Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Carrie Sporer of Upper West Side

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Carrie Sporer. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Carrie, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day always involve movement. As the founder of a haircare brand focused on sweat, I definitely practice what I preach. Three days a week I run with a small group of friends – many of us have been running together for over 15 years. Since most days of the week I am working solo, I feel like they are similar to coworkers in that its a group of adults I see and chat with regularly and they know what’s going on in my life. After a workout, I come home and pour myself a cup of coffee and check in with my husband and kids. Then, it’s a super-quick turn around (seriously this is the reason why I created Showerless Shampoo) to get my kids off to school or camp depending on the time of year. I wish I could say I have a regular meditation or other mindfulness practice every morning, but right now thats a work in progress.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Carrie Sporer, co-founder of SWAIR, a clean haircare brand built for people who sweat. I started SWAIR with my running partner Meredith after years of planning our workouts around our hair. Our hero product, Showerless Shampoo actually cleans sweaty without a traditional wash & dry, white residue or harsh ingredients. It’s a game-changer for runners, gym-goers, travelers and parents.

Right now, we’re focused on expanding our product line and getting SWAIR into more lockers, gym bags, and suitcases across the country. Our mission is to help people get the hair they want in the time they have.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that really shaped how I see the world was being diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer. While I was very luck to be diagnosed with something early and highly curable, it stopped me in my tracks. I’d always been a do-it-all type and was constantly on the go running marathons, building a business, and juggling family. This experience, however, was the first time I had a major health issue, and it made me feel my mortality in a new way. I became more intentional about my health, my time, and my relationships. I realized that slowing down isn’t a sign of weakness – we can all “go, go, go” but choosing to say no to things that don’t serve me can actually be a more difficult, but more rewarding path.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Oh yes – three weeks before SWAIR’s original launch date, we were informed that our lab had a contamination issue, and we had to dispose of 5,000 of the 6,000 from our first production run. After months of formulation, testing, and excitement, it felt like the rug had been pulled out from under us. In addition the funds spent on the product and packaging, we had also spent a lot of money on a PR firm to secure press for a specific date, and suddenly, we were back to square one.

It was one of those moments where giving up felt easier, and honestly if I didn’t have a co-founder to help work through things, I might have abandoned the project. We reminded each other that we’d built SWAIR to solve a real problem, and we knew the product was a game-changer, so we started the production process over again. Luckily the lab took financial responsibility to help us repurchase the packaging and make the formula, otherwise we would have been out of cash. It taught me that being a founder often means solving endless problems, but if you really believe in what you’re making, you figure out how to keep going.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’d like to think the public version of me is very much the real me. I’m pretty much an open book, and I believe there’s real power in transparency. Whether it’s in business, motherhood, or health, I think sharing the highs and the lows helps people feel less alone. Also, I feel like the more real I am, the more real others are with me and as a result I have made incredible relationships, received great business advice and learned from others’ cautionary tales.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
I love this question. What would remain is optimism. For better or for worse, I am an unbridled optimist. While life has certainly had it’s challenges, I do try to see the glass as half full and encourage others to do the same. Once I attended a seminar on the teachings of Dale Carnegie (of How to Win Friends and Influence People fame) and I remember there was a lesson about addressing “the worst thing that could happen” in any given situation. Once you admit to yourself what that is and how you would potentially deal with it, it makes the present feel much more free and allows you to approach life with hope and authenticity.

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Image Credits
Kolby Knight

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