Daily Inspiration: Meet Dawn Abeyta Amber Rea Detwiler

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hunter’s Hope Soaps all started very simply. Our son Hunter, 17, is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and is intellectually disabled. His future after high school has always been a bit of an unknown for us. A few years ago, my daughter-in-law, Amber, and I were making some hand-crafted soaps and sugar scrubs for Christmas. Hunter came in to help and loved the process! We noticed right away that he loved being creative with scents and colors. He also stayed engaged with the projects and enjoyed seeing his finished creations! He definitely had a sense of achievement that was wonderful to witness. Amber is a speech-language pathologist and clinic director of a private speech and occupational therapy clinic (Straka Speech Castle Rock). She suggested that Hunter and his friends from his SSN (significant support needs) classroom could not only manage to make these bath and body products, but they would definitely benefit from the sensory and social process of it. It was then that we committed to Hunter’s Hope Soaps! It was amazing to see how engaged Hunter was in the soap-making process! Kiddos with developmental delays and disorders often have accompanying diagnoses, such as receptive and expressive language delays, social communication delays, attention difficulties, and sensory processing disorders. Following directions, socializing, and targeting fine motor and sensory processing skills are all therapeutic benefits of Hunter’s Hope Soaps. But at the end of the day, our main goal is facilitating friendships and connections while building a successful business!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We think kids and young adults with special needs are incredibly underestimated. They have A LOT of strengths, we have to find the right avenue to let them shine! When people hear that young adults with special needs create our products, they are usually shocked or delighted or combining the two. Beyond that, Amber and I both have full-time jobs, Hunter and his friends are in school, and some have other part-time jobs as well, making it sometimes difficult to get the kids together. But we believe in our mission. We are putting our ALL into really creating something long-lasting for these young adults. The idea is that Hunter’s Hope can continue after the kids all graduate high school and can grow into something of a full-time job. Many of these kids don’t have a set plan after high school; most are unable to go to college or enter the workforce right away. Hunter’s Hope is meant to be a bridge and an outlet when they are no longer receiving special education services through the school.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We are constantly evolving, experimenting and adding more products to our line. That’s so much fun! It’s where we get to be super creative, my favorite part! We added candles to the line in November 2018 and they are a hit! The dough bowls have just recently launched. One of our favorite things about the line is that every scent is named for a Colorado city. Hunter actually came up with that idea. For example, we have Grand Lake Grapefruit, Castle Rock Coconut Lime, La Junta Lemon, etc. over 40 different cities and scents. We love customizing these scents to be relevant to our home state. Many local stores and boutiques that sell our products really enjoy that individualized piece… in addition to the great mission. We are most proud of the comradery that the kids have developed. Our mission is all-inclusive, and we hope to grow and have an actual location where these young adults can come to work every day in a safe environment, get paid to do what they enjoy, and practice life skills would be the end goal. Ideally, we can add different therapies into the mix, such as occupational therapy, to continue to build their skills.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
You get out of it what you put into it. Honestly, we work a lot! Be prepared to be overwhelmed at times, but if you believe in your products and/or mission, it’s all worth it. You have to believe in what you’re doing! For us, developing something to help Hunter and his friends in their futures was a no brainer. Plus, we get to play around with our creative sides. The idea that this is something that is sustainable for Hunter’s future makes us happy!

Pricing:

• 4oz Candle- $6.95
• Soaps- $6.50
• Sugar Scrubs/Salts-$6.50
• Doughbowl- $36.00

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HuntersHopeSoaps
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntershopesoaps/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntersHopeSoaps