Meet Jimbo Lord | Founder & CEO of Jimbo & Jules

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jimbo Lord and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jimbo, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
From the moment Jules and I created our business, we knew that we wanted it to have a profound impact on both people and the planet. The traditional models of products-based businesses inherently come with a lot of waste, so we decided to create our own model that prioritizes people and planet over profit.

We call this model “Planet-First”, meaning that the Earth is prioritized in every decision we make. Our Planet-First commitment can be broken down into three primary categories: ingredients, packaging, and environmental initiatives.

All of our ingredients are certified organic, except for our Vitamin E (tocopherol), which is sourced from Non-GMO sunflowers. We partner with small-scale farms that have a deep care for the plants that they grow and have seen firsthand the profound effect this has on an ingredient’s therapeutic value.

All of our packaging is either home-compostable, recyclable, or reusable. The packaging for our USDA Organic, Zero-Waste Lip Balms and Zero-Waste Muscle & Joint Relief Stick is made from 100% post-consumer waste paper, and will decompose in a healthy home compost in just 2-3 weeks. Additionally, any product that contains a plastic component such as a dropper or pump can be ordered with a metal cap as a plastic-free refill.

We have a deep reverence for pollinators, specifically honeybees, because of the transformative effect Bee Venom Therapy had on Jimbo’s life while enduring chronic Lyme disease. We created the Conscious Garden Project as an initiative to inspire and empower communities to restore biodiversity in their landscapes through native plant gardening. As part of this, all of our online orders ship with a free packet of native wildflower seeds and we are proud 1% for the Planet members donating annually to the People and Pollinators Action Network.

Please tell us more about your business. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Jimbo & Jules started as a passion project when Jules and I were dealing with the challenges of chronic injuries and illness. At the time, we had no idea that it would grow into the business that it is today.

I’m most proud of how we’ve stayed committed to our core values; the very things that inspired us to dive in, change the narrative of how a products-based business can operate, and roll the dice on this dream.

There have been many moments throughout our journey where we’ve been faced with difficult decisions – whether that be financial, from a supply chain perspective, or otherwise. Through it all our commitment to the planet hasn’t wavered. We always say “no compromise.” On paper, this can seem like bad business but we’re not in this for the profit alone.

It would have been a lot easier and made more sense financially to pay pennies for plastic lip balm tubes that are shipped from China, rather than investing in our zero-waste tubes that are made by our packaging partners in California. While these decisions may make sense in the short term, I call them “chronic costs” because, in the long term, they’re permanently damaging our one and only home.

We’re very grateful to have the privilege to make these kinds of decisions and it’s up to those that have this freedom to lead the way.

Looking ahead, we have some really exciting products in development that will continue our innovation in the zero-waste space. In many ways, it feels like we’re just getting started!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If it was Winter and the snow was falling, no doubt we’d be headed straight to the mountains to hit the slopes! Copper and Winter Park are my go-to’s but I’m a huge fan of Steamboat. Crested Butte is at the top of the list as well.

Staying local, we’d check out the Denver Botanic Gardens and Meow Wolf, grab some drinks at Honey Elixir, food at Uptown & Humboldt, and have to catch a show at Cervantes or Mission Ballroom!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
As a small business owner, finding a work-life balance can be a challenge but it’s also an essential dance to learn. Burnout is real and my mental health can suffer when I don’t give myself an opportunity to disconnect from the daily grind.

I found Habitual Roots, a local wellness non-profit when I first moved to Denver in 2020 and they have been an amazing resource for my overall mental health. They offer yoga classes, meditations, and retreats, among other events, but most importantly they have cultivated a beautiful and welcoming community. I love yoga and have found that moving my body is my best tool for staying balanced. Ultimately though, the deep and authentic friendships are what keep the ship sailing.

I’m deeply grateful for Habitual Roots and highly recommend anyone local to Denver check them out!

Website: jimboandjules.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimboandjules_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimbolord/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimboandjules

Image Credits
Kyle Bianchi (@kylebianchi_photo)