We are thrilled to announce the return of our blog series, Breaking Barriers: Women Who Lead. Throughout 2025, we will highlight various women leaders who advocate for gender equity, believe in the power of sport, and continue to support and amplify the need to get more girls in sport and physical activity. They are women who broke down barriers (and continue to do so), are leaders in their fields, and who hope to leave an impact on their sectors. We’re so excited for our series to return by chatting with Karina Birch, CEO and co-founder of Rocky Mountain Soap Company (now rebranded as Rocky), a Canadian brand known for its natural skincare, bodycare, and haircare products, crafted in the Canadian Rockies. Girls Forward is thankful to have Rocky as one of our valued partners.

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CRAFTING CLEAN PRODUCTS AND INSPIRING CONFIDENCE. KARINA’S JOURNEY in BUSINESS, MOVEMENT, AND MEANINGFUL IMPACT

 

Prior to co-founding a nationally recognized natural body care brand, Karina Birch was already deeply rooted in what mattered most: the mountains, sustainability, and movement. But entrepreneurship? That wasn’t part of the original plan during university.

“I never saw that for myself,” she admits. “I had never been exposed to anybody in my family or network.” The business world, she recalls, wasn’t built for women. “We just took it for granted that the business world was predominantly male. I only remember having one female professor, and she was my human resources professor. For women, when we don’t see other women in roles, it’s hard to see ourselves doing that.”

Still, something in her pushed forward. “Looking back, there’s always been this strong grit toward just making things happen.”

“We just took it for granted that the business world was predominantly male. For women, when we don’t see other women in roles, it’s hard to see ourselves doing that.”

That persistence shaped the philosophy behind Rocky Mountain Soap Company – a company founded on principles of clean ingredients and conscious living. “It was very hard 25 years ago to find natural products,” she remembers.

What started with a bar of soap grew into something much bigger. A brand, yes, but also a movement that encourages people, especially girls and women, to reconnect with their bodies, their health, and their own pace.

It all started with a run.

Karina’s husband and co-owner, Cam, began organizing a lunchtime running club at work, encouraging, occasionally insisting employees to join. “Let’s say healthy pressure, but it was definitely pressure,” Karina laughs. “He was basically telling people, ‘You’re joining, and I’m buying you running shoes’.”

One woman, Karina recalls, had “never run a day in her life.” But after joining, “she became a runner. And it ended up changing her life. She became a lot more confident,” Karina remembers. “That empowerment helped her make some big decisions in her life.”

Her story inspired one of Rocky’s most meaningful traditions: the Women’s Soap Run, a non-competitive 5K, 10K, and half-marathon that celebrates community and movement. “There was zero competitiveness. There was no wrong way to do it. You could come and walk.”

“Vans full of women would show up at the Canmore Nordic Centre and pile out,” Karina recalls. “There were costumes and signs… everybody was running for a reason. Whether that was a personal motivation or running for somebody else, there was this real camaraderie.”

“One woman had ‘never run a day in her life.’ She became a runner. And it ended up changing her life.”

The first year brought 600 women. Now, nearly 3,500 participate annually.

“For a lot of women, this is the only event they’ll do all year,” Karina says. “They train for it, they look forward to it. And that’s amazing. It gives them a goal, it gives them something to achieve and be proud of.”

It also flips the usual script. “The men, the dads, are on the sidelines with the kids, cheering on the women,” she says. “We’re giving men an opportunity to play a role they’ve never been asked to play before.”

Karina still thinks about the woman who inspired the event. “Even when she moved out of Canmore, she would come back to the run,” she says. “We would tell that story of how she was the inspiration for the event.”

“The first year brought 600 women (to the very first Women’s Soap Run). Now, nearly 3,500 participate annually.”

Stories like hers reflect what Rocky is all about, not just selling products, but creating a community where people feel seen, supported, and celebrated.

“We often say we have the world’s best customers,” Karina says. “They’re very passionate, very engaged. Every Monday, we start our company meeting by sharing customer stories.”

That sense of connection goes hand in hand with Rocky’s long-standing commitment to sustainability.

“We’ve always been focused on sustainability,” she says. “We have the opportunity to touch each of our packaging forms and do a better job preserving the Earth through more sustainable formats.” That mindset shapes every part of the business. “Packaging, ingredients, labels – everything is done in-house.” It’s an approach that allows for intentional, values-led growth.

That same commitment shows up in the brand’s recent evolution. Now known simply as Rocky, the rebrand is about sharpening their identity while staying grounded in purpose. “Now we’re more than just soap. It really is a lifestyle brand,” Karina says. “Not a tourist gift you buy when you come to the mountains.” She adds, “People use it every day. We like to build and create everyday essentials. So we focus on products that are part of your daily routine, and we make them high quality and natural.”

That same intention drives Rocky’s goal to give $1 million to philanthropy in the coming years, including support for organizations like Girls Forward Foundation. “It’s such a great fit for us,” Karina says. “We’re both passionate about health and wellness, particularly girls and physical activity.”

When asked about the broader potential for more frequent girls and women’s-only runs, Karina confidently says: “There are so many different ways to adopt running, walking, physical activity in general,” she says. “If an event like this existed in every major centre, and it happened multiple times a year, I have no doubt we’d be getting women out more than once a year. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

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Our Breaking Barriers: Women Who Lead blog series highlights women in leadership positions who are passionate about empowering girls through sport, physical activity and education. Launched in January 2025, the series will highlight various women throughout 2025. If you are interested in learning more or supporting this series, please email us at info@girlsforward.ca