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Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1351663
36 BCBUSINESS APRIL 2021 COURTESY OF TRU EARTH furniture–the main objective hasn't. Roy, a partner as well as director of marketing, is one of 15 employees at Natural Pod. While most staff work from home, the company's facility is based on Vancouver Island. "We try to make a product that looks simple and elegant, is made in Canada, but ben- efits the natural environment because of the way the material is sourced and, while being more durable, really ensures better air quality," he says. (Unlike typical furniture, Natural Pod pieces don't contain harmful chemicals that get released into the air.) The business has created some 15,000 learning spaces impacting nearly a million students across the globe, Roy adds. Because of the way Natural Pod works, it was prepared for COVID. Many of its clients found themselves in a different situation, though. "We were quite concerned, of course, because we sell education furniture, and during the pandemic, especially the early part, lots of schools closed their doors," Roy explains. But because governments in B.C. and some other places deem construction an essential service, the renovation and building of schools has continued, benefiting Natural Pod. "A lot of customers have looked at this as an opportunity, and there's been heightened concerns around air quality and decisions around climate," Roy says of COVID. "Because we're a value-based business, we're going to be dealing with uncertainties. But the pandemic has been kind to us." R U N N E R - U P Tru Earth Everyone from Steve Jobs to ESPN personality Erin Andrews has told us that success doesn't happen over- night. Then along comes Tru Earth to send that notion to the compost bin. In fairness, it took more than a few nights for the Port Moody eco-friendly laundry detergent outfit to get going, but its rise has been meteoric. Founded in April 2019 by Ryan McKenzie, Brad Liski and Kevin Hinton, Tru Earth had seven employ- ees and about $5 million in revenue at the end of that year, when Canadian Business magazine named it the second-fastest-growing firm in the country. Turns out the publication was right on the money: by the end of 2020, there were 186 staff, and Tru Earth was a $40-million operation. "People in this company have a huge passion for what they want to do, and we have over 200,000 custom- ers who feel the same way," says head of public relations Anita Spiller. "It's the movement, really; it's the environmental sustainability path." Because it's a paper strip, Tru Earth's laundry product eliminates the use of water, which comprises the majority of most liquid detergents. And it's packaged in an envelope rather than a jug, eliminating plastic and reducing transport-related emis- sions by 94 percent. But the company has no plans to stop there. "Both fortunately and unfortunately, we've been but- tonholed into being a laundry strip company," says Spiller, who notes that Tru Earth has more than 20 other products on offer online and at retailers across the world, including dryer balls, beeswax food wrap and disinfectant strips. "The goal is to not just be in the laundry room but the kitchen and bath- room as well," she adds. "Imagine the stuff you use that comes in plastic in your bathroom and kitchen, and that's where Tru Earth is heading." n STRIP SHOW (From left) Tru Earth founders Kevin Hinton, Brad Liski and Ryan McKenzie have cleaned up the laundry detergent game Peter Stories of Influence.indd 1 2021-03-09 8:01 AM