The Liquid Lunch Project How Kari Warberg Block Took on Big Pest Control
What if the solution to your pest problem didn’t involve poison?
Most people see pests and reach for the nearest can of Raid. Kari Warberg Block saw pests and built a multi-million dollar company.
In this episode, we sit down with the founder of EarthKind, the trailblazing brand that disrupted the pest control industry with all-natural botanical solutions.
Kari shares her wild journey from a mouse running up her leg (literally) to going toe-to-toe with Procter & Gamble. We cover everything from her struggles getting retailers on board to dealing with industry pushback, lawsuits, and regulatory nightmares. And, of course, we talk about what it takes to scale a business while staying true to your mission.
Episode Highlights:-
The disgusting moment that launched EarthKind (00:57)
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Why 98% of pest control products were toxic before EarthKind (02:00)
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How Kari’s background in farming helped her discover a groundbreaking solution (06:53)
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The brutal early days—why no one believed in her idea (07:48)
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Taking on Procter & Gamble and other industry giants (32:11)
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How Gary Vaynerchuk’s business strategies helped her scale (27:46)
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Why transitioning from CEO to Chairman is way harder than it looks (36:55)
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The insane licensing and regulatory hoops she had to jump through (12:16)
Kari is the founder and CEO of EarthKind, a company that revolutionized pest control with plant-based, non-toxic solutions. She’s an award-winning entrepreneur, an inventor, and a straight-up force of nature when it comes to challenging industry norms.
Why Listen?This episode is a masterclass in entrepreneurial resilience, industry disruption, and scaling a business against all odds. If you’ve ever felt like the underdog in your industry, Kari’s story will make you believe in the power of persistence, creativity, and a little bit of rebellion.
Listen now and find out why Procter & Gamble should be locking their side doors.
Favorite Quote:
“When you're a disrupter, you have to walk in the side door, you have to walk in the back door, and it has to happen before they know they've even lost the house.”
Connect with Kari:
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