Most people watch The Wizard of Oz for its whimsical characters and fantastical setting, but for Jeff Shardell, founder and CEO of Humble Brands, the real highlight was the tornado scene. As a child, Shardell described himself as “one of those weird kids who always loved thunderstorms.”
“Most people would run inside and hunker down, but I’d run outside to watch the power of these storms coming at me,” Shardell recalls.
Decades later, that weather-loving, free-spirited kid found himself working a corporate job at a little internet startup called Google. You might have heard of it.
“I remember when we were launching Google Print, and Larry [Page] said, ‘Why don’t we just digitize every book and magazine ever published?'” Shardell shares. “It seemed impossible, but to him, it was a no-brainer.”
That audacious, outside-the-box thinking left a lasting impression on Shardell, shaping how he approaches daunting challenges.
Related: NBA All-Star Baron Davis’s Plan to Connect Entrepreneurs
As the wind blows
Though Shardell played a key role in growing Google from under 100 to over 20,000 employees, he found himself craving more fulfillment.
“I read years ago that it’s good to reinvent ourselves every 10 years or so,” he says. “Looking back, I feel like we’ve seen our parents and grandparents stick to the same career paths their entire lives, rarely, if ever, making a change.”
Instead of buying a Ferrari or going to Vegas, he decided to leave his corporate job and become a storm chaser.
“I convinced a friend to join me on a trip to Denver,” he says. “We rented a car, and with my limited storm-chasing skills, we witnessed an incredible tornado on that first outing. I was hooked.”
What started as an experiment became a hybrid career slash hobby that drives him to this day. Living on the road during storm season had a profound impact on Shardell’s outlook.
“Storm chasing forces you to boil life down to the essentials,” he explains.
This minimalist mindset sparked a question: Why is modern living — especially the products we use—so unnecessarily complicated?
Related: How This Boutique Sports Agency Is Beating Billion-Dollar Giants at Their Own Game
A perfect storm
That curiosity planted the seed for Humble Brands. After learning about the potential health risks of aluminum-based antiperspirants, Shardell tried switching to natural deodorants but was unimpressed with what was available.
“Nothing worked for me — they didn’t last, they were messy, or they used synthetic fragrances,” he says.
True to his resourceful nature, Shardell tackled the problem head-on. After buying two pans to build a homemade double boiler, he got to work, donning rubber gloves like Walter White in a lab.
“I started with a simple mix of cornstarch to absorb sweat and baking soda to kill bacteria — just like baking soda absorbs smells in a fridge,” Shardell explains. “While the formula worked, it left behind a powdery mess and, as he puts it, felt like “a half-risen loaf of bread under your arm.”
Undeterred, he began experimenting with waxes and oils for a smoother application, all while keeping the ingredients simple and recognizable.
“I wanted people to trust what they saw on the label,” he says. Mixing batches in his kitchen, he tested the formula on himself and shared it with family and friends for feedback. “It just grew from there.”
Related: How to Become a Sustainable Business in 6 Easy Steps
From drizzle To downpour
Today, Humble Brands products are sold in over 11,000 retail locations nationwide, including Whole Foods, Erewhon and Sprouts. But despite this growth, Shardell is determined to stay true to the company’s mission: creating simple, effective products that are better for people and the planet.
“We always run our products through a litmus test to ensure they align with our core values,” Shardell explains.
This philosophy extends to packaging. While Humble Brands still uses plastic, it’s made with 75% post-consumer recycled materials, and Shardell is actively working to reduce even that. The company has already introduced paperboard packaging for deodorants and is pushing toward further innovation.
“It’s not just about what’s good for us individually but collectively what’s good for everyone and the earth,” he says.
Shardell believes sustainable packaging is the industry’s next frontier, an insight he gained by observing search trends. His ultimate goal is to develop a 100% biodegradable bioplastic that is ready for the market.
It’s a daunting task, and Shardell knows there’s still much work to be done before his dream becomes a reality. But instead of shying away from the challenge, he recalls the conversation about Google Print with founder Larry Page years ago.
“I still channel the mindset I had during that meeting when working on new projects,” Shardell says. “It reminds me that no challenge is too big.”
Read the full article here
