"Don’t be afraid to disrupt the status quo and be bold" with Kari Warberg Block

Kari Warberg Block, an unlikely disruptor, challenged an industry that is toxic by its very nature. As the Founder & CEO of EarthKind®, Kari discovered that 98% of pest control solutions sold were poison & kill methods – so she set out to invent a better solution: plant-based pest control powered by nature. Kari was the first to develop, manufacture, and commercialize poison-free rodent and insect repellents for farm and home use, with a mission to build a purpose-led company and create change through business. Once a mom on food stamps, Kari started EarthKind® with nothing more than a package of garden seeds and a vision and has built it into the $20 million company it is today. www.earthkind.com

Can you tell our readers about your background?  

As the daughter of an entomologist and wife of a farmer, I always felt a deep connection to nature and all living creatures, with a fierce desire to protect it at all costs. These inherent traits proved integral to the values I created EarthKind with, but, before becoming a business owner, I was working part-time at a perfume counter to help my family make ends meet. Like many entrepreneurs, I started out of necessity. Despite our best efforts, my family and I were struggling to get by. I began selling produce from my farm every Saturday morning and living off our harvests throughout the year. Then, I began getting creative, putting together potpourri from the herbs, plants, and flowers from my garden. They turned out to be quite a success, and I began selling them locally and secured placements in over 200 stores! But, with the amount of competition, this soon proved unsustainable, however, little did I know, it would be my appreciation for nature and my knowledge gained from creating potpourri that would kick off my entrepreneurial career. 

What inspired you to start your business? 

Our farm, like many farms across the country, suffered greatly from rodent infestations and the costly damage that came with it. But, growing up, there was only one solution for this – poison and kill pest control methods. Understanding the damage and hazardous effects pesticides have on not only the pest, but also on the health and safety of ourselves, our pets, and our environment, I was tired and angry of this being the only answer, especially in learning that at the time, 98% of pest control products on the market were poison-and-kill based.

My “a-ha” moment occurred when a mouse ran up my leg (on a date nonetheless!) My first instinct was to grab my perfume bottle and to use the fragrance to fend it off. It worked like a charm, and with my extensive knowledge of herbs, essential oils, and background with making potpourri, my internal gears started to turn, what if nature’s scents could repel pests, naturally, without poisoning or killing them? Why not focus on preventing infestations rather than waiting until there’s a problem? Why not make a better, more sustainable solution, that doesn’t use toxins or threaten nature’s delicate ecosystem or our health? 

I followed my instincts, stuck to my purpose, and with a lot of hard, relentless work, EarthKind was born! 

Where is your business based? 

EarthKind is based in Mooresville, NC 

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I began EarthKind at my kitchen table, putting herbal mixes together and testing to see what combinations proved effective with repelling pests. To better my knowledge on this, I enrolled in my state’s university, and I dove into researching first what in nature could naturally repel rodents. It was there that I discovered how Canada balsam fir trees create their own biopesticides to deter rodents away. I began testing balsam fir oil and after proving its success as a rodent repellent, my first product, Fresh Cab Botanical Rodent Repellent, was created. 

I began by sampling Fresh Cab to farmers back in 2002, it wasn’t easy convincing hardy farmers that a natural, nontoxic repellent could be just as effective, but once they gave it a go, I began getting very positive feedback on the product. This ultimately paved the way into landing in bigger stores, the first being our local John Deere retailer. From there, sales began growing. I invested my efforts into networking, attending every industry trade show I could, and the interest was certainly there. Then came getting EPA approval, it was a long, daunting process, but once I achieved this, I was able to officially launch EarthKind in 2007. I was on my way! In 2016, I expanded by launching my “home” line of pest repellents, Stay Away, with options for spiders, moths, ants, rodents, and mosquitoes. Now, EarthKind is in major national retailers like ACE Hardware, Lowes, Target, and Tractor Supply.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business? 

In my experience, the most effective way of raising awareness for EarthKind has been through a multi-prong approach. Running strong, consistent communications and public relations campaigns have made a dramatic difference in our brand awareness levels, helping to positively bolster our reputation across multimedia channels, while effectively telling the story of our purpose, vision, and products to key demographics. We’ve always worked hard to sustain and build great bonds with our retail customers, from cross-promotional opportunities with them, along with having our products visible and accessible on store shelves across the nation, and online, this has also helped drive massive awareness. Of course, social media marketing is another huge player we tap into, developing results-driven influencer partnerships, creating compelling content across all channels, and working on lead-gen and geo-targeted ads to engage with our audience are methods we can certainly attribute to our success in driving mass brand awareness.  

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Getting EPA registration was definitely one of my biggest challenges. When I was just starting out, I was approached at a trade show by an EPA representative, who told me that in order to sell a product for pest control, I would need a license, which is a process that can cost up to $2 million! At that point, I was barely breaking even, I didn’t understand how I could even begin to tackle such a hurdle, I even toyed with the idea of giving up. But I wasn’t backing down that easily. I remembered my purpose and made it my mission to overcome this. It took about four years and $200,000 – I sold my beloved camper and packhorse, along with produce from my farm, thankfully received grants and partnered with local, state, and federal institutions including NDSU, ag commission, SBA, and finally, I received EPA registration, and officially launched EarthKind afterward! 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition? 

Our EarthKind approach is entirely different from most pest control brands on the market. We work with nature, not against it, to create health and harmony in treated environments. EarthKind delivers naturally smarter pest control solutions for families and farmers across the nation, without the use of hazardous chemicals or poisons. Made with plant fibers and essential oils grown on local American family farms, with repellent options for rodents, spiders, ants, and moths, each EarthKind Stay Away® pouch and Fresh Cab® Botanical Rodent Repellent pouch emit a scent that is desirable for humans, but offensive to these critters’ highly-sensitive scent receptors – ensuring that they “stay away” from unwanted pest-prone areas. All EarthKind products are eco-conscious, no-kill, and are safe for use around children and pets when used as directed. 

As the number #1 rated pest prevention brand since 2007, EarthKind® is the first plant-based pest brand to have its repellent products meet Federal EPA’s gold standard for effectiveness, with no known risks, is 100% carbon neutral, and can be found in major retailers nationwide such as Lowes, ACE Hardware, Tractor Supply, and Target. 

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business? 

Our omnichannel clicks to bricks’ marketing strategy proved extremely effective in helping to grow our business. Our objective was to drive in-store sales by creating a strong online presence to provide a seamless and integrated customer experience across online and offline channels. Understanding that online product reviews are key to a brand’s trust, loyalty, and reputation with consumers, we sought to increase our online presence with reviews and online coupons for in-store redemption. We ran three national campaigns that focused on hyper-targeting our key consumer demographic, partnering with a company that sends product samples in exchange for their honest reviews, together with in-store coupon activations. These reviews were then syndicated to one of our major retailer’s sites, and as a result, there was a significant sales increase in stores with sustained results. The sustained sales growth helped secure 1,700 additional national stores, and from this strategy, we achieved over 5,000 new product reviews. 

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs? 

My upcoming book, set to launch in January 2021, is devoted to providing valuable insight to aspiring and new entrepreneurs, especially those starting out in unconventional circumstances! But in short, the best piece of advice is to identify your purpose and to always stick to it. Having a purpose-driven mission is what will keep your drive, motivation, and fearlessness moving forward when you hit those inevitable roadblocks that will make you question if you should keep going. In the business world, staying true to this is the key to success. Also, don’t be afraid to disrupt the status quo and be bold. Conventionality breeds sameness, and to be truly successful in your endeavors, you have to be different. Become an expert in your field, know it inside and out, and utilize its weaknesses to create a business model that improves it. And, of course, network! Make this a priority, every connection creates a new path that may hold the keys to your success. 

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite podcast is Glambition by Ali Brown, my favorite blog is Tim Ferriss’s 4-Hour Workweek and Lifestyle Design Blog, and my favorite book is Five Stars: The Communication Secrets to Get from Good to Great, by Carmine Gallo. Each provides distinctive voices in that path toward successful entrepreneurship and help inspire and mold my leadership and business styles. My favorite app is Facebook, so I can stay in touch with family and friends. 

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why? 

One of my favorite business tools and resources is LinkedIn. I find I’m able to engage in and make new meaningful connections with fellow entrepreneurs and conscious businesses while staying in the know about the latest industry news and trends. It’s of course a great networking tool too, and I also regularly use it to share our latest updates with our audience! 

Who is your business role model? Why? 

My favorite business role model is Sister Thomas, president of the University of Mary. Sister ‘T’, recently deceased, was a fantastic role model of servant leadership for all that knew her. Everyone was equally loved by Sister T, no matter their lot in life. She inspired great things in others, simply by believing in them and in role modeling the Benedictine values of community, moderation, respect, and service. Probably the most powerful though was how she illustrated within her own life that the power of purpose aligned with passion and action in service to others made the impossible, possible. It’s great to have such an accessible role model of ethical, virtuous, and conscious leadership through business and community.

How do you balance work and life?

I’ve learned that the best way to achieve balance is to keep everything in perspective. I typically start my day by writing a list of what I’m grateful for, expressing my gratitude and aligning my intentions helps structure my day to include both work and downtime. Working from home throughout this pandemic has definitely allowed me to allot more time to being outdoors and spending time with family. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress? 

Being in nature and going on hikes has always been the perfect antidote for me when I need to decompress. As often as I can, I make it a priority to spend quality time with my family, I especially love heading to our lake with my beloved grandchildren. 

What do you have planned for the next six months?

We have a lot of underway for the next six months! As I mentioned, I’ll be launching my first book in January 2021 aimed at college students and young entrepreneurs just starting out. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were planning on a nationwide book tour across college campuses, now, we have some virtual plans up our sleeves which I’m excited to announce in the coming months. Stay tuned!

How can our readers connect with you? 

Tune into my Face 2 Face with Kari Facebook Live Chat every Friday afternoon!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/earthkindinc

Instagram: @earthkindinc

Twitter: @earthkind

Kari Warberg Block:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kariwarbergblock/

Twitter: @KariWBlock

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KariWarbergBlock

Instagram: @Kari_Warberg_Block