A Welsh entrepreneur whose solid soap dispenser attracted Interest from all five Dragons and investment from two has diverted over 10 tonnes of plastic waste – equivalent to around 900,000 single-use bottles – as she prepares to expand her product range following the completion of the government-funded Help to Grow: Management Course.
Lisa Hicks, founder of SNOAP, created the world's first solid soap dispensing system after the COVID lockdown forced her to confront the scale of her family's, and the wider UK population’s, consumption of single-use plastic containers for hand wash, shampoo, and body wash.
UK households get through 1.8 billion plastic bottles of hand wash, shampoo, and body wash every year, with a further 2.9 million tonnes generated by the hospitality sector. Solid soap bars offer significant sustainability, performance and cost savings benefits, yet are used by just 7% of the population, due to common barriers such as a reluctance to share bars and perceptions of unhygienic soap dishes.
Lisa set out to overcome these barriers and combine the convenience and appeal of a liquid dispenser with the benefits of solid soap. The result is a refillable wall-mounted or counter mounted device that holds two solid bars, grating them into a fine powder that delivers 1,000 handwashes per bar and replaces up to 20 single-use bottles per refill. The average household switching to SNOAP saves over £100 a year.
In February 2024, Lisa appeared on Dragons’ Den, where all five Dragons competed to invest; Lisa ultimately opted to partner with Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones. When the episode was broadcast, it generated around five million views of the pitch clip and saw SNOAP meet its six- month sales projection in just three days.
Now, with the business operating across direct-to-consumer, retail and B2B channels, Lisa is focused on growth. Having completed the Help to Grow: Management Course at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University in late 2025, she used the programme's frameworks to rethink her product architecture - moving from a single mid-range dispenser to a tiered offering. Discovery and sample packs launched ahead of Christmas 2025 performed strongly, and a premium product iteration is currently in development.
Lisa Hicks said: "SNOAP wasn't inspired by one single moment - it was more like a slow accumulation that hit me all at once. Reaching 10 tonnes of stopped plastic pollution is a significant milestone for what started as COVID lockdown inspiration.
"The backing of the Dragons and the response we're seeing in the market tells us the demand for sustainable, natural alternatives is very real. We're now expanding the range to suit a wider variety of settings and requirements, and our growth projections reflect that. The bigger we get, the more bottles we stop - that's always been the goal."
On the role of Help to Grow: Management, she added: "The Den gave me reach, but Help to Grow: Management gave me a different lens to look at my business through. One conversation stood out - a lecturer pointed out that I had a mid-range product but no entry point and no premium tier above it - and it unlocked a whole new direction for the business. That's what the course does - it doesn't tell you what to do, it gives you the tools to work it out yourself."
Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter which delivers the Help to Grow: Management Course, said: "Lisa's story is a brilliant example of what happens when an entrepreneur with real conviction gets access to the expert knowledge and support needed to channel her passion. She came to the course with a genuinely innovative product and the drive to match; Help to Grow: Management gave her the strategic lens to think about her business architecture and unlock the next stage of growth.
"It's fantastic to see what Lisa has gone on to achieve since completing the course at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, one of our network of 60+ Small Business Charter accredited business schools delivering the Help to Grow: Management Course. SNOAP is tackling a real environmental problem in a way that actually works for consumers, and reaching 10 tonnes of stopped plastic is a remarkable achievement."
The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 90% government-funded leadership programme for SME businesses, delivered by a network of Small Business Charter accredited business schools. The course runs over 12 weeks and includes online and face-to-face sessions, 10 hours of 1-to-1 mentoring and peer networking. Its mission is to increase economic growth and productivity through improved management and leadership practice.
To find out more about the Help to Grow: Management Course, click here.
About Help to Grow: Management:
Help to Grow: Management is a 12-week course designed to support business leaders and their senior managers to increase resilience, innovation, and growth within their organisations.
Developed and delivered by the network of Small Business Charter accredited business schools, the course is available in more than 60 locations across the UK and is 90% government funded. It is designed to fit around existing work and personal commitments, providing business leaders with more than 50 hours of online and in person training including 10 hours of one-to-one mentoring. Individuals completing the course automatically join the Alumni Network, where they have access to exclusive events, content and partner offers, as well as the support of a UK-wide peer network.
The Small Business Charter (SBC) empowers small business success through its network of expert business schools. Developed 10 years ago by Lord Young, the previous Department for Business, and the Chartered Association of Business Schools, the SBC was established to signpost entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local economic stakeholders to business schools in their region with the expertise to help them thrive. There are 67 SBC accredited business school centres of excellence across the UK which are trusted partners of local stakeholders and the national government to deliver effective leadership and productivity programmes and small business support to drive economic growth.