Today we’re excited to be connecting with Michael Carbaugh again. If you haven’t already, we suggest you check out our prior conversation with them here.
Michael, we are so thrilled to be connecting again and can’t wait to hear about all the amazing things you have been up to. Before we jump into all of that, some of our readers might have missed our prior interview, so can you take a moment to reintroduce yourself?
I’m Michael- founder of SANDOVAL, a collection of hand made natural aromatic mists and incense. What makes SANDOVAL stand out : Hand Made, Founder owned and operated, 100% natural ingredients, vegan, alcohol free, Versatility- use for the room, the bed, the jeans, the dog bed, the car, the closet, the bathroom, the kitchen, the sofa etc…
Awesome, so we reached out because we wanted to hear all about what you have been up to since we last connected.
2024 wrapped up nicely- it was surprise how busy things were during the Holiday season -always grateful when that happens!
Moving forward, just trying to be as prepared as possible. Starting to work with a couple new factories to produce the glassware for the collection, excited and nervous about that lol! It’s a tedious process and can be quite unpredictable- but fingers crossed! We rarely hear about small product based businesses and their challenges with packaging- It is real! It’s a consistent challenge and vulnerability that all product based businesses face.
Over the past years I’ve worked with 2 great factories located in LA that have both gone out of business, it’s a reflection of changes in demand for US produced goods, despite high freight costs, people are still getting their packaging done in Asia. Having things produced in the US allows for smaller order quantities, which works great for a small business like mine, and supports US companies. Some packaging design shifts might need to happen to keep costs manageable. I’d rather make changes to the packaging, and maintain the quality of the actual product- the essential oils, the ingredients etc…
I’ve recently been inspired by spending time in the desert, and have a new incense in development and a new mist! Very excited about this and hope to launch them in the next few months. Stay tuned- Jump on the mailing list on the website and be the first to know about launches and our insider 30% off sales that I run periodically!
We have now arrived at one of our favorite parts of the interview – the lightning round. We’ll ask you a few quick questions to give us all some fun insights about you.
- Favorite Movie: American Gigolo
- Favorite Book: To Kill A Mockingbird
- Favorite TV Show: Madmen
- Favorite Band or Artist: The Cure
- Sweet or Savory: Both- One after the other = Balance
- Mountains or Beach: Beach
- Favorite Sport (to watch): Tennis
- Favorite Sport (to play): Tennis
- Did you play sports growing up (if so which ones): Tennis
- As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up: An Architect ( for my family), but really a Solid Gold Dancer
- French Fries or Onion Rings: French Fries
- Chuck Rhodes or Bobby Axelrod: Gordon Gekko
- Favorite Cartoon growing up: The Smurfs
- Favorite Childhood movie: Amadeus
- Favorite Breakfast Food: Pancakes
What would the perfect day look like for you? Please give us as many details as possible.
A perfect day=
A tea on the patio in the morning
A walk on the beach
The perfect slice of pizza
Making someone smile or laugh
Learning something
Teaching something
Smelling nature
Watching a beautiful sunset
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.studiosandoval.com
- Instagram: @studiosandoval
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcarbaughdesign/
Image Credits
Portait Image: Peter Stanglmayr
Product Images: Collette McGruder
