Entrepreneur Kari Warberg Block did not become the Founder and CEO of EarthKind® by luck – she bulldozed through the male-dominated, chemical-based pest control industry and created something revolutionary – natural pest control that works.
The daughter of an entomologist and wife of a farmer, Kari Warberg Block is part of a new breed of female entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. Tired of living on food stamps and wanting to make a difference in not only her and her children’s lives, but in the world in general, she had an a-ha moment years ago when she discovered a terrible rodent issue on her farm. Discovering that the majority of available products were filled with highly toxic chemicals and poisons, she realized there was a pertinent need in the pest control industry for safe and effective products that did not include pesticides.
Driven with optimism, kindness, and unwavering passion, Kari became determined to create natural pest control that was eco-friendly, effective, and available to homes everywhere. So, with nothing more than a 99 cent package of garden seeds and her new mission, she created EarthKind in 2007.
At her state’s university, Kari dove relentlessly into research, determined to figure out what in nature could naturally repel rodents. She discovered that Canada balsam trees develop their own pesticides to keep rodents from eating bark and prevent the trees from freezing. Upon testing this and seeing its success, she got it patented and EPA approved- and from there, her dream began to take off.
Through her commitment to kindness and devotion to her purpose, Kari started her business from nothing and grew it into a 10 million-dollar company. Today, as a passionate entrepreneur and environmentalist, Kari has sold over 50 million in EarthKind® products through local and national retailers, including ACE, Lowe’s and Target. The company is on track to hit $16 million in revenue this year, surpassing its original forecast.
So, just how was Kari able to build her company into a big brand in less than 10 years? First, she believed in her purpose. Kari found that 98% of all pest control products sold were poisons- she knew change had to be made, and that became her driving force in creating EarthKind®. Purpose is not only important to Kari, and her employees, but to her consumers as well. More consumers are seeking to purchase from companies who they can trust and who are good corporate citizens, which EarthKind® is through its meaningful employment of handicapped workers, which make up approximately 20% of EarthKind®’s workforce, and its support of American farmers. All EarthKind® products are sourced from American farms and made exclusively in the USA.
Next, she networked. A lot. Since launching EarthKind®, Kari has gone to every industry event and trade show that she can, and has become involved in her local Department of Commerce. She was also selected as an Ernst & Young “Entrepreneurial Winning Women™,” which is a national program that identifies a select group of high-potential women entrepreneurs whose business shows real potential to scale, and helps them do it. These opportunities have allowed Kari to not only get the word out about EarthKind®, but to also interact with and learn from other successful entrepreneurs.
As for Kari’s most recent accomplishments, EarthKind®’s latest sub-brand – Stay Away® – is now at Target. Stay Away® Ants, Stay Away® Spiders, and Stay Away® Mice pouches hold natural, botanical oils that quickly repel – not kill – critters and rodents so they stay out of the home. Kari is the first to develop, manufacture and commercialize high performance, plant-based rodent and insect repellents for home use. Since the products were developed for household use, Kari’s had them independently tested by moms with kids and pets, resulting in over 3,500 5* reviews. She has also just launched Stay Away Mosquitoes, a 14-hour insect repellent that is free of DEET, skin-friendly, and safe for use on pregnant women and children 2 years and older. EarthKind® is also the first and only company to have its products meet Federal EPA gold standards for safety and effectiveness in the home, with no known risks.
Kari is committed to kindness. She lives every day with the philosophy that being a kind leader is essential to success. She says, “Being kind is critical to our mission, I named my company EarthKind® for a reason, the products we make are kind to the earth and as a corporation; we foster an environment that values everyone and everything. From sourcing our sustainable ingredients, to the way we make our products, package them and distribute them. The whole process is mindful of everyone and everything we touch, contact and impact.”
Kari continues to make strides toward revolutionizing the pest-control industry, as she persistently searches for new ways to change, improve, and ensure the safety of product ingredients for her consumers. As she continues to abide by this mission, she hopes to inspire women as entrepreneurs and further set the standard of kindness for our homes, our environment and our planet.
