A La Porte County Life in the Spotlight: Daina Krueger

A lifelong resident of La Porte, Daina Krueger began making soaps out of her home 11 years ago. While she had worked in banking for 20 years, Krueger was searching for a career that would invite her to exercise her creativity and allow her time to help provide care for her first grandchild while her son was working full time and her daughter-in-law was finishing nursing school. What started as a soap-making hobby turned into a full-blown business.

“I gave them as gifts to people,” she said. “I had so much fun with it that I eventually turned it into a business.”

Krueger started Happy Frog Soap Company and sold her soaps at markets and online. Not long after she started the company, she diversified her product line to include candles, bath fizzies, body creams and most recently, cleaning products. Embracing this array of product offerings, she opened a brick-and-mortar store for Happy Frog in downtown La Porte. Krueger didn’t stop with Happy Frog Soap Company products: she expanded to include merchandise from local small businesses to fill the shop space and make positive connections with other small business owners.

“At Happy Frog, we have all sorts of bath, body, and home products that I make,” she said. “We also have many local artists and curators who sell their products at Happy Frog. These products can include jewelry, decor, houseplants, specialty food items, clothing, crystals, books, and art.  I was very fortunate to have the support of many other small business owners who helped me get to where I am today, and I wanted to do the same for other local small businesses.”

Krueger is very transparent with the ingredients in her cleaning, body, and home products. All items are high quality, thoughtfully curated, and small-batch. Not all products are required to label ingredients, but Krueger does it anyway.

“We’re very, very transparent,” she said. “We include every single ingredient.”

Krueger consistently remains open to new artisans and craft makers showcasing their products at Happy Frog. She created a page on her website for them to apply. 

“They would apply on our website at happyfrogshop219.com,” she said. “There is a membership application.”

While the physical brick-and-mortar store is open Wednesday through Sunday, Krueger works as an entrepreneur seven days a week to make products for her businesses. Happy Frog Soap Company products are available online at happyfrogsoapcompany.com. Customers can also find Happy Frog Soap Company products within the stores of its retail partners, Alley Kat’s Curiosity Shoppe in Valparaiso and Willow in Chesterton. 

Krueger’s daughter, Taylor, manages Happy Frog. She coordinates aspects of the marketing side of the business, such as social media and website content, and designs all of the labels and packaging at Happy Frog.

“My daughter, Taylor, has been working with me from the very beginning since she was 10 years old. She is 21 now, and we are truly a mother-daughter team. I absolutely could not run this business without her. I make the products and she handles everything else,” Krueger said. 

After growing her business and diversifying her product offerings, Krueger’s product that started it all is still her favorite to make.

“The soap remains my favorite product to make,” she said. 

By cultivating both business and art in the area through Happy Frog, Krueger has brought a unique offering to La Porte. Born and raised in the area, now as an adult, she pours the skills and talent she cultivated during her childhood in La Porte straight back into the community. She still finds time to spend with her family as well.

“I love spending time with my family,” she said. “I have three adult children and eight grandchildren. They all live in the area.”