GARY: Next on Start Up, we head to Dallas, Texas to meet up with Femi Oyenekan, the founder of Simpleaf, a line of personal and home cleaning products with a commitment to global social impact.

All of this and more is next on Start Up.

ANNOUNCER: Colonial Penn offers guaranteed acceptance, a type of whole-life insurance that does not require answering health questions or taking a medical exam.

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Colonial Penn is a proud supporter of Start Up.

RICHARD: I've had a sneaker problem all my life, right?

It's really surreal to be doing something that I'm really passionate about.

ANNOUNCER: More than 60% of sales in Amazon's store come from independent sellers like Richard at Proof Culture.

Amazon, a proud supporter of Start Up.

ANNOUNCER: Running a business isn't easy.

BambooHR supports your HR strategies by automating operational tasks, leaving you with more time to concentrate on what's most important to you and your business.

Learn more at BambooHR.com.

BambooHR, a proud supporter of Start Up.

ANNOUNCER: The future is not just going to happen, you have to make it and GoDaddy Airo can help you get your business online with an AI-generated name, logo and website.

GoDaddy Airo, learn more at godaddy.com/airo.

♪ GARY: My name is Gary Bredow.

I'm a documentary filmmaker and an entrepreneur.

As the country faces uncertainty, small business owners continue to persevere, pushing the economy forward with their unrelenting drive and determination.

We've set out for our 12th consecutive season, talking with a wide range of diverse business owners to better understand how they've learned to adapt, innovate, and even completely reinvent themselves.

♪ This is Start Up.

♪ The personal and home cleaning products market in the US is a significant industry, encompassing a diverse range of products for personal hygiene and household cleaning.

With a market size in the billions, growth trends are shifting toward eco-friendly and natural products, reflecting consumer preferences for effectiveness, safety, and environmental consciousness.

Today, I'm heading to Dallas, Texas to meet up with Femi Oyenekan, the founder of Simpleaf, a line of personal and home cleaning products with a commitment to global social impact.

I can't wait to meet Femi and learn more about Simpleaf.

♪ ♪ ♪ Where did you grow up?

FEMI: I grew up in a city called Lagos, Nigeria.

GARY: What was life like growing up in Lagos, Nigeria?

FEMI: I think one of the things you're going to realize about Nigerians also is that I feel like we get matured really early in life, and it's because of the struggles that we have to go through every day.

The lack of resources.

GARY: Resources, such as?

FEMI: Resources, such as I would say money.

I grew up with a family with five siblings, and we all grew up probably in a 400 square feet home.

Down the road, when I was 13 years old, unfortunately, I lost my mom at that age.

GARY: Aw, I'm sorry.

FEMI: But at the same time, you know, it's always like that moment of bitterness, but also a time of realization of, okay, we had two parent home, right, and we could barely make three square meal on the table.

Now you have just one.

But the key thing for me growing up, the thing I vividly remember, right, is that every step of the way, growing up was really, my dad taught us how to live a life with purpose.

And purpose for him, was never connected to the physical world or the physical money that everyone would think.

So, what that has really enlightened and really strengthened me is to really find, how do I really attach purpose, you know, to everything I do in life.

And that's what growing up in my family has really helped me do.

GARY: When did you make the decision to come to the United States?

FEMI: I knew at the age of 13 that it was going to be hard for me to reach the full potential with the type of opportunities that was presented in Nigeria.

GARY: Okay.

FEMI: So, the key thing was like, how, what was going to be that next step for me?

And the next step for me was definitely come to United States to study.

So, started going to college back home.

And when I go to college, my goal was to find ways to do everything possible to save enough money to be able to write my SAT.

Well, I went to college and it was a ratio of one professor to 700 students.

GARY: 700?

Wow.

FEMI: And some classes, 1,000 students, right, in class.

And that was my first aha moment of a small business, right?

So, when I walked in, I had my first partnership, and the goal for us was to find ways to write as clear and vivid notes as possible in the class.

And every weekend we make photocopies of these notes- GARY: And sell them?

FEMI: And we sell them.

GARY: (laughs) You were selling your notes.

That's brilliant, man.

FEMI: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And that was how I started slowly saving money.

And I saved my money, and everyone like, "Man, you're making this much money, what are you using your money for?"

But I was saving them.

I wrote my SAT and started saving my money.

Processing my admission to United States.

Three years, three years later, that became a dream.

And I got admitted to my first college in Tennessee called Lee University.

GARY: You finally get the money saved up and you're going to come to university in Tennessee.

FEMI: Yeah.

GARY: Talk about that experience.

FEMI: Came to United States, and this is the funny part, right?

We had just enough to buy a ticket to New York, but my school is in Tennessee.

So, I told my dad, I said, "You know what, "just get me to New York, "let me get to United States, and we'll figure it out from there."

GARY: Were you accepted in college already?

FEMI: Absolutely.

GARY: And you had room and board set up?

FEMI: Everything.

I got a full ride scholarship on my first year.

GARY: Yes!

FEMI: Yeah.

So, I go to New York, and fortunately, I had one aunt, right?

So, I was like, I got to her, I'm like, "Hey, I need to come to you.

Can I take a bus?"

And she's like, "That is actually a very, very far place, "like New York to North Carolina.

It's not just a one hour trip."

So, I actually had to be at the airport for two days, waiting for every means.

Yeah, yeah.

Finally found a way for her to buy me a ticket.

Then I reached North Carolina, and that was, you know, at that point, I think I had $50 left in my pocket.

And I took a bus, a Greyhound bus from North Carolina to Tennessee.

GARY: To Tennessee, to your college campus.

FEMI: To my college campus.

GARY: What did you think about New York the first time that you got, I mean, you were only in the airport, right?

FEMI: Exactly.

But that was a moment for me, right?

I think what really stunned me so much was the accessibility to everything in just in airports.

GARY: Everything.

FEMI: Everything.

I could tell myself like, "I can just stay in the airport, like I could live in this airport."

Because that was- GARY: Everything you could ever need is there.

FEMI: Is there.

GARY: You can have showers, bathroom, kitchen.

FEMI: Bath, toilet.

But that was also the moment I realized that we so far behind, right?

GARY: Nigeria?

FEMI: In Nigeria.

And that's why I said that was so profound, right?

In just seeing just what an airport could present.

And you could actually not have that same accessibility in a whole city in some instances.

GARY: At what point did the idea for Simpleaf come up?

FEMI: Fortunately for me, I got actually hired straight out of college.

I was hired by Pepsi Co.

But I think about four years into my career, I was kind of getting to that level of I wasn't satisfied.

I think very early in my life, right, I knew that my calling was going to be to build a business, right?

I didn't just know when and what business.

As I was going through that process of determining what business do I want to go through, I was going researching, looking at different industry, looking at IT.

But there was something that kept coming back to me was the hygiene space.

GARY: Why was hygiene important to you?

FEMI: I think hygiene was important to me because I said when I was at that airport, that level of accessibility was so profound that I remember when I was in high school back home, we had about one bathroom to over 400 students to use.

So, the only way sometimes we had to use the bathroom was to go into the bush and- GARY: Use a leaf?

FEMI: Use the leaf.

And there've been friends, been stung by snake.

And I've had that experience myself where it was close to me.

So, I think during that process, right, I started realizing that, hey, my purpose was to really find some level of solution, right?

In developing countries, right, in creating better accessibility to hygiene, right?

How can I be part of that solution?

We started off with wipes, right?

GARY: With wipes.

FEMI: So, yeah, we did.

When we started, we wanted to test the market to understand what product is going to excel well.

And we focused on, we started, we took 20 count, and now we've grown the line of our wipes currently.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ GARY: Talk about when the idea hit you, "Okay, I'm going to go for hygiene."

How do you even begin to create a wipe?

FEMI: What I did is I had this Excel worksheet and I would go through every products that was in market and I would take every negative one, every negative feedback, and I listed all those things down.

And my first approach is I wanted to solve.

GARY: Solve the problems first.

FEMI: For this new product line, right.

GARY: What were the biggest problems that people had with wipes?

FEMI: People actually had, a lot of people didn't have unscented wipe option in the adult space.

GARY: Unscented, they wanted unscented.

FEMI: Yes, they wanted their wipes not have scent.

And they wanted their wipes to have a level of thickness.

I would go online and talk to manufacturers every day, and all of a sudden, I realized they actually do have a conference in Las Vegas.

So, I bought my ticket, I went to Las Vegas.

And that was where I met my first manufacturer that was able to help take the bet on us on really creating the first two products, quality hygiene product, with two strong values in mind, environmental consciousness and social responsibility.

♪ GARY: You get your manufacturing going.

Where was the first place that you were like, you know, had in your mind, I'm going to start selling?

FEMI: I think the beauty is that at that point, e-commerce, there were good e-commerce platform out there.

GARY: So, you wanted to sell online?

FEMI: Online.

What online gives to us is that it gives us a space to compete, right?

And to also make, to build our own story.

We were doing great online in terms of selling, but online is actually an expensive space for us.

And when you sell wipes, I make fun that I sell water, right?

So, our product is heavy to ship, right?

So, shipping from Point A to Point B really incurs us with a lot of costs.

So... GARY: Right, so the margin just gets smaller and smaller.

FEMI: The margin getting smaller and smaller.

So, we grew ourselves online for over, I mean, five years.

And after five years was when I said, "Okay, you know what?

I want to start looking into retail."

We actually got in Whole Foods through a deck.

Like, literally sent a deck, right?

Of a very good thought, understanding of what our business do, the future of our business, and where we were headed.

So, I went through a program that is really focused on BIPOC.

It's called Impact Venture.

The opportunity that introduced us to a Whole Foods buyer with a deck.

And the rest is history today.

GARY: Did you start in, like, a few stores, and then they put you national immediately?

FEMI: No, they put us national.

GARY: So, you had to be able to hit the inventory demands.

FEMI: I think the goal was that, let's build the infrastructure for that success before we actually went in for it, right?

Which is, it's difficult to do.

However, I think I've been very fortunate with a great team.

I've been very fortunate with a great partnership, which is with my wife.

You know, she's been very supportive and really been that support system that gives me that, like, "No, you can do it."

So, that's really helped me a lot.

♪ ♪ ♪ GARY: Talk about the business itself.

What do you think about the products and the company as a whole?

K.C.

: The product itself is very, very socially impactful, as well as the environment impactful.

That's pulling on a lot of heartstrings, including mine.

That makes it very easy to come to work, because I know that we're making a difference in this world.

One wipe at a time.

GARY: It's not just a paycheck for you?

K.C.

: Yes.

It's about also helping Femi drive towards the vision and the mission that he has for the company Simpleaf.

And also making a difference in the world.

GARY: I want you to just kind of brag about everything that you've done with from your purpose side right now.

What are you doing to give back with Simpleaf?

FEMI: When we launched, the first thing we did was partner with a company called Toilet Twinning.

It's a charity company in UK.

Most of the communities they go are the communities that have never had access to toilets.

GARY: Got it.

FEMI: Never had access to toilets.

So, what they do is that they educate them and say, "Hey, all these diseases, "all these things you are going through, "this sickness can actually be, "one of the major reasons could be your hygiene practices."

So, for every toilet that society brings, they build one, and that's toilet twinning.

So, from the first day, we partnered with them and we donated 1% of our gross revenue back to them to build that first access toilet.

And fast forward today, we've actually reached over 80 communities.

GARY: Wow.

FEMI: Eight countries, four continents, that we've donated first access toilets to people.

For us, Simpleaf being a great avenue to different people across the country, across the world, is big.

So, one of the key things for us also our body shower wipes.

For every four of that product we sell, we donate one back to homeless shelter across the country.

GARY: Amazing.

FEMI: By doing that, we've donated close to 55,000 units.

Streetside Shower is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite partner.

And what they do is so good.

So, what they do is that they have this vehicle that they park, they go to hotspot of homeless people, where homeless people stay.

GARY: Homeless people.

FEMI: Yeah, and they park this mobile shower.

What we do is that after these people have a shower, we then packed about five or six of our body shower wipes and put it in the hygiene kit for them.

And one of the times I volunteered, one person came out and I spoke to him and it was like, and I will never forget.

And he said, "Oh, my God.

"I feel like 30 pounds of weight just dropped from my shoulder."

And that is really one of the key things I enjoy most about building this business.

And I'm hoping in the next three to five years, when they think about Simpleaf, we'll be talking about that company that address hygiene inequality in the local and international community.

That is the vision for me.

That is the dream for me, and I'm very, very passionate about that side of the business.

♪ ♪ ♪ GARY: What is it that got you into doing this?

LANCE: One day back in 2017, I had an experience.

I walked into a bathroom, there was a gentleman that was experiencing homelessness, and he was just washing out of the sink.

And that was just the day that really my life changed.

GARY: So, he was just cleaning himself up in the sink, like- LANCE: Yeah, he was trying to wash out of a sink.

That's one of the things we noticed here in the North Texas area, that getting clean and getting a shower is such a big obstacle for those that are experiencing homelessness.

We found that a lot of our guests, folks, that if you feel clean, you feel better.

It really always, you feel better about yourself, you know.

And then it may be that being clean and experiencing that allows you to maybe take the next step to say, "How can I get out of homelessness?"

GARY: Talk a little bit about your company and brag a little bit about what you're doing right now, like, how many trucks you have?

How many people are you helping shower?

LANCE: I started Streetside Showers back in 2017.

I had a trailer that had just two shower stalls on the trailer.

And then since then, we've been continuing to grow.

Now we have five shower trailers.

GARY: Wow.

LANCE: And we're servicing 10 weekly stops.

So, we're like a bus stop, same place, same time.

So, we have two shower trailers that roll every day to different cities.

So, those that are on the street can know they can get a hot shower.

Since now we're going to 2024, we've provided over 40,000 showers.

GARY: Incredible.

LANCE: We're averaging probably 10,000 showers a year right now and taking care of probably 2,000 people.

GARY: When did you first meet Femi from Simpleaf?

LANCE: Yeah, so we met Femi a few years ago.

But here's what was so special about Simpleaf and Femi is because the products that they do, they're very portable.

We were able to give our guests some very nice, high-quality cloths and wet wipes and those sorts of things, because with us, they're only getting a shower maybe once a week.

And that's why this product is really a very, very important piece to what we do, because it does carry on the cleanliness throughout the week.

And again, and not only that, it's a high-quality product.

And so that's the dignity.

You give them something that's nice, something that's of high quality, and they can tell the difference when they're trying to keep themselves clean throughout the week, especially being here in the Texas heat.

GARY: Oh yeah.

LANCE: It really, it's a game changer for folks.

GARY: I'm overwhelmingly inspired by what you guys, both of you, are doing to give back.

Why should we, as people, take on and bear the responsibility of others in need?

LANCE: It's such a simple thing.

I think we have to look out for each other, you know?

And so, I really just kind of, you know, one of the old, old sayings of looking out for your neighbor, taking care of someone that's around you, caring for the person in front of you, or caring for the person next to you, I think it's all of our responsibilities.

And so, you know, with Streetside Showers, we can provide a professional level of service as a nonprofit.

But kindness is free.

And kindness is something everybody can do.

And whether you're helping us with a shower or you buy the products from Femi or you're able to kind of come alongside us and do that, kindness is something we all can do together to help and love, care for those others.

♪ ♪ ♪ GARY: What does the future hold for Simpleaf?

Because to me, it feels like you're really just getting started.

FEMI: Right now, we actually finalize it, doing some production of our full line of cleaning products, right.

From your all- purpose cleaner, your kitchen degreaser, anything you need in your home to make your home clean and healthy.

That's from a product standpoint.

From our purpose standpoint, three to five years, we want Simpleaf to be the same name as Toms in the hygiene space.

GARY: Continue to contribute.

FEMI: Continue contribute to the community.

GARY: Yes.

FEMI: That is the vision.

That is where we want to be.

That is where the purpose and the goal and the vision of this business is.

GARY: What is the biggest misconception that Americans have about immigrants coming to the country that want to build a new life?

FEMI: They have to be able to be more opened to the fact that people are not just coming here because United States is just United States.

They're coming here because where they're coming from do not really have any better opportunities.

GARY: And you're not coming to take.

You're coming to contribute.

FEMI: To contribute.

And nine out of 10 times, when the people that come in, like me, get the support of the community, the support of people here, it just makes us feel among and it makes us really, really do even 10 times we ever anticipated.

Because we are now in a community that makes us feel welcome, that makes us feel appreciated.

GARY: Encouraged.

Yes.

FEMI: And encouraged.

And that is part, and the biggest part of us to really continue to grow as a country.

GARY: Any advice to anybody else who's coming from anywhere else in the world and has a dream of coming to America to start a business, what's the best advice that you could give to them?

FEMI: Advice to anyone is that the structure you start with is really going to be, it's going to be so fundamental to your success.

Because when things are rough, that structure is what really holds you together.

The stronger the structure, the stronger the foundation, the probably the more opportunity you're going to withstand all those rough times.

The weaker the foundation and the weaker the structure, the probably the possibility that those rough times are going to put you out of business.

So, that has been, that would be my biggest advice to anyone that is going into the business world.

GARY: Immigrants have had such an incredible impact on our country.

Bringing with them a beautiful blend of languages, traditions, and customs that add to the depth and richness of our society.

And their contributions go way beyond culture.

Immigrants are a driving force in our economy.

They take risks, start businesses, and spark innovation.

And they're also behind some of America's most prominent companies like Google and Apple.

Femi's purpose for starting Simpleaf, along with his strong work ethic and relentless drive to succeed, is the true meaning of perseverance and determination.

And stories like Femi's serve as a powerful reminder of the core values America was built on, like freedom, opportunity, and the pursuit of happiness.

Because after all, America is a nation of immigrants, and it's the mosaic of cultures and backgrounds that truly makes us great.

I literally could have sat and spoken with Femi all day today and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to share his incredible story.

And I encourage all of you to go out of your way and get to know more people who may not look like you.

If we want to begin to heal the division in this country, it begins with empathy and one meaningful conversation at a time.

For more information, visit our website and search episodes for Simpleaf.

♪ Next time on Start Up, we head to Fort Worth, Texas to meet up with Edward Morgan, the founder of Revitalized Charging Solutions, a company that offers EV charging stations for both residential and commercial use.

Be sure to join us next time on Start Up.

Would you like to learn more about the show?

or maybe nominate a business?

Visit our website at startup-usa.com, and connect with us on social media.

♪ ♪ We've got a long road ahead of us ♪ ♪ A long road ahead of us ♪ Got a long road ahead of us ♪ ♪ Before we pay our dues ♪ We've got a long road ahead of us ♪ ♪ A long road MAN: That's good, there you go.

GARY: Oh!

That was not easy!

♪ I'm sitting in a cave and we're shooting B-roll.

♪ ANNOUNCER: The future is not just going to happen, you have to make it and GoDaddy Airo can help you get your business online with an AI-generated name, logo and website.

GoDaddy Airo, learn more at godaddy.com/airo.

ANNOUNCER: Running a business isn't easy.

BambooHR supports your HR strategies by automating operational tasks, leaving you with more time to concentrate on what's most important to you and your business.

Learn more at BambooHR.com.

BambooHR, a proud supporter of Start Up.

NATI: The founders of Reed always put the employees first.

That's what the company is about.

We take care of our people and they take care us.

ANNOUNCER: More than 60% of sales in Amazon's store come from independent sellers like Nati at Reed Wholesale.

Amazon, a proud supporter of Start Up.

ANNOUNCER: Colonial Penn offers guaranteed acceptance, a type of whole-life insurance that does not require answering health questions or taking a medical exam.

Learn more at colonialpenn.com or by calling 1-800-372-8383.

Colonial Penn is a proud supporter of Start Up.