THE STORY
Timo Kaarlela and Mikko Haapsaari were curious and active boys already as children. In addition to school, Kaarlela earned some money as a magician while Haapsaari collected empty bottles because he did not want to ask his parents for money.
Alongside the early started entrepreneurial career, Kaarlela studied educational sciences and worked as a wellness coach. Haapsaari, on the other hand, studied to be a cook and later to be a cleaning technician. They both have remarkable careers as entrepreneurs in the cleaning industry. Kaarlela has owned a business in the cleaning industry for over ten years and Haapsaari for 30 years already.
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They met each other at the 2017 Business Network International event. Kaarlela was impressed when Haapsaari introduced himself as a dust bunny whisperer. They immediately found a common point of interest when they started to talk about how to make the cleaning industry safer and environmentally friendlier. One of the biggest problems in the cleaning industry is toxic cleaning chemicals.
Both Kaarlela and Haapsaari are interested in new alternatives that make cleaning safer and simpler for cleaners and facility users. They had both already earlier learned about the benefits of microbes for wellbeing.
Reading research material in the field made them interested in microbial benefits also in cleaning, but they were not happy with the cleansers based on microbes due to the number of chemicals they contained. They decided to create a method of their own that would be non-toxic and chemical-free and would guarantee that the microbes would be functional when using them for cleaning.
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In August 2018, Green Berry Oy (Ltd) was founded, and the cleaning method was named Ownwell to describe an innovation based on purified water and microbes, uniquely combining microbiology and chemical-free.
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As their journey started, like many entrepreneurs, they faced some obstacles on their way, and there might also have been moments with a lack of faith. Finally, after searching, research, testing and help from numerous researchers and experts and Business Finland funding, things have fallen into place.
” Now our product concept is in order, and we can stand behind it. The research and product development work will continue, though”, Kaarlela says. They are seriously aiming to the international markets in addition to the Finnish market.
Both Kaarlela and Haapsaari have large families. Also, because of their children, they try to be optimistically hopefully about the future.
” The human intention is, after all, to change the world to be a slightly better place than the one you were given yourself. I want to work with something that is a part of a solution, not a problem. I am inspired when I have a chance to make a positive influence on the daily lives of countless people”, Kaarlela says.