Skin Care for a Cause: Interview with Joshua Scott Onysko of Pangea Organics (Part 4)

RR: I have a background in working with nonprofits, and I read a statement from you that nonprofits waste a lot of money in mismanagement. When did you discover this?

JSO: I was living in Southern India and I met all of these people through this nonprofit group. They were on a $150 a day stipends, where I was spending about $9 a day. They were in these groups, funded with millions of dollars, for these kids to go down there and do women’s rights work, but they were only in a town for 10 days. What kind of women’s rights work can you do in 10 days? You’re a tourist. If you want to start a nonprofit to do that, you say, please donate money to this institute so we can send Americans to India so we can educate them on how the rest of the world lives. That would be fine, but it was under the guise of women’s rights work. Then after that, I kept seeing it everywhere. All of these groups were well-funded groups of tourists. Trust me, there are thousands of amazing nonprofits doing great work. Pangea is working with Women for Women International that is doing phenomenal work in countries that are post war conflict. But many of them are wasting millions. Same in the investment community. Your average VC investment is millions of dollars spread around ten companies in hopes one of them makes it big. 97% of cosmetic companies are gone within 12 months.

RR: I love your statement that, “One of the best things about an economy is capitalism. Corporations will generally produce products that we want or ask for.”

JSO: I studied neuro-marketing. The new statistic is that last year, corporations spent 32 billion dollars trying to figure out what we want to buy. We as a culture are always quick to say it’s not our fault. It’s someone else’s fault. It’s the government. It’s the political system. It’s the corporations. In the end, there’s 300 million of us. Figure out what you want the future to look like. People don’t think about what they buy. We’re just starting to understand the impact of what we buy. Prefect example: we go into a recession, and people go to Walmart to stock up on products made overseas by people getting paid next to nothing in horrible conditions.

We invented the ball bearings, yet we don’t make them anymore. Not one ball bearing is made in America anymore. It’s used in every automobile and bike in the world. We outsource it because people aren’t willing to pay for them to be made here anymore. We invented the t-shirt and made it famous, but only 14% are made here anymore. Jeans - forget about it. I think they’re only 20 pairs a year made here. We need to wake up and think about what we do today effects tomorrow. What do we want tomorrow to look like?

RR: Did always know you would be an entrepreneur?

JSO: My mom would tell you I have been since I was seven. I used to go in the woods and look for golf balls and sell them to golfers. Sure.

RR: What has surprised you most about being an entrepreneur?

JSO: The thing that has surprised me most is the impact that a small company, like Pangea, can have on the global community. I spoke at a conference and one of the head designers at Coca-Cola came up to me and said that they’ve had my packaging in their design room for four years. Which is amazing to me. We’re influencing Coca-Cola. I haven’t drank a Coke in I don’t know how long, and we’re influencing them. We’ve influenced one of the largest home cleaning companies in the world with how they are with their consumers. They’re watching what we’re doing. People like you. Maybe we can just change one thing a week. The impact is enormous. Every minute of every one’s day, we have the opportunity to make a better decision. That’s stretches far beyond consumerism. It goes into the authenticity we have with each other.

Our relationships are based on a cumulative count of every interaction we’ve had with that person. So from the first time you meet with somebody to the day you die, every conversation and interaction you’ve had with them is based on the authenticity that you’ve had with them in every instance. For example, if you’re married for 40 years, the conversation you had last night at dinner is literally based on every interaction you’ve had with that person. When people ask why we’re here? We’re here to constantly be improving ourselves. And we do that through improving the world around us, improving our authenticity, improving the value of trust in our relationships and in our life. Only we can make the difference, and the more people that can make those changes, the more people that will see it and say, I want to be that.

Skin Care for a Cause: Interview with Joshua Scott Onysko of Pangea Organics (Part 3)

RR: What would you say your company’s claim to fame is?

JSO: Our claim to fame is that I personally believe that we’re the first organic skin care company that has proven to the world that you can be organic, 100% natural and still have the efficacy, and the things that people are expecting out of skin care. I think that we’ve proven it in every new product we’ve come out with that has over exceeded people’s expectations of skin care. That, for me, is one of the most important things. Because all of the other things we do as a company, like living wage, and supporting women’s cooperative, that’s an extension of who I am. I don’t expect people to buy our product because of that. That’s a bonus. I’m always going to be that way with business. At the end of the day, people buy a $50 Pangea eye cream that needs to get rid of crow’s feet.

RR: Once you come up for an idea for a new product, what is the timeline from start to finish? The fruition of the idea to on the shelf?

JSO: Two years. The facial oil that we designed took two years. I’ve been using oils on my face for ten years. The big misconception is that if I’m using oils, I’m going to get oily. A well designed facial oil will actually stop you from being oily. It’s called Balancing Oil for a reason. We went out on the market and I looked at what everyone else was selling. Well this isn’t going to do anything, and they’re charging like $60 for it. So I took two years to carefully develop and design facial oil that would be extremely balancing. It actually does what it says. I’ve tested it on many oily-skinned people and told them to use the way we say to use it, every day for six weeks, and sure enough, it works. Everything that we make has to work. We don’t put out anything just to put out a new product.

RR: Pangea is sustainable, eco-friendly, and so much more. How did you accomplish all of that?

JSO: Work, work, work. I’m very driven for what my mission is. I believe in what we’re doing 150%. When I wake up in the morning, the things I think about are what the company becomes. My dream was to create a sustainable company from the ground up. What we say internally here is that the fringe predicts the future. If you’re not on the fringe, you’re not going to have a future. So you constantly have to be thinking about what’s the next thing that we can teach the world how to do. Is it living wages? Is it micro financing? Is it new ingredients from a different part of the world? Is it looking at different packaging? I think we’re the first cosmetic company I’ve ever seen that focus on the efficacy and responsibility on an environmental level of packaging the way we do. No one ever knows why our bottles are brown. Light destroys the medicinal ingredients in 48 hours, so why are you buying clear, glass bottles? Our packaging is 100% zero waste, and you can plant it, and it grows a tree. These are things we should be doing. Not just us, but everyone.

RR: What is next for Pangea?

JSO: We’re just going to keep doing what we do best. Putting out highly, efficacious skin care with all the social and environmental standards behind the company.

RR: Tell me more about the Pangea Institute? Is it finished?

JSO: No, this is a 2012 project. The Institute is a living, breathing organization that will basically take the principals we’ve built into Pangea, and teach other people how to do it in their own business. Let’s say you wanted to start a jewelry company. We’re going to show you how to do it, but with the social and environmental principals that Pangea has. From A to Z.

Stay tuned for part 4.

Skin Care for a Cause: Interview with Joshua Scott Onysko of Pangea Organics (Part 2)

RR: Many products claim to be organic, but are not. What should consumers be looking for in the ingredients?

JSO: If there is an ingredient that you can’t pronounce, or if they need to use a number to explain what it is, it’s probably not organic. And if you wouldn’t eat it, it’s probably not organic.

RR: What would you say are the most dangerous ingredients in personal care products and why are they dangerous?

JSO: The ones everyone knows about like parabens, but they’re a lot of ingredients people don’t know about like DETs, DEAs and anything with formaldehyde. What people don’t understand is formaldehyde and formaldehyde donors aren’t called formaldehyde. Parabens are a very common preservative used in the personal care industry, but it’s also a precursor for formaldehyde. So when you talk about the most dangerous, they’re all dangerous. Chemicals are chemicals, and many of them are untested. Out of 120,000 chemicals being used between home care and personal care products, only 10% of them have been tested for safety, and none of them have ever been tested when used with other ingredients. The average consumer believes that anything that has a bar code that is sold, is safe. The cosmetic industry is completely and utterly unregulated. There’s nobody checking products at all. No FDA. People always think, “well the FDA...” The FDA hasn’t given us safe food or drugs or skin care. Look what we eat every day.

RR: What do you think sets you apart from the other skin care companies that claim to be organic and natural?

JSO: We actually are. It pretty much comes down to that. Don’t get me wrong. There’s a few other companies that are doing it right…maybe three.

RR: What are some great skin care tips?

JSO: I think for most people that have skin problems, it’s internal. You are what you eat. And it’s not what people used to think: if you eat French fries, you’ll break out. It’s deeper than that. It’s health, it’s nutrition. We need to alkalize our bodies, and stop eating so many acidic foods. We need to eat more vegetables, we need to cook our food less. The American culture, since the 1950s, has boiled their food. People should know the more you boil you food, the less vitamins you are getting. Vitamins are water soluble; you’re pouring them down the drain. I haven’t used a microwave in over 14 years. It’s really about self-educating. We really need to think about the things we’re buying and putting in our bodies and feeding our children.

As far as skin health, the more important things are to cleanse, tone and moisturize in the morning. At night, cleanse and let your skin rest and breathe. Also, stress levels are enormous when it comes to the skin.

Skin Care for a Cause: Interview with Joshua Scott Onysko of Pangea Organics (Part 1)

I have been fascinated with cosmetics and skin care since my days as a make-up artist at Nordstrom. I love trying new products; spraying perfume on myself, and rubbing scented body lotion all over my skin was a daily ritual. Not to mention the medication I was taking, and skin care I was using from my dermatologist to get rid of my acne. I didn't have a clue that any of those products were hazardous to my health; it didn't even occur to me.

That was years ago, and since then I have emersed myself in learning about health - inside and out. Last year, I "greened" my home by replacing all of my toxic home and personal care products with non-toxic alternatives. That is how I discovered Pangea Organics, an award-winning, completely sustainable and organic skin care company. After reading one of their newsletters written by their founder, Joshua Scott Onysko, I was inspired to give him a call. And what a fascinating call that was...

RR: Why did you start Pangea?

JSO: I started Pangea to fund the Pangea Institute, act as a role model for the corporate world, and to prove to the world that you can do business socially and sustainably much more than the world is used to, and still be profitable. The Institute is aimed at improving the social environmental sustainability of corporations.

RR: I didn’t realize that you had the idea of the Institute before the idea for the company?

JSO: It actually came the year beforehand.

RR: How did you then decide to start the company? How did you get interested in body care products?

JSO: I made a batch of soap from a book with my mom right before I moved to Bombay. It was the first time I really played with essential oils and herbal extracts, and after traveling through the world, mostly Asia for two years, I kind of had this epiphany of alchemy. Alchemy has many different definitions. A lot of people think it’s turning lead into gold. The reality is alchemy is chemistry, but only using nature. I realized that I was really good at understanding what plants had to offer.

The thing that kept going through my head is that the longest clinical trial in the world is evolution. So if you look around the world, there’s plants that are extremely medicinal. Anywhere you go in the world, all around us, there’s plants that can heal us, and these plants are evolving over millions of years. So why aren’t we focusing on using the plants medicinally – topically and internally?

There’s definitely a movement for homeopathy and pharmaceutical-type products, but I started looking at the skin care industry and realized how toxic it was. Your skin is your largest organ, and absorbs over 80% of what you put on it, and if your average consumer goes into their medicine cabinet right now, there’s about 20 carcinogens in every bottle that people are smearing all over themselves and their children. It’s literally absorbing right into your body.
I started using alchemy, essential oils, herbology and aromatology that were more efficacious than what people were using from their drugstore, pharmacy or department store, but 100% natural. Not “natural” as in what you buy at the co-op or health food store, but 100% natural meaning you can go into a Whole Foods and buy every ingredient that we make our products with. Yet they are shelf-stable, and highly efficacious. Our products are used in 12 different countries, and have won several awards. This is my way of proving to the world that you can use nature and get the same results - better results - than using a chemical brand.

RR: Why should we be using organic products?

JSO: It’s a multi-tiered question. It’s clinically proven that organic ingredients have 40% more antioxidants than conventional ones. Why that’s important, is the only way to stop premature aging is to use as many anti-inflammatory and antioxidants ingredients on your skin as you can. So if you’re going to be using skin care, you should be using organic because it’s more efficacious. I’m a big supporter of organic. We outlawed DDT in 1972, a harsh pesticide, yet we still produce it and are the largest producer of it in the world. We sell it to all of these developing countries that grow food for us, and then we buy that food back. It’s very fascinating.

Stay tuned for part two.

Texting for a Cause: Jennifer Garner Supports k2kUSA

Written by Uptown Liz Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

It seems that almost everyone is texting these days. Now people can even send text messages to make a difference! Actress Jennifer Garner has recently teamed up with kgb, the text answer service, to support k2kUSA. Together they are launching a “text-ition”; a national text petition to call attention to the need of early childhood education in the United States.

k2kUSA is a kids advocacy campaign that strives to ensure a fair chance in life for every child in America. This newest campaign aims to bring kids together to stand up for children who grew up in poverty. Childhood poverty is a serious issue and it affects one in six kids in the United States. This “text-ition” can move us one step closer to ending this crisis.

This new campaign is another unique and simple way in which people can get involved in making a change. To see how you can help visit k2kUSA.org.

Summer for a Cause

Written by Uptown Liz Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

Now that summer is finally here, it is the perfect time to get involved in your community and give back. No matter where you live, there are plenty of great things you can take part in. Here are just a few ideas of rewarding things you can do this summer:

Donate old clothes that are still in good condition. A number of great organizations such as the Salvation Army collect gently-used clothing and resell them to raise money for those less fortunate. Not only does it get rid of some of the clutter in your home, but it also allows you to give to someone in need.

Volunteer. You can volunteer at a local garden, a soup kitchen, animal shelter, retirement home, or even neighborhood clean-up program. There are so many different wonderful organizations throughout your community that would greatly appreciate your time. Volunteer Match can help find the perfect place to volunteer for you.

Give blood. Someone needs blood every two seconds. Many organizations such as the American Red Cross, collect blood for those in need. If you’re eligible, donate blood and save some lives.

Become a mentor and adopt a little brother or sister. You can make a positive impact on the life of a young child and shape the people they will grow up to be. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a mentoring organization committed to helping children realize their potential and building their futures. Find out how you can help.

Recycle. Recycling conserves natural resources, space in landfills, and energy. It also reduces water pollution, air pollution, and green house gas emissions. Learn more about why recycling is beneficial from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Practice random acts of kindness. Perform a selfless act to assist or cheer up another individual. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a list of different ideas to choose from.

Use word of mouth. Simply talking about great charities or important causes to someone who is unaware can help inspire them to get involved and make a difference. Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook can help you make a positive impact for your community.

Actor for a Cause: Kevin Costner Contributes a Solution for BP Oil Spill

Written by Uptown Liz Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

They say necessity is the mother of invention; this phrase does not ring more true than it does today. In a time when our nation needs a solution to the oil spill crisis, several people are stepping up and proposing ideas. One person in particular is making real headway with developing a resolution. Popular actor and star of Waterworld, Kevin Costner, has invested $20 million and 15 years into the development of a machine which separates oil from water.

This oil-separating centrifuge spins the water at rapid speeds and manages to separate the oil and capture it into a containment tank. This machine is capable of taking thousands of gallons of oil contaminated water and removing 99% of the oil from it. The largest, the V20, can even clean water at a rate of 200 gallons a minute. BP has already ordered 32 machines in order to help with the cleanup.

It is times like these that we can witness the power of human ingenuity. Kevin Costner saw a need and he did what he could to help solve the problem. What can you do?