Meet CJ Harris

We recently connected with CJ Harris and have shared our conversation below.

CJ, thanks for taking the time to share your lessons with our community today. So, let’s jump right in – one of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. Where does your self-discipline come from?

Being a former Collegiate Baseball player, the sport definitely played a huge role in helping me develop my self-discipline. From training, practice, dieting, goal planning, in game mental focus, etc., I still return to things I learned and developed from my baseball playing days to help me navigate day to day life in business.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

At Uncle Joe’s Skeeter Balm LLC, we’re on a mission to kick chemicals to the curb and bring you a bug repellent that actually works—without making you smell like a science experiment.

Born out of necessity and swamp-tested wisdom, our all-natural balm is handcrafted with rich shea butter and a potent blend of essential oils designed to send skeeters, no-see-ums, and other flying nuisances packing. Whether you’re casting lines at dawn or chasing fireflies at dusk, our balm’s got your back (and your ankles, neck, and arms too).

The story behind Uncle Joe’s isn’t just rooted in the outdoors—it’s steeped in family tradition and Southern grit. The idea was sparked from the pages of Tales from Uncle Joe, a book series inspired by the clever, no-nonsense, and big-hearted amateur detective Joe Conrad, who lives and sleuths along the Atchafalaya River in Southern Louisiana. In the books, Joe runs the Skeeter Balm business with his brothers and nephew—carrying on a legacy that dates back to the 1940s when his mother crafted homemade repellents for trappers, fishermen, and swamp folk just trying to get by.

Like Joe himself, we believe in keeping things simple, honest, and effective. Our balm isn’t just a nod to a fictional hero—it’s a tribute to real-life resilience, old-school remedies, and a deep respect for the natural world.

So, whether you’re hiking the backwoods, sitting on a porch swing, or just trying to enjoy a backyard BBQ in peace—grab a tin of Uncle Joe’s Skeeter Balm. It’s what we call “swamp-approved protection,” and once you try it, you’ll never go back to those chemical cocktails again.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Learning to embrace failure as an opportunity to learn and grow versus being fearful of it is an important skill to develop early on if you want to be successful both in business and in life. I also believe it is important to have the courage to pursue your dreams and be willing to go against the grain to make it happen. I’m not saying you should be naive about it because I believe you should do your due diligence, but once you’ve done your research and set your mind to chasing a dream and vision, I think you have to learn pretty quick to gain some resilience and perseverance. Lastly, I think one must be willing to remain humble and have the mindset that there is always something to learn and people to learn from regardless of their status in life. It is important to have a thirst for knowledge and to always be willing to try new things. Because eventually if you throw enough darts at the dart board, you’re bound to hit the bullseye sooner or later.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki is definitely one book that has had a lasting impact on my view of business, investment, and the way money works. I learned the concept of compound interest, importance of having cash flowing assets, and how useless paper money really is when you try and save it versus investing it. I had a total paradigm shift after reading his book, and still to this day will go back to it from time to time. Highly recommend it for those who haven’t read it.

Some other books I highly recommend include:

Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar

Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff

Driven by Robert Herjavec

The Way of the Wolf by Jordan Belfort

Contact Info:

• Website: https://skeeterbalm.com
• Instagram: skeeterbalm31
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579241783045