Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ann Nguyen-Chung. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Ann, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Hello, my name is Dr. Ann. I am a plant-based Dentist, and I have a passion to contribute towards overall health and wellness to others. I started an eco-friendly, vegan dental and body care company, called Happi Hippo Plant Organics.

The story begins in 2020, when I developed a painful rash around my mouth and consulted a dermatologist. After several weeks of medications without success, it turned out that my rash was due to an allergic reaction to one of my lip balms. Unfortunately, with such an extensive ingredient list, I could not pinpoint which ingredient I was allergic to. I began making my own plant-based lip balms with high quality, minimal ingredients. My skin cleared up!

I continued experimenting and making other personal care products at home. It feels much better knowing what goes onto my skin. The combination of my holistic plant-based lifestyle, love of animals, passion to help fight climate change, and dental health background is how Happi Hippo Plant Organics was born.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Happi Hippo Plant Organics is an eco-friendly, toxin-free vegan dental and body care company. Products include bamboo toothbrushes, biodegradable floss, lip balms, soaps, body butters, and other body care products. My intention is to help contribute towards an overall “happi-er” lifestyle for humans, animals, and the planet with one everyday product at a time.

To date, Happi Hippo Plant Organics is currently carried in over 40 stores nationwide. As a result of what we do, thousands of people reduce their risk for toxicity, are inspired to choose eco-friendlier choices to defer waste from landfills, and help support humanitarian, environmental, and animal welfare causes with each purchase. We help people to be part of the solution by just starting out with something as simple as switching to plastic-free natural toothpaste.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I am still working as a full-time dentist, which I am able to fund Happi Hippo Plant Organics with.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There are times when I can get discouraged with why my business is not where I had hoped it to be. If things are slower in a season, I’ve learned to take that time to cleaning up my financials, improving products, and establishing potential future business partnerships. I have learned that there are ups and downs with being an entrepreneur, but I am learning to make the most of every season.

Contact Info:

• Website: HappiHippoPlantOrganics.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/HappiHippoPlantOrganics/
• Facebook: facebook.com/HappiHippoPlantOrganics/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-nguyen-chung/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PlantBasedToothDoc
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/happi-hippo-plant-organics-redding