Introducing SJ Eco Materials
Meet Josh and his new company, SJ Eco Materials. Josh’s story is one that is inspiring, especially during the “COVID times”, as he had to make a pivot. Instead of getting stuck, he took the opportunity to evolve his product company into an innovative ecological friendly materials company. Get to know Josh’s journey, what inspires him, and like us at SCAPE, his shared values around living in rural Colorado.
Q: What’s your name, title, business?
A: Josh Jacobs, COO, SJ Eco Materials
Q: What does your business do?
A: We provide sustainable solutions for Composite manufacturing. Helping businesses switch to more ecological friendly materials for their products. Access to patented material combinations, knowledge on how to use them (Consulting), Licensing agreements, and possible 3rd party production.
Q: Tell us about your entrepreneurial journey.
A: Our initial concept was to provide an eco-friendly case for a specific instrument in a very small niche market (a steel drum called a Handpan). We researched different material combinations for about 2 years. After launching our first company called Panji LLC, we sold 250 cases in 21 countries and 25 U.S. states, our gross sales were $161,500 in 2.5 years. The instrument makers themselves are now being sued by the original maker and the scene started declining just before COVID hit. We pulled out of the market, re-assessed our business, took a pivot, and became a materials company.
Q: What was the most powerful lesson you learned on this journey?
A: Take investments from people with experience in your area, don’t put all your eggs in one basket in case that basket breaks, and raise more money for marketing because educating the public is crucial when your business is cutting edge.
Q: Why did you apply for the SCAPE Program?
A: In order to get the materials into many avenues of manufacturing it is best to make contacts with people who run companies, people who help you bridge the gap with funding and education.
Q: What companies inspire you the most (local, national, worldwide)?
A: Companies that make the environment, people’s health, and long term ecological safety a priority. Patagonia, Berkey, Ecopoxy and Entropy Resins, Tesla, and nonprofits that cleanup the water/land/air.
Q: What do you love most about the Four Corners?
A: When you live in a place with more trees than people you start to recognize the value of clean air, open spaces, nature, cold mountain streams with fresh clean water, and silence. People in my town rarely lock their doors, or worry about their kids walking to the park or a friend's house. There's only one stoplight in 4 counties, a traffic jam is when they are moving cows from pasture to pasture, and we're one of the only places in the world with a Dark Sky designation.
I love the seasons, even tourist seasons (summer and winter), but have learned to take advantage of ‘Mud’ season or the periods of time between the rushes (fall and spring). I’m a soccer coach, and living in a small town where everyone knows each other is heartwarming. I’ve watched many kids grow up, go through puberty, and then become young adults in college and beyond. Sharing life in that way is priceless.
