This week we chat with 16-year-old school student Joshua Apitz who took things into his own hands when he noticed a gap in the sun-care industry, founding Seagull Milk – a non-slip SPF 50+ sunscreen made out of only Australian mineral-based ingredients. The young entrepreneur studies via Australian Christian College (ACC) Moreton’s distance education program, which allows him to make a difference without having to compromise his education.
ISB: What inspired you to set up your own business at such a young age?
JA: Business was something I never really “dreamed” about from a young age. I envisaged businesspeople in nice suits, flashing off all their fancy things – something I found boring and mundane. I was into the tradie career paths where I thought I could show off my creative passion in building and architecture space…that was my intended career before it all changed!
However, I was introduced to the book Rich Dad Poor Dad by one of my friends in Year 8. It gave me a different perspective – the author talks about being stuck in “the rat race”, to being “financially free”, and spending time with the people you love, rather than building someone else’s dreams as an employee. This is really what lit the fire for me to and I went through a 12 month “Teen-biz” program, where I was inspired to see so many other teen-business owners and entrepreneurs wanting the same opportunities as me. This validated to me that business isn’t just for adults, but also kids who want it badly enough too.
ISB: Why did you focus on sunscreen products for the business, and did you have prior knowledge or experience on sunscreen formulations?
JA: Statistics show two in three Aussies will be personally affected by skin cancer before they reach 70 years old and my own Dad and Grandfather have suffered from skin cancer, so I know exactly how dangerous it truly is!
I’m passionate about healthy outdoor living and wanted to create a product to fill a gap I found. Almost all sunscreens on the market leave your skin feeling super slippery after application. So, I endeavoured to create a sunscreen (with the help of chemists in our manufacturing unit) that wouldn’t leave your skin slippery and was made from premium mineral-based ingredients that would keep yousafe from the sun. I wanted to create a product in the most natural form possible, rather than using all the harmful chemical UV absorbers found in many sunscreens that can have devastating effects on the body and environment.
ISB: How did you fund the launch of the business?
JA: Funding this project was a bag of mixed emotions! It was very exhilarating to actually be committing to transform it from an idea into a fully functioning business, yet super scary and stressful at the same time. We were able to get crowdfunded by the public which allowed us to pay for our stock and get it to everybody who was originally interested in purchasing. We pre-sold just over $11,00 worth of product with 250+ customers before we’d even paid for the manufacturing fee. My grandmother kindly lent me the rest of the money we needed to pay to have our stock delivered to all our customers by Summer 2019.
ISB: What was the biggest challenge you faced in getting your business off the ground and how did you manage to overcome it?
JA: I am still a teenager: I was worrying about the business and attending school as well as being a normal teen. There were times we desperately needed sales and I just wanted to run away from it all and hang out with my friends, rather than sacrifice my time into something I felt wasn’t working to plan. I managed to overcome this by focusing not on the negatives but on the opportunities. I had put in so much time and effort to get it off the ground, that to drop it would be a very regretful mistake in the long run.
I’m very thankful for the flexibility of Australian Christian College’s Online Education program. It allowed me to juggle things around and find balance between my schooling, business and personal life. I focused on the thousands of people who could potentially die of skin cancer if my product wasn’t out in the marketplace and that really motivated me, reigniting my commitment, to go out there and chase that dream of mine again.
ISB: How do you ensure the minimal impact of Seagull Milk on the environment?
JA: Our sunscreen formulation is made with premium mineral-based ingredients which not only are of huge benefit to the human body, but also safe for our coral reefs around the world – many other brands contain chemicals known to bleach and kill coral reefs, impacting the marine food chain. We donate part proceeds of every tube we sell to ocean clean-up organisation Take3forthesea who help clean up our beaches and educate Australian primary school students around sustainable living and reducing single-use plastics.
The one aspect of our business that we are looking to change is our packaging – currently our sunscreens come in plastic tubes, however, we are looking for a more sustainable option to align with our business ethics.
ISB: Finally, what is the number one piece of advice you’d pass on to other young entrepreneurs looking to start their own business before they have finished their studies?
JA: I’d say, “don’t overthink it… just go for it!” There are endless opportunities to make money from your passions through business right now, with avenues like Youtube, Instagram and Facebook, and millions of different products (or services) to choose from. Remember that when you’re young, people want to help you succeed and will go out of their way to give you as much opportunity as they can, so start brainstorming now and be bold.
