Jeff Kletter Shares Why the Sun Shines on KINeSYS
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With the summer season unofficially begun, The Giggle Guide™ reveals the sales sizzle and behind-the-scenes story of KINeSYS performance sunscreen products. This notion for lotion is a journey of love, sweat and tears - with a bright future focused on safety, families, and environmental responsibility.
When was your brand born, and what was the initial inspiration?
“In 1993, my doctors made matters simple, shape up or die young. So, I hired Josie, a personal trainer to coach me back to health. After some days of workouts, I complained about sore muscles and told Josie I couldn’t work out, but would she go out for dinner with me? She said NO! But, I should come for a workout and we’d try some muscle relief products. I tried a number of products with various issues and told her how pain relief products simply didn’t work, they were messy, stained my cloths and tough in sensitive areas. Josie joked we should make a product especially for me. And we did. It was the birth of KINeSYS.
This began a new partnership in business and in life. We recruited a chemist with 30 years experience to formulate a line of products designed to meet the rigors of professional athletes. Then we drafted one of Josie’s professors, Dr. Doug Clement, a leading sports medicine physician, former Olympic & Commonwealth athlete and Order of Canada recipient, to test the products and chair a Scientific Advisory Board.
Dr. Clement noted that athletes had a lower incidence of most diseases except one - skin cancer (due to prolonged outdoor exposure while training and competing). With this in mind, we created a new kind of sunscreen that provides high UV protection but is easy to apply and gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin. The same suncare technology provided to elite athletes is now available for active families. With extensive research and our goal to make the best sunscreen on the market we have complete confidence in the effectiveness and safety of these products, even when using them on our two sons, 6 and 3, and our little girl 21 months old.
Even with the high expectations of new parents, we know that KINeSYS is great for so many families.
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What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting?
“My biggest challenge getting started was getting the funding I needed. The second would be to get people to believe you can compete against the giant brands and the last is dealing with government agencies.
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What is one thing you would have done differently?
“I would have raised some real funding instead of bootstrapping it together. This would have eliminated a lot of stress.
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What are the three biggest keys to your success?
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- The first is to have an excellent product made to the highest of quality you can produce.
- The commitment we have to ourselves and the environment is instrumental in our success.
- Most people have no idea how big word of mouth is. Word of mouth (when people use it and love it, they tell others about it.) can grow your business in ways you never thought possible.
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Describe a typical new product development cycle for your business?
“To develop a new product is very time consuming when it comes to government regulated products if done properly (many companies make something, put it on the market, then deal with the regulatory bodies after their product is pulled off the shelves). Once a new product has been identified, then it must be formulated, tested and re-tested. For our suncare products, KINeSYS performs stability testing, SPF testing, Efficacy testing, allergy testing and water resistant testing. From start to finish, introducing a new product takes approximately 16 months.
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Do “green” or eco-friendly concerns influence your business decisions?
“KINeSYS was founded on the principles of the Three R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle. Our bottles are 100% recyclable High Density Polyethylene (Bisphenol-A free). We shun excess packaging whenever possible and when necessary we use cardboard that is a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled board. We do not use ingredients that accumulate in the body or the environment and print using vegetable-based inks when available. We source locally as much as possible to reduce fuel use. We love our planet and for that reason alone, we don’t test on animals.
Conventional self-powered spray cans can contain potentially harmful propellants and also may not be easily recyclable. The pressured container can also present special challenges when traveling by air. KINeSYS products have always used manual, finger-powered sprayers. These non-aerosol pharmaceutical-grade sprayers disperse an ultra-fine mist but result in no direct detrimental environmental effects. Like all KINeSYS components, they are also recyclable.
KINeSYS made the commitment to purchase clean, emissions-free electricity generated by wind power to offset that used in our manufacturing process as well as our office. This sustainable power is certified by EcoLogo, North America’s oldest environmental standard. Conventional electricity production results in the release of massive amounts of carbon dioxide, a leading cause of climate change. Renewable power generation allows us to make a choice to fight climate change when purchasing the products we use everyday.
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What is one new trend you’re seeing in the marketplace?
“The main trend we see is the market experiencing segmentation, including sports, kids, and with our new GIRL, tweens.
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**What types of marketing have been most effective for your business? **
“The most effective marketing that we do is directly to consumers. It is a good way to share our products. We get involved in triathlons, beach volleyball, all types of running races, swim meets, children’s fairs, anywhere we can get the product on a person, helps to sell product and create long-lasting customers.
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How does your business make use of the Internet?
“Recently we have been using the Web to help tell the story of KINeSYS. We have found many mom bloggers who love KINeSYS and help spread the word. The KINeSYS Web site is generating business and is growing yearly,
directly to consumers. It is a good way to share our events.”
What is the biggest challenge your business faces today?
“The biggest challenge we face is recognition of the brand. We continually need to educate people on the quality compared to other brands, and sun protection in general.
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What is one change/addition that’s had a positive impact for your business in the last year?
“The best thing to happen to us is having the EWG (Environmental Working Group) on the CBS morning show. They announced their Web site and talked about the best and the worst products. It was wonderful hearing the Vice President of Research show the BEST products on the market and the first and the only bottle she mentions by name is KINeSYS.
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If you had one piece of advice for someone entering the children’s market, what would it be?
“Make sure you have identified a strong market for your product. Keep the stress under control by making sure you are well funded. It takes time to gain distribution. You must have enough funding until that stream is consistent. Make sure you talk to the moms in your life and on the Web. They have a lot of great input to add.
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About KINeSYS Performance Sunscreen
KINeSys is an ethical manufacturer using sustainable practices to produce the highest quality sun protection products. In 1994 KINeSYS Inc. pioneered a unique approach to sun protection that remains unrivaled today. Now an established player in the Active Family Suncare market, KINeSYS makes a range of products that protect family health by helping to prevent sunburn and premature aging. KINeSYS has created an un-paralleled line of sunscreens that are oil, alcohol, paba, preservative and paraben free. Hypoallergenic- less likely to cause reactions, Non-comedogenic- won’t block pores and water-and-sweat resistant.
The KINeSYS brand has become synonymous with superior sun protection among athletes, active families and sun sensitive users seeking ‘something better.’ Consumers have rewarded KINeSYS with praise and brand loyalty. The products simply work better, are easy to use and garner repeat customers. See: www.kinesys.com/testimonials. Agencies like EWG- The Environmental Working Group- rated KINeSYS the #1 spray sunscreen out of over 1,000 assessed for efficacy and low hazard ingredients. Awards have been received from PTPA- Parent Tested Parent Approved- iParenting and Mom’s Best.
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