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

Hi Checo, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always loved adventuring outside. Hiking, running marathons, swimming, mountain biking and kitesurfing are just a few of my outdoor passions. With these hobbies, I’ve invested in a lot of gear over the years, and keeping gear in great condition requires regular maintenance. Before Gear Hugger, like many others, I relied on old-fashioned, toxic lubricants to tune up my gear and maintain its prime condition. In 2017, I was mountain biking in Deer Canyon when my ah-ha moment came that led to Gear Hugger. I stopped to add lubricant to my bike chain, and noticed how much petroleum-based lubricant was inadvertently entering into the air, and in turn our ecosystem. I realized there was a disconnect between my love for nature and the harmful toxins I was adding into the environment. I knew there needed to be a better, more eco-friendly way to maintain gear, so by 2020, we created Gear Hugger Multipurpose Lubricant, a plant-powered petroleum-, fossil fuel-, and PTFE-free multipurpose lubricant.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The lubricant industry wasn’t new to me when I first started Gear Hugger; in fact, my family has been in the industrial lubricant industry for over 70 years. However, I wanted to build my own legacy, so I created Gear Hugger to bring a better, cleaner plant-powered solution to the lubricant space. It wasn’t an easy process, but I tapped my father, who had experience with product development, to work with me on finding bio- and plant-based products that had strong lubricity power without using petroleum and PTFE, a toxic Teflon chemical that can last in the environment forever. This was one of our key challenges – creating a plant-powered solution that wouldn’t require a performance trade off. In the end, we were able to overcome this and produce a lubricant that works even better than petroleum-based products. Fast forward to today, and Gear Hugger is the first plant-based alternative in the all-purpose lubricant category that eliminates toxic chemicals and protects homes and waterways. With more than 1,001 uses from outdoor and sporting gear to bicycles, home repairs, and mechanics, our Multipurpose Lubricant has a super lube power 3x better than petroleum-based alternatives. We’re excited about the potential this product has to protect the planet and reduce waste by keeping gear lasting longer.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve always been a morning person. I enjoy waking up early, running along the waterfront, watching the sun rise over the city, and grabbing a coffee from my go-to coffee shop in Little Italy. On the weekends when I have extra time, I enjoy hiking around the city or riding my bike through Torry Pines. One of my favorite weekend breakfast spots is Stratford Court Cafe in Del Mar, so I’d definitely take a friend visiting there. When I’m not up to hiking or biking, I’m a big fan of bringing food to the beach with friends and watching the sunset. Overall, San Diego is such a great place to live and visit. It’s not only a paradise for outdoor activities, but full of such unique, friendly people who love being outdoors. I feel grateful to be a part of the community there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am extremely grateful for Naturally San Diego, an organization dedicated to growing the San Diego natural and consumer product network. They bring together business owners, investors, brands, retailers, and industry experts with the goal of making San Diego the best location to start and grow a natural products company. This organization has supported Gear Hugger even before we launched our first product, the Multipurpose Lubricant. Naturally San Diego hosts an annual Pitch Slam which gives natural product entrepreneurs the stage to pitch up-and-coming companies to a panel of CPG experts and audience members with the chance to win a suite of prizes that will help propel the business. Earlier this year, we participated in the Pitch Slam and won! This was a standout resource in giving us additional exposure to the retail space, and we’re so grateful for the support we gained through its network.

Website: https://www.gear-hugger.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gear-hugger/

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

Other: https://www.amazon.com/stores/GearHugger/page/E116B367-EC4A-4415-824F-7D7CECC0DC01?ref_=ast_bln

Image Credits
Gear Hugger

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