We recently connected with Charles Biset, Maricruz Henkel & Miles Lee and have shared our conversation below.
Charles, Maricruz, Miles, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
Honestly, we never intended for this to become a business. All three of us cofounders have a tremendous passion for being outdoors and doing activities which are connected to mother nature. We love to surf, wakeboard, snorkel/scuba, go white water rafting pretty much anything in the water.
It all started about 5 years ago. We hated mainstream “chemical” sunscreens. Not only because we learned that a lot of the ingredients were not good for our body but also for the reef and ecosystems we loved. At that time, there weren’t many organic alternatives.
We started off just making our own sunscreen at home. We tested lots of different formulas here in San Diego and on surf trips all over the world. Eventually, we perfected our formula, and our friends started saying we should sell this stuff because its so good. So, here we are… after testing and validating our SPF 45 level along with broad spectrum coverage, we are EXCITED to share it with the world!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Our number one priority is to make high quality, ethical & sustainable goods which are good for people and the planet. We like to say we make conscious products.
It all starts with where we source our raw ingredients. All of our ingredients are from companies who hold the same core values as we do. For example, our shea butter contains no bleach, deodorizers or other chemicals to change the scent or appearance. Additionally, it is produced by a women’s co-operative in Ghana that ensures proper treatment and fair wages for their workers. There are so many products being made in this world, but the majority of them are not made with these simple core values in mind. This is what we are most proud of. That our products are good for people and the planet.
Simple doesn’t mean easy. One of the main challenges we had to overcome, besides sourcing, was finding a way to tint our sunscreen without using what most companies are using which is RUST (or as they call it to fool ya- Iron Oxide). Who wants to rub rust on their skin? After trying several different methods, we found the best way using black tea! Which is also full of healthy anti-oxidants, by the way.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
You remember the book The 3 Musketeers? Like the Musketeers, our founders story (Charles, Miles & Maricruz) is one of adventure, romance and fighting against injustice, just not in a swashbuckling swordsman type of way.
Miles and Charles met while they were basically still in diapers. They went to the same pre-school together and have been lifelong friends surfing, white water rafting and traveling all over the world. We have lots of stories of our adventures together but we’ll save those for another time.
In 2012 Maricruz worked with Charles in the R&D department at a commercial aerospace company in San Diego. Years later, Maricruz and Charles path’s crossed again during their graduate studies. But it wasn’t until a mutual cubemate was moving away that the universe conspired one more time to bring these two love birds together.
Sun Mud is a way for us to build something together that we are passionate about. It gives us an opportunity to fight for what we believe is right. And its been a lot of fun along the way!
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
This is a great question but a challenging one to answer and point to specific references since we have received support and inspiration from so many. One of our favorite quotes is “Go confidently in the way of your dreams!” by Henry David Thoreau. Everyone dreams of making something that impacts people and the world in a positive way. Sun Mud is one of the avenues that allows us to do exactly that.
Some books which have impacted our entrepreneurial thinking are The Upcycle by McDonough & Braungart, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, Getting to Yes by Fisher, Ury & Patton, Richest Man In Babylon by George Clason, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, and The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dibb to name just a few!
Other key influences (or shameless self promotion!) include consulting from Menos Waste ensuring that our products are good for you, your wallet and the planet. Also, Z Dimension a product development company that empowers people with simple solutions. Both are founder owned and have been crucial for the success of Sun Mud.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/SunmudSunscreen/tools/listings/1259020520
- Instagram: @sunmud.sunscreen