Lessons Learned from Entrepreneur Shubham Issar, 'Shark Tank' Star, and Creator of SoaPen - A Revolutionary Hand Sanitizer for Kids:
SoaPen Inc., a groundbreaking company founded by Shubham Issar, is revolutionizing hand hygiene for children by offering a soap-filled pen that transforms the mundane task of washing hands into an engaging and interactive activity.
Issar, who studied design at Parsons School of Design in New York City, conceived the idea for SoaPen after participating in the UNICEF Wearables for Good Challenge. The challenge highlighted the issues mothers and infants were facing, particularly high rates of infant mortality due to preventable diseases. Recognizing the importance of hand washing with soap as a key way to help prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses [1], Issar set out to create a solution that would make handwashing fun and appealing for children.
The SoaPen, a colourful and non-toxic soap pen, allows children to draw on their hands, fostering a sense of playfulness and creativity while promoting thorough handwashing. The pens come in three appealing scents and colours and contain enough soap for about 100 washes, making them portable and convenient for use on the go. This innovative approach helps support children's hygiene by making effective handwashing more attractive and measurable, as parents or teachers can check for leftover soap marks to gauge thoroughness [1].
By encouraging children to engage actively with handwashing through drawing, SoaPen Inc. supports the development of good hygiene habits. Proper hand hygiene reduces risks of illnesses like diarrhea and respiratory infections, making products like SoaPen essential in improving children's health overall [1][4]. Additionally, by making hand hygiene enjoyable, SoaPen may complement skill-based health education approaches that have been shown to improve hygiene knowledge and practices among children [2].
Issar's journey with SoaPen has not been without challenges. As immigrant founders on visas, Issar and her co-founder, Anand, have faced difficulties in getting certifications as a women- or minority-owned business. However, they remain undeterred, aiming to challenge the biases faced by founders in similar situations and pave the way for the next generation of founders who follow them [3].
SoaPen Inc. has already made a significant impact, with the company's soap-filled pens being used as a teaching tool in handwashing awareness campaigns in the U.S. and India. For every SoaPen purchased, the company donates soap or a percentage of profits to partner organizations that support children's hygiene and health [5].
With its unique approach to hand hygiene, SoaPen Inc. is not just promoting cleanliness but also fostering a love for handwashing among children. By turning handwashing into a creative activity, SoaPen Inc. is helping to instill good hygiene habits in children, thereby contributing to a healthier and safer world for all.
[1] Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Handwashing. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/ [2] World Health Organization. (2019). Hand Hygiene and Child Health. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/2019/child-health/en/ [3] Fast Company. (2019). Meet the immigrant founders who landed a deal on Shark Tank but still face challenges getting certifications. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/90354303/meet-the-immigrant-founders-who-landed-a-deal-on-shark-tank-but-still-face-challenges-getting-certifications [4] UNICEF. (2019). Wearables for Good Challenge. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/innovation/wearables-good-challenge [5] SoaPen Inc. (2021). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.soapen.co/pages/about-us
- Shubham Issar, an entrepreneur studying design, leveraged the challenges of mother and infant health issues for a UNICEF competition to conceive the startup SoaPen Inc., which specializes in business involving health-and-wellness, offering a soap-filled pen for children, promoting both entrepreneurship and science.
- With the SoaPen, Issar pursued the concept of making a mundane task appealing by deploying the strategies of leadership, turning handwashing into a fun, engaging, and interactive activity through drawing, thereby fostering better business practices in the field of hand hygiene.
- The innovative pen's success lies in its ability to encourage children to participate actively in handwashing, improving their health and well-being by reducing risks of preventable diseases like diarrhea and respiratory infections, making it a vital finance investment in ensuring a healthy future.
- Despite facing challenges as immigrant founders due to visa issues and certifications for their women- or minority-owned business, Issar and her co-founder persevere, aiming to contribute to the broader goal of dismantling barriers for future entrepreneurs and solidifying their position as pioneers in the science of health-and-wellness and finance.
