When it comes to rodents, and insects, kindness is not a word traditional pest control brands have used as part of a brand name or product description. It took a woman to replace the notion of “kill” with the concept of kindness to disrupt an industry. Kari Warberg Block, founder and CEO of EarthKind, Inc., instinctively figured out what the entire pest control industry missed when she developed her first all-natural deterrent at her kitchen table.
The daughter of an entomologist and wife of a farmer, Warberg Block began her business, like many women do, out of necessity and anger. She and her husband were struggling financially and watching every penny. She knew she had to protect the family farm and its equipment from the costly damage caused by mice, but as a mother she was concerned about using a pest control product full of toxins. In a fit of frustration, Warberg Block grabbed a bottle of perfume and began spraying to see if that would get the mice out of a farm vehicle. It was a pivotal moment that got her questioning everything: Why lure mice in to kill them? Why not keep them out to begin with? Why not make pest control that’s non-toxic? Why not make it 100 percent sustainable? Why not make it less intimidating to buy? Why not market it to women?