Shannon Boase, Founder and CEO of Earthcycle Packaging

Shannon Boase, CEO and Founder of Earthcycle Packaging, has an intellectual edge I can’t easily explain. I’m embarrassed to admit that after speaking with her about the technicalities of her business and diverse, high-level corporate experience, my head was in somewhat of a spin.

Born and raised in Canada, Shannon’s inherent business sensibilities soon led her to study at the prestigious Theseus Institute in France, earning an MBA with a focus in Information, Innovation and Strategy.  After working abroad in Thailand, she landed a job with the Malaysian government, and spent the next few years helping to create the Malaysian equivalent of a Silicon Valley.

Specializing in commercialization, she moved on to work with investors bringing new technologies to market.  A strategic alliance was soon formed with one such company, at the time involved with innovating an earth friendly solution to an environmental concern.  By creating packaging from discarded palm husks (normally burned by Palm mills) a natural, functional use for a renewable resource was born.

The solution to this problem is one Shannon calls “intuitive logic”  I call it brilliant.  A kind of brilliant someone like Shannon would understand.

1. Tell us a little about your products and how they are manufactured?

Earthcycle combines technology and the design brilliance of nature to help reduce the waste, pollution, and illogical use of fossil fuels associated with making disposable plastic packaging.  We use palm fiber an annually renewable resource to create disposable food packaging which composts in 90 days, turning into a healthy contribution for the soil.  A by-product of the production of palm oil, palm fiber is considered an agricultural waste product, left over from the palm oil harvest, and is usually burned.  Instead of burning, we steam, clean, chop and mulch the fiber into a natural pulp that is then molded into many different shapes and sizes for use as fresh food packaging.

2.  We spoke at length about pollution caused by burning palm husks. Can you explain how much pollution of this type exists in Malaysia and why it is such a problem?

In typical mill operations, the palm fiber by-product is mulched for use as fertilizer or for soil remediation; unfortunately, there still remains an abundance of excess fiber that is burned.  I lived through what many in Southeast Asia call “The Haze” which is thick, particle-heavy air resulting from such burning practices of the palm oil industry. Not only does this poor air quality negatively affect our respiratory systems, but it also inflames allergies and reduces overall quality of life, not to mention having an economic impact through the closure of ports and airports.

3.  You say you raised capital from “good friends with deep pockets and long arms”.  Where do you imagine you would be today if you had to rely on the “typical” outside investor?

Angel investors invest in the person as much as the idea.  As I was friends with my Angels for over 10 years before I even started Earthcycle, they already knew and trusted me.   So, having them as investors short-circuited the due diligence process and gave me a circle of close, trusted mentors, which has contributed to us being able to move quickly in establishing our position in the market.

4.  A sense of pride must come from running a business with global positive impact.  How has this affected your attitude towards “work”?

Our products have an emotional connection to the consumer.  The intuitive logic of up-cycling a waste product to a home compostable material that replaces petroleum based packaging rings with consumers “as the right thing to do”.  I think that emotional connection for me transcends into my business—so I don’t view my work as a “job” but more as a vehicle to make our environment healthier.

5.  After living abroad for so much of your adult life, what is it like to be back home in Canada?

Devla Murphy, the intrepid Irish travel writer, said that she only can craft her stories at home, after her travels.  She said that we humans have a “homing” device that attracts us back to our roots.  I felt this immediately upon my return to Vancouver.  It was time for me to return, I felt the pull, and I love being back.

6.  Has being a single entrepreneur helped you or hurt you in business and why?

In the early days of Earthcycle, being single helped the business.  I was travelling a lot and often upon a moment’s notice.  When launching a new product, in an established industry with established relationships, it takes a lot of face time with potential customers to at least get them to try our products.  My travel patterns in the early days probably wouldn’t have sat well with a partner.

7.  Describe the ideal person who would complement both your life and your business.

Someone who can read a Balance Sheet and P&L the way I read a novel—where I see just numbers in these statements, they see a story.

8.  Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, I want to have been able to create a lifestyle where I can run Earthcycle from the home office of my yet-to-be built place somewhere on the Gulf Islands of British Columbia.  During my lunch hour, I’d launch my kayak off the nearby pier.

Shannon’s Bio

With more than 20 years of experience successfully commercializing ideas and technologies in the Asia Pacific region, Shannon Boase, CEO/Founder of Earthcycle, is a proven senior international business executive. Her specialties lie in developing and orchestrating the fine details of bringing ideas to market, including operations, branding, marketing, communications, and talent management. Ms. Boase has earned an MBA in Technology and Innovation from the Theseus Institute in France, a Graduate Diploma in Asian Studies from the McRae Institute of International Management (Capilano University), and a Bachelor of Business Administration (Marketing) from Simon Fraser University. Ms. Boase is an avid cyclist, ocean kayaker, and runner. She spends her free time enjoying the outdoors as much as possible.