Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Brad Liski Of Tru Earth Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Martita Mestey
Surround yourself with smart people. If you are the smartest person in the room, then you should probably change rooms. There are very smart people in the world and listening to their experience and training can save you a great deal of pain and money.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brad Liski.
Brad Liski is a social entrepreneur and the CEO of Vancouver-based Tru Earth®, a global household cleaning products organization focused on eliminating plastic from the home. With Tru Earth, Brad and his co-founders have triggered a movement of over 1.2M customers — their #TruChangeMakers™ — committed to using household cleaning products that don’t require plastic containers, chemicals, or wasteful liquid in a collective effort to address plastic pollution and help save the planet. Tru Earth’s business model is rooted in social good KPIs that also serve the bottom line — a balance of environmentalism and capitalism that has resulted in a 944% growth rate for Tru Earth in just under four years. Liski’s business background also includes positioning companies and brands for dynamic growth and profitable expansion; he has a long track record in leading start-up, high growth, acquisition, merger and receivership operations.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I grew up in the greater Regina area in a family that always had a deep respect for the natural environment. My father was a carpenter, a trade I followed briefly and still use as a way to relax. We grew up spending a lot of time at a cabin that was ‘off grid’ and allowed us to enjoy nature for all that it is–and here in Vancouver, it’s pretty splendid. I was raised with the principles of: ‘be humble, be kind, get the work done’ and I live by this credo every day and instill it in my own kids.
You are currently leading a social impact organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change in our world today?
Sure. As a recent Greenpeace report highlights, Americans discarded approximately 309 pounds of plastic per person worth of wrappers, bottles, and bags in 2021– totaling 51 million pounds. Yet only 5% of the plastic placed in recycling bins ended up being recycled. This is due to a variety of reasons ranging from wish cycling — where people put plastic into recycling bins hoping it’s recycled but not knowing if it will be — to a lack of municipal capacity and infrastructure.
There is a serious issue of plastic pollution — billions of plastic containers are filling our landfills and oceans each year — and this motivated me and Tru Earth’s founders to build the organization around a critical cause: make true lasting change that helps save the planet. Our approach is to eliminate plastic containers from household cleaning products and through innovation, ensure they do not need to be created in the first place. This shift in consumer behavior requires education and ongoing dialogue with our customers. So far, we’ve been successful. We have over 1.2M committed customers — our #TruChangeMakers — making choices in household cleaning products that are better for the environment. This confirms what we believe: consumers want an easy and effective solution to cleaning their homes that is also eco-conscious.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?
I’m passionate about helping save the planet because I want to make sure my kids, and their kids, can experience and enjoy the beauty of the environment and natural surroundings as much as I did growing up.
We are in a climate emergency and while the planet can survive the increased intensity and frequency of wildfires, floods, stronger hurricanes and other extreme weather events, humans cannot. I got tired of seeing constant news stories about the planet being in danger and I knew that I had to do something about it.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
The “Aha Moment” for Tru Earth happened thanks in large part to one of Tru Earth’s co-founders, Ryan McKenzie. He often watched videos with his kids and realized that in countless shows, the scenes and sets were dominated by plastic toys, props, gadgets, you name it. One program in particular showed a treasure chest made of plastic, wrapped in plastic, with an egg carton of plastic sitting on top. Underneath the toy was more plastic, with 20 little parts wrapped in plastic. He thought, “there’s got to be something we can do to get rid of all of this plastic” and not just in the videos — but in consumers’ everyday use! That’s when he called me and shared that an extended-family member had a patent for a laundry eco-strip that delivered detergent in a strip format packaged in a compostable envelope, rather than liquid in plastic. While some of us have kids and their plastic toys around our homes, all of us have cleaning products in our homes. That was nearly four years ago. Since then, we’ve evolved from a patent to manufacturing and distributing a portfolio of environmentally conscious household cleaning products that eliminate the need for plastic in the home. We’re also one of the fastest growing companies in Canada.
Many people don’t know the steps to take to start a new organization. What are some of the things or steps you took to get your project started?
Our strategy was to secure a firm foothold in Canada through initial direct-to-consumer (DTC) engagements and then expand into brick-and-mortar locations that carry CPG household products. We quickly became a household name in Canada and as our DTC sales expanded on a global scale, we knew the next step was to prioritize the US market.
While our target market includes household decision makers, we quickly saw that our reach expanded to people who are on the road, those with mobility issues, or parents who were simply too busy to take the time to properly measure out detergent. Our small, compact strips do not require plastic jugs or wasteful amounts of liquids, and they are easier to use than traditional detergent. That’s when we knew that we tapped into an unmet market need. If you think about it, the CPG laundry sector has seen very little innovation in decades. I’ll never forget when my son came home from college one day and told us that his business professor said that some markets are undisruptable — including laundry. Well, here we are with laundry eco-strips as our bestselling product. To date, we have prevented more than 107 million plastic containers from being created.
To support this growth, our strategy included securing committed investors who believed in our business model, and executive team and innovating new laundry strip offerings — in terms of subscription opportunities, different scents, new quantities, and other creative offerings. Also, and equally important, we began developing new household cleaning products, rooted in the same “strip” technology, for other areas of the home, including the kitchen and bath; establishing a strong senior management team and staff to include individuals with experience in CPG marketing, operations, manufacturing and distribution, as well as experts and advisors in ESG and innovation; and building a solid infrastructure that supported our critical cause activities through partnerships, as well as our commitment to donating to communities in need.
Today, Tru Earth is a global movement of over 1.2 million customers — our #TruChangeMakers — in 78 countries committed to combating the billions of plastic containers dumped in landfills and oceans globally each year. Since we were founded in April 2019, Tru Earth has experienced a 944% growth rate and is continuing to disrupt the US CPG sector with new innovations while expanding into international markets. Our suite of offerings extends from laundry into kitchen and bath, including our new Dishwasher Detergent Tablets. With each new offering, we’re proving that there is a better, cleaner way to clean while making a positive impact on the environment.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Last September, Tru Earth hosted two coastal clean-ups in San Francisco as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day, and in honor of our role as a founding partner of the American Shoreline Clean-up Program. Alongside Ocean Wise and SF Baykeeper, and with the help of more than 75 #TruChangeMakers, we cleaned up over 925 pounds of trash from two San Francisco beaches. The image of those piles of garbage will stick with me for a long time. At both locations, when we arrived, they looked pretty clean — maybe a wrapper or cigarette butt here or there, but overall clean. As the days progressed and more garbage was found, the reality sank in of how deep we are in this climate crisis. We had already accomplished so much as an organization, but that was the moment I realized we needed to do more, and faster, to help save the planet.
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake that you made when you were first starting and the lesson you learned from that?
I have always been an entrepreneur and I’ve often worked with my brother. In the early 90s, we bought Recycle Regina from the couple who had started it — a recycling company based in Regina, Canada. We did this because we truly believed that people wanted an easier alternative to recycling — one that didn’t require transporting their recyclables to large municipal bins. Things were going pretty well and we were able to expand commercially, picking up and recycling paper from a large office building. I was excited about the potential of this company. Then I got a call.
The owner of the largest waste disposal company in the city was inviting me to a very fancy, very dark, steakhouse. The steak was fantastic, but I couldn’t help but feel that I had seen this somewhere. The Sopranos maybe? Sufficient to say that the owner was not thrilled my brother and I were cutting into his business. I realized that I either had to include him in my business somehow or risk alienating the business community.
I’m proud to say that I stood up for myself and soon after, the City of Regina created a municipal pick-up system that put us out of business. I hope our company influenced them, but I’m not sure they even knew who we were! So, what did I learn? It taught me that the local business community is critical to a business’ growth and diversification. As it relates to Tru Earth, if we go out of business because all CPG companies decide to manufacture and package household cleaning products without using plastic, then we will have succeeded, and I can go to sleep comfortably knowing that my team and the #TruChangeMakers helped make true lasting change to help save the planet.
But also, if you ever want to intimidate someone, fantastic and dark steakhouse dinners are the way to go.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
While I’ve been fortunate to have many individuals play an integral role in my career, my two children–McKenna and Morgan–have always been my inspiration. Back in 2010, I was on a business trip and returned home to find two bright-eyed children bursting with a new idea: to make a magazine. McKenna and Morgan came up with an environmental issues magazine called Environment911.org, designed to focus on the world’s environmental problems and uncover solutions. When you have an 11- and 8-year-old advocating for the environment, it never fails to pull on your heartstrings and inspire you to make a change.
Through my children, I’ve learned the importance of educating young people about issues, convincing them that their voices can make a huge impact, and most importantly, listening when their voices tell you something is wrong.
I challenge others to take a moment and ask yourself: Which 11- or 8-year-old can you give a platform to today? Whose ideas might you have dismissed because the thinkers seem too young? To those who are lucky enough to know young people who can offer fresh thinking, why not see what’s on their minds?
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
- For everyone: Take a plastic assessment of your home. What’s under your sink? What’s in your cabinets? What about your bathroom? Of these items that are held in plastic, which ones can you replace with a plastic-free alternative?
- Consumers: Understand your purchasing power. We understand that you’re becoming more aware of the impact your buying habits can have on the planet and we encourage you to continue taking small steps because every action counts.
- CPG Companies: Collaboration is the key to success, and I am very interested in discussing and exploring ways we can work together to keep customers happy while also helping to save the planet.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
I’m proud to say that Tru Earth is a prime example of that. We have board ratified two environmental and social impact targets as corporate KPIs: number of plastic containers eliminated and loads of laundry donated. Every day consumers learn more about the companies they purchase from, and greenwashing is easier to spot. Our 944% growth rate is proof that when you are true to your message and critical cause, consumers will follow.
That’s the key — remaining true and transparent. If you understand your impact and communicate that to your consumer, they will remain loyal to your brand. Perhaps even more important is how you communicate this. We know we’re not perfect and we know our consumers aren’t perfect. When you begin shaming others for not acting sustainably, you immediately alienate them. We believe that small hinges swing big doors, and we want our consumers to feel the same way.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
- Everyone says this but: Do what you love. I have always been passionate about the environment and running a business that is helping eliminate plastic containers in the home, and therefore reducing plastic pollution doesn’t feel like work. It feels like I am living my dream.
- Build and sustain a strong relationship with your local community. From other businesses to local leaders, politicians, and media, these relationships are essential to your long-term growth.
- Watch your ego. I’ve seen how a person’s ego can destroy purpose and progress. Too often business leaders feel they know best on all matters. And though we’re required to make decisions, it’s better to make an informed decision.
- Surround yourself with smart people. If you are the smartest person in the room, then you should probably change rooms. There are very smart people in the world and listening to their experience and training can save you a great deal of pain and money.
- Give to those in need in the communities where you do business. In today’s world, there are many who are overlooked and underrepresented. And more than ever before, businesses are stepping in to help these at-risk individuals and groups. In my point of view, it’s a natural and necessary part of doing business.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Small hinges swing big doors. Eco-anxiety is increasingly prevalent, especially among the younger generation. I come from the faculty of hope and while some may complain about ‘entitled’ millennials and Gen Z, I’m proud to be a father to two empowered Gen Z children, who are intolerant of intolerance and simply want justice and equality for all. Their generation is one of the reasons companies are becoming transparent about ingredients, sourcing, workers’ rights, and environmental impact. They’re the reason climate awareness has grown exponentially in the last few years. And they’re the reason #TruChangeMakers are relentlessly trying to make a difference. Next time you’re at the dinner table, take the time to talk to your loved ones about what climate justice means to you and learn from each other because we are all being impacted in different ways. And at the end of the day, shouldn’t we all be trying to live a little more justly?
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My father’s quote that I live by: ‘be humble, be kind, get the work done.’ This has become a personal credo. My father was very important to me and his prioritization of humility and kindness before success is critical to how I see the world. I’ve seen how a person’s ego can destroy what they’re working for and how easily that can be prevented by not only surrounding yourself with smart people, but also listening to them. Too often business leaders feel they know best on all matters. When you put humility and kindness before all else, you will still make mistakes but also be able to learn from them and grow.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Honestly, I don’t really idolize people in that way. I love talking to our #TruChangeMakers, what we call our customers, and learning about how Tru Earth can make their journeys to help save the planet easier.
How can our readers follow you online?
On LinkedIn
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Brad Liski Of Tru Earth Is Helping To Change Our… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.