Smart Cookies: Thomas & Sacha, Founders of SunButter Skincare

1)      Could you tell us a little about yourself and what’s your business about?

My fiancee (Sacha Guggenheimer) and I (Tom) founded SunButter in 2016 when we couldn’t find a sunscreen that met our ethical and environmental requirements. We were working as Wildlife guides all over the tropics (and even Arctic/Sub-antarctic areas!) and spent a couple of years on the magical Ningaloo reef in WA. Sacha started hand making our formula and it got so popular it turned in to our job. In 2019, we launched Australia first plastic packging free approved sunscreen.

2)      Do you have a morning routine? If so, what is it you do to set yourself up for the day ahead?

I LOVE to be active, so my morning routine is a pretty energetic one. If the surf is on we surf, if not a run/bike and a quick body weight work out  is perfect too. I choose body weight so I can do it anywhere, and not be tied to gyms and machines. Sacha is a bit calmer so usually a yoga or pranyama session  – unless the surf is on!

3)      Why did you choose to go sustainable and eco-friendly?

We’ve both been environmentally minded for a long time, and are hugely passionate about conservation. We realsied a really easy way to have a big impact was to help people make more ethical and environmetla purchases = by providing simple swaps. Also, as a business we see it as a necessity to give back to the planet, when ultimately we’re using the planet to make money – as everyone is.

4)      What was the hardest part of starting your own business?

No-one had ever packaged sunscreen palstic free in Australia before where sunscreen laws are very strict. So about a dozen pharmaceuticla companies said no to us before someone finally agreed to take our money and do some trial testing.

5)      Best piece of advice you have ever received?

Even an unhappy customer can be turned into a brand advocate. Not everyone is going to like your products, but they can still love your brand if you’ve got great customer services and ethics.

If you don’t believe in yourself, no-one else will. I had a Kobe Bryant basketball psoter on my bedroom wall as a kid with that on, and its kind of stuck with me. We believed we had a great idea, a great product and a great purpose. Eventually someone else believed us too.

6)    One  book and/or documentary everyone should read/watch? Why?

Gosh, where to start. Books I love  – The Invention of Nature and The song of the dodo. Beautiful books about nature, wildlife and mans impact.

Documentaries – anything with Attenborough, I also really liked 2040. A great psoitive and optimistic way to look towards our future.