An Inspired Chat with Nora Schaper of North Minneapolis

We recently had the chance to connect with Nora Schaper and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Nora, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Who are you learning from right now?
As the founder of a small business, most of my time is dedicated to work related tasks. As a form of stress relief, I took up water color painting this summer. I have been aiming to do one painting a week or so. I am surprised to relay that I am learning a lot from this creative outlet. I have learned is that the exercise of painting is a combination of letting go and focusing. In my business life, tasks center around moving a project forward. In art, I try not to force the painting and rather let the painting emerge. It is a new set of muscles! I am also finding that during my painting session I have, for the moment, forgotten about the work issues and tasks that are waiting for me and feel refreshed and accomplished when a painting is finished. A couple of paintings even turned out well!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Nora. I am the co-founder of a brand called HiBAR. HiBAR is on a mission to eliminate single-use plastic from beauty and personal care products. We launched in 2018 with a line of solid salon-quality hair care. Since then, we have expanded our product line to solid face wash, solid functional body wash and deodorant in paper push up applicators. Since 2019 we have eliminated over 8M plastic bottles from existing and conserved over 1.7M gallons of water. When we started our company we thought we could find a 3rd party manufacturer to make our products. Due to our unique formulations and process we could not find anywhere that could make the products to our standards, so we took on the manufacturing process ourselves. We know our process and product formulation is unique in the anhydrous (waterless) beauty product category. We have invented much of our production line, we create all our own molds, and we innovate new products at our in-house lab. We are also a family run business. My husband, Jay, is also a founder and our two adult sons work for us. Jay is our innovator and heads up operations. We have an 18,000 square foot warehouse in Minneapolis where we make, pack and ship our products. We employ around 25 people and are making a difference in the world.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I often felt out of sync with the world around me — like I didn’t quite fit in. I assumed that meant something was wrong with me or that I needed to change to belong. As an adult, I’ve realized that what I saw as “not fitting in” was actually me being more in tune with my inner self than I understood at the time. That sensitivity and self-awareness have become real strengths — they help me listen deeply, trust my instincts, and lead in a way that feels authentic and grounded.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There have been many times I’ve almost given up, and something that still surprises me is my own resilience and ability to bounce back. Sometimes I really do give up for a bit — I step away, sleep on it, and let myself feel the frustration. But somehow, after some rest and distance, I wake up with a fresh perspective and a renewed drive to try again. Running a business is never easy. At HiBAR in 2020, we were thrilled to gain distribution with a large grocery chain, even though it was more conventional than the stores where we’d seen the most success. We believed consumers were ready, so we moved ahead with the partnership. Unfortunately, we were discontinued from the retailer in under a year. We had expanded staff to meet the volume from the account, so losing that account meant making painful cuts and rethinking our strategy. It was a hard lesson that nearly put our small company out of business. We learned a lot from the experience and after the dust settled, a stronger business. But it did illustrate that growth isn’t always linear and setbacks are part of building a business.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes — the public version of me is authentic, though maybe a slightly quieter version of my true self. As a leader, I believe authenticity and transparency are invaluable; you have to build trust with both employees and consumers, and people can tell immediately if you’re not being real. I’ve never been a good faker, and I don’t believe in presenting a polished version that hides the truth — what you see publicly is very much who I am. Being transparent, even about challenges or uncertainties, is part of how I try to lead — because real connection and credibility come from honesty and trust, not perfection.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes — there have definitely been times when I got what I thought I wanted, and it didn’t feel the way I expected. Over time I’ve realized that often the outcome, even if it isn’t exactly what I imagined, ends up being aligned with what I truly want from life. I’ve also learned that the waiting — that space of anticipation and buildup — is actually most of the journey, so try to enjoy it. The excitement, curiosity, and dreaming that happen while you’re waiting are part of the joy. Appreciating that anticipation makes the process itself feel rich and alive, rather than just a means to an end. Sometimes it takes distance to see that both the waiting and the way things unfold are guiding me toward something deeper — clarity, growth, or new opportunities. That perspective helps me stay open, enjoy the journey, and trust that the path can be just as meaningful as the destination.

Contact Info:

• Website: http:///www.HelloHiBAR.com
• Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/hellohibar
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nora-schaper-2339477/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hellohibar
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hellohibar
• Other: bluesky:
  officialnorams.bsky.social

Image Credits
All HiBAR images