Sean Lake and TJ Ferrara launched BUBS Naturals in September of 2017 with the desire to help themselves, and help others. They believe those two ideas go hand in hand. BUBS, a collagen protein created from hydrolyzed grass-fed and pasture-raised peptides is designed to promote health and healing from the inside, out. When one purchases a BUBS Naturals product, they are committing to a healthier lifestyle while assisting in bettering the lives of others. How, you might ask? 10% of every sale of every item from BUBS Naturals goes directly to The Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation which was created to honor Glen’s memory and help Special Operations soldiers transition to civilian life primarily through scholarships.
Glen “BUB” Doherty was one of the four Americans killed in a terror attack in Benghazi, Libya on September 12, 2012. He was an adventure seeker, a river guide, skier, Ironman competitor, fitness fanatic, chef, gardener, handyman, and epic storyteller. BUB was a national hero…a Navy SEAL who saved lives, and was always the life of the party. Glen was also the oldest and closest friend of BUBS Co-Founder, Sean Lake. Glen and Sean used to talk about the “fountain of youth” and how to keep exercising and getting after it like they were in their 20’s….when they were turning 40!
Doherty was 2012 San Diego UT ‘person of the year’ alongside Ty Woods for their bravery in the Benghazi Libya terrorist attacks. The Foundation is their way to honor Glen’s life and his beliefs.
The Mission: To ease the transition from military life and work to that of a civilian by helping fund educational costs for Special Operation individuals and their children. They do this knowing Glen’s spirit will continue to touch them all.
The Focus: Providing current and former special operations professionals, from all branches of the government, the means necessary to transition and succeed in civilian life primarily through scholarships. The foundation is also enabling the children and families of these soldiers the ability to mature and grow through recreation. They employ the following tools to achieve their goals:
- Scholarships for current or former Special Operation Professionals used for traditional education
- Scholarships for current or former Special Operations Professionals used for vocational and non-traditional training
The Charity: They are a 501(c)(3) charity organization dedicated to honoring and preserving the memory of Glen Doherty and all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in defending our nation in the Global War on Terror.
After creating the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation, BUBS Naturals followed suit after a confluence of events. First, Sean had the unique experience of doing a podcast with founders of Black Rifle Coffee company, talking about the charity world. In it they touched on some of the problems facing the charity space and how to ‘institutionalize’ giving. As he sits on the board of directors of the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation, charitable giving is a common topic for them. Little did he know that early talk with the Black Rifle guys would become one of a few sparks for BUBS.
Second, Sean’s wife introduced him to collagen peptides as a way to recover from all the exercise they do (running, surfing, snowboarding and of course some quality CrossFit). Collagen is an essential tool with pursuing the “fountain of youth” as it helps with joints, gut health, hair, skin, and nails; “You’re not getting any younger,” she would tell him. Third, Sean’s future business partner TJ Ferrara, stopped by the Lake’s home and saw the collagen on the counter. TJ remarked on the effectiveness of collagen from his experience and that it was a growing category in the health and wellness industry. That sparked a napkin math conversation around starting a company and their mutual commitment to paying it forward.
Sean and TJ agreed that charitable giving had to be a foundation of BUBS. That mantra lead to their 10% rule, giving 10% of EVERY sale of all products to charity. They did research on the best in class certified ‘B’ corps like Patagonia and other charitable companies like Toms Shoes and figured they could blow their model out of the water. Ditto for the supplement space.
The end result is a grass-fed, pasture-raised collagen protein powder that aids in better joint health, faster recovery, stronger hair/skin/nails, improved gut health and more!
BUBS also supports the liver! The liver needs an abundance of amino acids to keep functioning at a high level, particularly to fuel detoxification which has the benefit of reducing inflammation. BUBS helps maintain a healthy liver so it can do its job.
BUBS Naturals is completely flavorless. With the mindset that “less is more,” this collagen protein is designed to be a great addition to any beverages or recipe. Why pigeonhole it with a flavor? Unflavored allows one to take this collagen however they please.
Lastly, BUBS is ready to go, and immediately bioavailable. It is easily digested and absorbed into the body. BUBS dissolves in hot or cold beverages, smoothies, etc. A great collagen is one that blends right on into your lifestyle.
Through BUBS Naturals, Sean and TJ are doing what no other company in the supplement/health wellness space is doing, by dedicating this much of their bottom line to helping others and by using nature to fight the aging process. This isn’t about getting rich, it’s about having a rich life…and paying it forward. By the end of 2017, they have accrued $7200 for donations to The Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation, and are anticipating a much larger 2018! Just in the month of July, Sean and TJ were able to launch 3 new products within the BUBS Naturals family; collagen travel packets, collagen in 10oz packages and their MCT Oil Powder, 100% virgin coconut oil delivering a power-packed punch of health benefits, each part contributing to total well-being.
For more information on BUBS Naturals visit https://www.bubsnaturals.com, and to learn more about The Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation and it’s fundraising, scholarships and events, visit http://www.glendohertyfoundation.org.
