I Might Be Making a Series of Terrible Business Decisions
It’s been a little quiet on social media lately.
Not because nothing is happening — quite the opposite. I’ve been deep in the less visible side of running Janni Bars… thinking, testing, questioning everything, and trying to figure out where I actually want to take this business next.
And in the process, I may have made a series of decisions that, from the outside, could look… questionable.
So I thought I’d share them.
Because if this all works, you’ll have seen it from the beginning.
And if it doesn’t… well, at least we’ll both know why.
1. I’m launching ROUND soap bars
From a production point of view, this is not a great idea.
Square bars are easier to make in bulk. They’re easier to cut, easier to cure, easier to store, and easier to ship efficiently. Everything about scaling says: keep them square.
But round bars just feel better right now.
They sit differently in your hand. They feel softer, more natural, more considered. They are going to complete my series in a whole new way. And at the end of the day, that experience matters more to me than shaving a bit of time off production.
So I’m doing it anyway.
2. I “reduced” my product range… and then added more
One of the most sensible decisions I made recently was cutting down my product catalogue.
It had grown too big, too fast. It was starting to feel messy, harder to manage, and probably harder for you to navigate too.
So I streamlined it.
And then immediately started developing a whole range of new products.
Not exactly textbook strategy.
But I have to follow my gut, if I am going to do this for a long time, I have to be creating things that I love and keep re-inventing myself.
Some of these will be launching as early as next week.
3. I’m planning a slightly unhinged soap range
This is the one I’m most excited about… and possibly the riskiest.
If you’re imagining a normal, neat collection of soap bars — think bigger.
Much bigger.
This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and it feels like the right moment to finally go for it. I’m not saying too much just yet, but it an idea I just could not walk away from, again.
So… is this smart or completely reckless?
Honestly, I don’t know yet.
Every part of “traditional” business advice would probably tell me to play it safer. Simplify further. Stick to what’s already working. Optimise, refine, repeat.
But that’s not really why I started this.
Janni Bars has always been about creating products that feel good to use, that fit into real life, and that I genuinely believe in — not just what looks best on paper.
So this is me leaning into that.
Taking a few risks. Trusting my instincts a bit more. And seeing where it leads.
What happens next
Some of these new products will start dropping very soon — as early as next week.
So if you’re curious to see whether this turns into a breakthrough… or a very well-documented series of mistakes, you’re in the right place.
We’ll find out together.