Meet maxine chapman

We recently connected with Maxine Chapman and have shared our conversation below.

Maxine, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

At surfdurt we found our purpose through necessity. We were unable to find a reef-safe mineral sunscreen at the time of our beginning, 7 years ago, and so we made one.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My name is Maxine and my business is SurfDurt: we manufacture the cleanest possible sunscreen formula in plastic-free packaging for all around healthier sunscreen for you and for the planet. I started mixing this formula up six years ago at home with my dad. He’s a chemist from Hawaii, a place where the damaging effects of toxic sunscreens is devastatingly apparent. We started making sunscreen in the kitchen, in pasta pots so that we wouldn’t be part of the problem when we paddled out into the ocean together. Today what fuels me to keep going despite all the challenges is knowing how far reaching our little drop in the water can be. We weave social impact into every aspect of our business: from our sustainable supply chain to how we hire in-house: we’re not just minority women owned, we’re women run too and we also share proceeds with non-profits that protect our planet with every single item sold. I know if products and companies like ours win, more of them start sprouting and this is the cultural shift that makes CPG businesses (and how and who runs them) so important to me, to us and to the planet.

I started this company because I believe that humans are meant to live our lives outdoors and we wanted to enable people to get outside and do the things they love without compromising their own health or that of the planet’s. We make sunscreen that actually does what its supposed to: protects; so you can get back to the outdoor adventures that are calling you.

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?

One of the greatest qualities for my journey has been being scrappy with resources. We’ve DIY’d our social media and shoots when we’ve had to, we’ve gotten thrifty when it comes to furnishing our office and I would recommend learning how to make the most of what you have. With a little determination and elbow grease, you can make a lot. i’d also recommend asking questions and maintaining and making relationships with the people in your community. The people around you can be so helpful with the stages of business you are in and I’m so thankful for the community in San Diego for that.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

Sometimes (most of the time) taking a step back to look at the big picture is what’s most helpful to me. Things can get to cloudy and narrow focused when you’re working on the same issue or task for to long. I like to get out of the office and get outside where I can refocus and take a look at things from a different perspective.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://surfdurt.com
• Instagram: surfdurt

Image Credits

Aloha Ave
Bo McKinley