stall.
“I would like to have an actual shop,” she said.
Nicole Jean Suttie, from Border Cater Hire and Skinny G Productions, said she worked with Amy for one of her food festivals in March last year.
It was her first time collaborating with a school- going vendor.
“I decided to take a chance and see how it would go.
“It was rather a chaotic set up with a change in weather, a cramped space and early arrivals of patrons,” Suttie said.
“I was super impressed by Amy’s attitude, enthusiasm and energy throughout the evening.”
Suttie said it was a long night for the young vendor but “she held her own”.
“I was an inspiring young entrepreneur with lots of big ideas from a young age and with the help of my family I got to test out my dreams and failures.
“I commend her family for supporting her and look forward to see where our young soap vendor goes!”
Rozanne Moss, Amy’s grade 7 teacher, said the young pupil loved life with an infectious energy.
“She loves her family, her school, and friends,” Moss said.
“What stands out about Amy is she is able to communicate and interact with young and old.
“She takes the time to make one feel valued and listened to.”
At the school’s Entrepreneur’s Day held across various grades, pupils seize a chance to sell their wares.
“They learn about handling money, profit, and loss,” said Moss.
“Amy was always very humble about her soap business. She would mention the various markets she would attend over the weekend during Monday news, and she would also gift teachers with her soaps.” Whether Amy’s dream grows into a full-scale soap brand or opens doors to future ventures, one thing is already certain in a world where many young people are still discovering their path — she is confidently creating her own, one carefully cured bar at a time.
