Saltwater once clung to her boots; now the scent of clean ingredients lingers on her hands. The journey doesn’t end when the uniform comes off. The sense of duty, camaraderie, and desire to serve stays with her long after military life is over. For Shea La Sage, over 20 years in the Coast Guard built a strong sense of responsibility that still shapes who she is. Starting Semper Suds wasn’t just about launching a business; it became her new way of serving.  

Anchored in Service 

Shea served 21.5 years in the Coast Guard, including nine years enforcing maritime law at sea. Later, she was assigned to a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), where her daily work was characterized by responsibility, silence, and strict adherence to secrecy. 

Military service often brings hidden burdens. For Shea, those burdens became especially real after she left the military. Those experiences showed her the darker sides of humanity and left her with mental, emotional, and physical strain that built over time. The weight stayed with her long after she took off the uniform. 

Even in the heaviness, there was resilience. The same strength that carried her through long nights and high-stakes missions also gave her the courage to heal. While the weight did not disappear overnight, it has begun to shift. Reminders that the darkness still linger, but that will not define the next chapter. 

Finding Support and Healing 

After years of carrying the burdens of service, she knew that she needed something different—something that could bring her peace. That shift began with the support of her husband, Timothy La Sage, a US Marine Corps First Sergeant, and their loyal dogs, Bane and Gideon.  

Tim understood the weight that she carried in a way that few others could. Having served himself, he recognized the quiet strain that lingers after the uniform comes off. They shared experiences in the military that created a bond that was built on mutual respect, resilience, and faith. They spoke the same language of service, sacrifice, and commitment. In the moment when Shea was overwhelmed, Tim offers not only encouragement but understanding.  

Bane and Gideon brought a different kind of healing. Their loyalty was simple and constant. The long walks, getting up when they needed to go out outside, and the comfort of a dog lying at her feet were small but a reminder that peace could exist in the simple moments.  

Her healing began at home, long before she realized it. When Bane started struggling with allergies, her instinct to care for him deepened her commitment to creating a healthier environment. She began looking more closely at the ingredients in the products she used on Bane, on herself, and in her home. That is how Semper Suds was created. When it began as a search for answers, it led her to an unexpected place: soapmaking.

The Birth of Semper Suds 

When she started creating a solution for Bane, it gradually evolved into a business idea. She discovered that soapmaking brought her a sense of calm and creativity, it became a form of therapy. Shea also learned valuable skills as she built her business, including patience, math, time management, and planning. 

“There’s math involved. There’s time involved,” she says. “It takes planning.” 

She learned that providing good service requires resilience. Mistakes can happen, and batches of soap do not always turn out perfectly. She embraced the belief that mistakes are part of the process, knowing the product would still be used and valued.  

The name Semper Suds references both her Coast Guard service and her husband’s Marine Corps service. For the Marine, it nods to the “Semper Fi” motto (Always Faithful) and the Coast Guard “Semper Paratus” motto (Always Ready) that shaped their lives and continues to guide them. 

Through Semper Suds, she continues to live a life of service. She is now offering soaps for human and pet use.  Each bar of soap is formulated with carefully quality-selected ingredients. For pets like Bane, she wants the ingredients chosen with sensitivity in mind.  As she put it, making soap “brings her happiness in the shower.” Each bar is created with the same sense of care, integrity, and commitment that defined her military career. 

Giving Back to the Veteran Community 

Service has always remained the heart of Semper Suds and Shea’s life. As she continues to grow her business, she wants to support the veteran community.  She started to donate 10 percent of every purchase to carefully vetted veteran nonprofits as a way to give back. Some of these organizations supported her and her family after leaving the military, including Fisher House Foundation, Sierra Delta, and Pin-Ups for Vets. 

Some of the organizations were there for her family and her furry family during the transition to civilian life. Others helped her reconnect with herself after military service.  

“We appreciate them,” Shea says. “We want to take care of them.” 

As a woman veteran and business owner, Shea’s journey reflects a form of leadership that is both strong and deeply empathetic. Her story highlights the resilience of women who serve, the strength they carry, and the many ways their leadership continues long after their military service ends. 

What if more veterans saw their next chapter not as an ending, but as an evolution? Shea’s story shows that healing can begin with something simple as an act of love to care for someone. She began with her love for Bane. From that love grew a new chapter, becoming a business owner.  

To the veterans reading this, your story is not over. The skills you built, the strength you carry, and the resilience you earned still matter. Follow the things that bring you to your peace. Invest in the relationships that steady you. When you leave the military it might feel like your last, but your next chapter can be rooted in service, purpose, and impact. 

If Shea’s story inspired you, you can support her veteran-owned business by trying Semper Suds. To purchase soaps for you or your pet, message her on Facebook, Instagram, or email sempersudsduo@gmail.com. Semper Suds products are also available locally at Pine Hill Farm, The Herbal Key Apothecary, and Bella Vici Hair Studio in Wisconsin.