Meet Nora Schaper | Nora is an Eco-preneur and a co-founder of HiBAR, the world’s first salon-quality, plastic-free hair care.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nora Schaper and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nora, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
I have a print out of an article that my dad shared with me many years ago written by Stewart R. Segall. My dad was a successful entrepreneur and big into self-help guides, quotes and business books. He shared a list of “10 Proven Ways to Get Along Better with Everyone” that I keep in my office and refer to regularly. I’ve learned that building a business takes a lot of relationship building as well. I find that no matter how many times I have read and reread the 10 tips, the list always offers a spark of enlightenment when reviewed anew. It reminds me to give people the benefit of the doubt, not to take things personally, listening with an open mind, and finding a sense of humor even when times are tough. I like it because it reminds me of my dad, it is relevant and helpful, and it really does improve relations, at least my perspective on them. I can share the article, if you’d like.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
HiBAR created the world’s first salon-quality shampoo and conditioner line that is made without water, so we eliminated the need for a plastic bottle. We are a mission based company, and everything we do gets filtered through the mission to ensure that it aligns with what we are trying to achieve as a company. Our mission is to inspire people to use less single-use plastic. HiBAR was founded by four co-founders. We all had kids at the same school. We all felt strongly that we needed to do something to combat plastic pollution and show our kids (and ourselves) that we can create solutions to even some of the toughest problems. We sold our first hair care bar in October of 2018 (coming up on four years in business). Since that time we have eliminated nearly 4M plastic bottles from ever existing and landing in water ways and landfills. Our product is concentrated and made without water, so we have saved over 800,000 gallons of water from being used in production. We are also improving our footprint with our manufacturing process. We have modified our box sealing machine to accommodate paper tape rather than plastic, we have biodegradable pallet wrap, and all of our shipments are completely plastic-free. We have disrupted the hair care industry with our products, and are now seeing big mass companies creating solid personal care products as well. So we are making an impact on the world. It’s not easy to invent a new manufacturing process, figure out how to incorporate ingredients when you are not using water, to navigate supply chain issues, staffing challenges, rising costs and volatile markets, but it is very satisfying to impact real change in the world.  This feeling is priceless.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There is a lot to do in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Twin Cities area! We are so fortunate to have delicious restaurants, art, theater, parks, bike paths and lakes. When friends do come to visit, we always make time for the Walker Art Center sculpture garden — the Spoonbridge and Cherry is iconic with the cityscape in the background. We would ride bikes around the chain of lakes and over the Stone Arch bridge. We would be sure to check out Minnehaha Falls. We would take in a show at the Guthrie Theater. If it were winter we would take our guest out to Carver Park for cross country skiing. If it’s summer we would head out to a neighborhood farmers market. For dining, there are so many delicious options. One of my favorites is a Laotian inspired restaurant called Kahluna. This is the third restaurant for the chef, Ann Ahmed and the food is delectable. Any visiting friend is sure to have a memorable visit. There is so much to do and see.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It really does take a village, I believe. I need to shout-out to my husband, who is also a co-founder. We have a crazy balance of push each other to our limits and have each others backs. We have worked together in business for over 20 years now, so we have figured something special out. I also need to shout out to many of my women friends (including my sisters) who have shared information, supported and encouraged me. There is a special female bond when it comes to the C-Suite level at work, and I have had many a coffee chat helping me navigate the executive world as a woman in business.

Website: www.hellohibar.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/hellohibar

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28633114

Twitter: www.twitter.com/hellohibar

Facebook: www.facebook.com/hellohibar

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvbR-SU-rtJ76kQzeDrNjOg

Other: TikTok @officialHiBAR

Image Credits
all images are owned by HiBAR.