Often times when an entrepreneur starts a business, one of the first things that must happen is the person has to sell himself. Just one look through the amazing website for Pacha Soap was, well, it was as they say, “You had me at hello.” What’s not to love about a company that was founded on the simple and heartfelt purpose to help people stay healthy and create jobs in some of the most hopeless places on the planet? I promise it will make you smile, too. Check it out at www.pachasoap.com. Pacha, by the way, rhymes with “cha-cha”, and means earth in Quechua, one of the native languages of Peru. (Peru? Stay tuned, I’ll explain.)
My job as the story catcher for GROW Nebraska is both inspiring and gratifying because I get to talk to great people like Andrew and Abi Vrbas who founded Pacha Soap in Hastings, Nebraska. You can read all about them on their website but the part I take delight in discovering is that little bit more of the story behind the story.
Andrew grew up in Atwood, Kansas. His dad was a brick mason and his mom worked as the editor of an area newspaper. He was encouraged by his sister’s experience at Hastings College and decided to go to school there where he majored in Construction Management and Spanish. Perfect for a career as a soap maker, right? It turned out that it was! Hastings College has an exchange program which took Andy to Peru, South America where he spent a semester immersed in the local culture.
At that time, there had been devastating floods in the area and the economic conditions were in shambles. Tourism had been a major economic driver and the industry was badly crippled. Vrbas saw many of the people there did not have the most basic opportunity to wash every day, something we all take for granted.
One night on the bus trip home, tired from a hard day at work, he had a lightbulb moment. Suddenly he realized he could connect the dots by teaching the people to make soap! Here in America it’s hard for us to imagine schools with so few resources they cannot even provide soap for children to use for hand washing. Every day, Andy saw that kind of economic hardship and he knew he had a solution. Making a basic consumable product was perfect because it was low tech, required only simple equipment and could utilize local herbs and plants as ingredients. Now with one simple process, making soap, the people could improve both their health and their economic well-being!
That remarkable trip to Peru had Andy at hello, too. Once he returned to Hastings he became obsessed with soap making, first in his mother’s kitchen and then in his college apartment. He learned all he could and began hatching a plan to repeat the process in other parts of the world, too.
Today, Pacha Soap has learned Andrew’s model works in almost any developing country across the globe. Burundi, Africa is the first place it has been implemented and the country now has three soap making shops that each employ more than a dozen local soap makers who supply soap to over 65,000 children every month!
During his time at Hastings College he met Abi, a fantastic friend who shared his vision. Abi is now Andrew’s wife and business partner. Together they’ve had some amazing adventures and they’re well on their way to creating a legacy that will last far into the future. Here’s one more reason to love it and buy it; every time a bar of Pacha soap is sold, a second bar is given to someone in need!
Pacha Soap is now on the shelves of Whole Foods Market which calls itself America’s Healthiest Grocery Store. I loved watching the video that Whole Foods created about them and the early days of their business. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! Watch it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe609LkwF7c. If you love it, here is a link to more! https://vimeo.com/pachasoap.
Andrew and Abi have been proud members of GROW Nebraska since 2012. GROW is proud to have Pacha Soap in both our retail stores, Grand Island at the Conestoga Mall and Kearney at The Hilltop Mall. Be sure to take a look at Pacha’s liquid hand soap and bath salts, too. You can also order their fine products 24/7/365 at www.buynebraska.com
About the Author: Betty Streff is the Coordinator of GROW Nebraska store in Kearney. You can read more about Betty here.
My job as the story catcher for GROW Nebraska is both inspiring and gratifying because I get to talk to great people like Andrew and Abi Vrbas who founded Pacha Soap in Hastings, Nebraska. You can read all about them on their website but the part I take delight in discovering is that little bit more of the story behind the story.
Andrew grew up in Atwood, Kansas. His dad was a brick mason and his mom worked as the editor of an area newspaper. He was encouraged by his sister’s experience at Hastings College and decided to go to school there where he majored in Construction Management and Spanish. Perfect for a career as a soap maker, right? It turned out that it was! Hastings College has an exchange program which took Andy to Peru, South America where he spent a semester immersed in the local culture.
At that time, there had been devastating floods in the area and the economic conditions were in shambles. Tourism had been a major economic driver and the industry was badly crippled. Vrbas saw many of the people there did not have the most basic opportunity to wash every day, something we all take for granted.
One night on the bus trip home, tired from a hard day at work, he had a lightbulb moment. Suddenly he realized he could connect the dots by teaching the people to make soap! Here in America it’s hard for us to imagine schools with so few resources they cannot even provide soap for children to use for hand washing. Every day, Andy saw that kind of economic hardship and he knew he had a solution. Making a basic consumable product was perfect because it was low tech, required only simple equipment and could utilize local herbs and plants as ingredients. Now with one simple process, making soap, the people could improve both their health and their economic well-being!
That remarkable trip to Peru had Andy at hello, too. Once he returned to Hastings he became obsessed with soap making, first in his mother’s kitchen and then in his college apartment. He learned all he could and began hatching a plan to repeat the process in other parts of the world, too.
Today, Pacha Soap has learned Andrew’s model works in almost any developing country across the globe. Burundi, Africa is the first place it has been implemented and the country now has three soap making shops that each employ more than a dozen local soap makers who supply soap to over 65,000 children every month!
During his time at Hastings College he met Abi, a fantastic friend who shared his vision. Abi is now Andrew’s wife and business partner. Together they’ve had some amazing adventures and they’re well on their way to creating a legacy that will last far into the future. Here’s one more reason to love it and buy it; every time a bar of Pacha soap is sold, a second bar is given to someone in need!
Pacha Soap is now on the shelves of Whole Foods Market which calls itself America’s Healthiest Grocery Store. I loved watching the video that Whole Foods created about them and the early days of their business. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! Watch it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe609LkwF7c. If you love it, here is a link to more! https://vimeo.com/pachasoap.
Andrew and Abi have been proud members of GROW Nebraska since 2012. GROW is proud to have Pacha Soap in both our retail stores, Grand Island at the Conestoga Mall and Kearney at The Hilltop Mall. Be sure to take a look at Pacha’s liquid hand soap and bath salts, too. You can also order their fine products 24/7/365 at www.buynebraska.com
Comments
Post a Comment