Today we’d like to introduce you to Deanna Outsen.
Hi Deanna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Back in 2002, The Spirit Goat unexpectedly bloomed into business after the founder experimented in her home kitchen to create just the right soap and lotion that would cleanse, nourish, and moisturize her babies’ skin without irritation. It seemed others, young and old, were also in need of these gentle products.
From home kitchen to an adorable boutique-style store (complete with a working kitchen visible in the back), The Spirit Goat is thriving today under the ownership and management of Deanna Outsen and daughter Sydney. Their journey with the business started long before ownership—Sydney began helping out at just 11 years old, spending Saturdays at the Gardeners’ Market learning the ropes. Deanna joined The Spirit Goat in 2008, working closely with the founder and immersing herself in every aspect of the business.
Now at the helm, this dedicated mother-daughter team brings a mix of experience, passion, and fresh ideas. They’re committed to keeping The Spirit Goat inventive and growing, while staying true to the values that built the brand. With their leadership, the future looks bright for this beloved local business.
The Spirit Goat has spent years researching, formulating, developing, and yes … growing! They offer a selection of goat’s milk products including soap, lotion, and body cream. They cater to those with skin sensitivities, along with helping our environment by providing plastic-free products and a successful refill program to reduce landfill. Handmade in small batches, they offer a wide variety of plant-based products for face, body, sensitive skin, babies, men, home, plus so much more! The Spirit Goat’s store-front is the perfect one-stop shop for those looking for natural skin care, gifts for anyone, custom-made products and everything in between. They have created a strong online presence, shipping everywhere in the United States with loyal customers from all over the country. Since 2021, The Spirit Goat has been nominated and voted Best Boutique Shop in Best of Northern Utah. Throughout the years, they have added on a few more categories! They have been voted Best Health & Wellness Products along with Best Place to Buy a Gift. They truly value each and every customer and wouldn’t be where they are today without their support!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Overall, since Deanna took over the business in 2018 it has been smooth sailing! We made minimal changes to keep the feeling of The Spirit Goat the same to all our customers. Most of the changes took place in our policies and procedures along with fostering a positive and rewarding workplace culture for all our employees.
Like a lot of other small businesses, Covid-19 years were our toughest times. We were constantly adapting to ensure our employees and customers stayed safe, along with substituting our containers and some ingredients due to supply chain issues. Luckily, a lot of people needed better quality soap that wouldn’t dry out their hands, so more customers were able to discover our products. We were also able to keep our entire team employed by working closely with them to ensure safe operations during the lockdown with no cutbacks in staffing.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our business was built on creating products for all skin types, especially those with sensitive skin. We take pride in formulating each recipe with care and using the best quality ingredients. We specialize in knowing the benefits of each ingredient in all of our products, using that knowledge to help each customer find the perfect skin care routine and best items for their skin. Our company prioritizes keeping our products affordable while staying top-of-the-line with ingredients and final product. We want to make sure people can afford skin-safe products that won’t cause skin reactions.
We’re passionate about continuously creating and producing unique scents, products, and ideas. In addition to our regular lineup of bestsellers, we showcase seasonally inspired collections that change each month, offering something fresh and exciting to explore. Our goal is to give customers new experiences while keeping their all-time favorites available year-round. With a fully visible working kitchen inside our brick-and-mortar store, we take pride in being transparent—so you can see exactly what goes into every product as it’s made.
We are most proud of our Purchase with Purpose program. All proceeds from each soap bar we sell go directly to the organization of that bar. We offer two year-round soap bars for CAPSA (a non-profit domestic violence, sexual abuse, & rape recovery center serving Cache & Bear Lake areas; providing support service for men, women, & children impacted by abuse) and Williams Syndrome Association (an organization that works hard to advance the interests of all individuals with Williams Syndrome throughout their lifespan; providing programming, resources, research, partnerships & connections). Along with those two, we do a monthly Purchase with Purpose 1/2 bar that support local or national charities chosen by customers and employees. Scents are inspired by each individual charity.
We want to give back to the community that has given us so much!
Pricing:
- $5.85 -4.3 oz Soap (full bar)
- $6.50 -Magnesium Deodorant
- $12.50 -8oz. lotion
- $17.75 -Hydrating Renewal Serum (with Hyaluronic Acid & Collagen)
- $8.00 -Cracked Heel Repair
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.spiritgoat.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespiritgoat
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSpiritGoat
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thespiritgoatsoap
