Angela Richardson, PUR Home - Rethinking Clean

Sep 22

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This week, I spoke to Angela Richardson, CEO, formulator, and product developer of PUR Home, an eco-friendly, natural, and non-toxic household cleaning products brand. Angela founded PUR Home in 2017 after realizing that she didn’t see any all-natural cleaning products on the shelf that delivered on efficacy.

The inspiration for PUR Home came to her five years prior when she did the “big chop” and embarked on an eco-friendly lifestyle. Angela discovered that most “natural” hair, cosmetics, and skin care products available on the market contained a high level of toxic ingredients. Therefore, she decided to make organic bar soap and other bath and beauty products that she began selling online and at local farmers’ markets.

As Angela progressed on her eco-friendly journey, she felt the nudge to venture into producing everyday essentials. She decided to create a sustainable household cleaning product line that was safe and effective. She spent 18 months researching and learning surfactant science and developed all-natural formulas for laundry detergent, dish soap, and multi-purpose surface cleaners.

“PUR Home has never been just for me...but for the community” - Angela

Angela always had a passion for teaching and helping people. After ten years of working in the higher education sector, she transitioned into her entrepreneurial journey seamlessly. She states that entrepreneurship runs in her family. She was raised by her grandmother, a hustler, who worked in foster care and owned several group homes. Also, her grandfather was in real estate and owned several properties.

Angela is undoubtedly keeping the entrepreneurial legacy alive. The year 2020 was a turning point for PUR Home as a result of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. They were featured on a number of prominent media outlets, and they were viral for six months. During today’s episode, Angela shares how this caused a drastic shift in their business as demand increased. She speaks extensively on how she became a thought leader in her industry by coming out of the closet and becoming the face of her brand.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

The beginning of the eco-friendly journey (6:43)
Venturing into new territory (11:22)
The branding process (29:13)
The shift: It all started with a tweet (31:16)
Partnership: defining lanes and maximizing skills (41:40)

Coming out of the closet: becoming a thought leader (49:02)
The future of PUR is bright (58:58)
Connecting with direct suppliers (67:57)

Questions Answered:

How do you attract customers that have an allegiance to conventional products?
What are some tips for targeting customers while on the digital shelves?
How do you determine which product to launch and when?
What are some things to consider when hiring staff for a small business?
How did your team shift to meet the high demands after going viral during the pandemic in 2020?
How do you manage to be both the founder and product developer for your brand?
When do you think it is the right time to have investors?

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