12 Company Founders Who Are Innovating the Home and Wellness Fields in 2023

Have you been considering making positive changes in your life? When you make improvements in your home and wellness routine, it can have long-lasting effects that go beyond your initial expectations.

Perhaps you could use a little inspiration from company founders who are at the forefront of new and exciting advances in their fields. Read on for a look at 12 leaders innovating the home and wellness fields in 2023.

1. Emily Onkey, Co-founder of Aplós

Wanting to capitalize on the trend of customers looking to live healthier lifestyles, Emily Onkey co-founded Aplós, an alcohol-free spirits brand.

With all the taste of popular alcoholic drinks, Aplós aims to give people a non-alcoholic option when they want to enjoy a cocktail alone or with friends. It’s a product that can help people look and feel better by cutting down on their alcohol intake — or living alcohol-free altogether!

But what makes Aplós unique? For one, it’s made with 20 milligrams of broad-spectrum hemp per two-ounce serving. The beverage has no THC, but it contains CBD, which can promote relaxation and even help with sleep. It’s gluten-free, non-GMO, and has no sugar or calories, so its potential health benefits are clear.

For people who don’t love the feeling of drinking alcohol but don’t want to miss the party, there’s a spirit for them, thanks to Emily Onkey.

2. Sara Aalshamsi, Founder and CEO of Big Heart Toys

At Big Heart Toys, Sara Aalshamsi set out to create a line of inclusive learning toys to aid in child development. She knew that therapy isn’t available to everyone, and children with sensory, behavioral, or social needs could use toys that address their needs. For parents of neurodiverse children, this was a huge benefit.

Big Heart Toys are stimulating to the touch and sight, and they improve youth motor skills. The toys can soothe and calm a child when they become dysregulated by focusing on these areas. This can occur more frequently in children with social issues or autism.

The company also has books that deal with these topics, as well. Kids and parents can learn new ways to address the problems they are experiencing and tips to maintain balance and calm. In time, the books and toys from Big Heart Toys can aid in children’s growth and interactions with others and allow them to prosper.

3. Josh Keller, Founder of OTTO Quotes

Josh Keller’s aim with OTTO Quotes is to provide insurance-seeking consumers the ability to compare quotes from multiple companies in one easy-to-use location. OTTO Quotes finds offers on home, auto, life, pet, and commercial insurance. Customers can shop around and take the deal that best provides what they need at a comfortable price.

By comparing quotes from several companies, consumers can find insurance providers allowing them to customize their insurance to their exact specifications. Because the quotes are all in one place, they save time and money from researching each offer individually.

Once they see an offer that interests them, they can check out the company more thoroughly to ensure it provides them with what they need. It’s an efficient way for customers to save money and find the right deal.

4. Justin Soleimani, Co-founder of Tumble

In an industry that hasn’t seen many changes over the years, Justin Soleimani set out to shake things up. He co-founded Tumble to provide rugs that were stylish, beautiful, and easy to clean. Tumble rugs have a low pile and a spill-proof surface, so anything that drops can be wiped up. They’re also light enough to fit in a washing machine — including the largest sizes.

Each Tumble rug has a cushioned, non-slip pad with an interlocking puzzle-piece design. The corners of the rug fit over the edges of the pad, giving it the support it needs while also ensuring it does not move on the floor.

Tumble rugs come in many exciting designs and can be customized as well. Tumble is an innovative operation that allows rugs to look fashionable while still being practical and affordable.

5. Josh Weiss, Founder and CEO of Reggie

In Reggie, Josh Weiss has created not only wellness supplements for dogs but an entire daily regimen using a holistic approach. The supplements are easy to use, coordinated to align with your dog’s meal times, and color-coded, so getting into a routine becomes second nature. These supplements are made with vitamins and nutrients to give your dog what they need to live a healthier lifestyle.

Reggie’s wellness regimen aims to promote calming, relieve gut and digestive issues, reduce itching, produce a shinier coat, and improve mobility and flexibility. All their items are made locally and have a full money-back guarantee. Not only that but the products are veterinary-approved. It’s the care that Reggie puts into making the best supplements possible that gives dog owners the peace of mind that they are doing the most for their beloved pets.

6. Katerina Schneider, Founder and CEO of Ritual

When founding Ritual, Katerina Schneider wanted to create a company that sold high-quality vitamins and supplements transparently, so their customers would know exactly what they were getting. Ritual is very clear with consumers about their ingredients and sources.

For example, many supplement companies use folic acid in their multivitamins, but Ritual uses folate. Why? In one article, Ritual answers the question, “Is folate the same as folic acid?”

Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9, while folic acid is the synthetic form. Folate is found in many natural foods, whereas folic acid is used in supplements and fortified foods. The body converts folic acid into folate, its active form. However, many people have a specific gene mutation that makes it difficult to process folic acid efficiently. For those expectant mothers, folate is a much more effective form.

Ritual is open and honest about this, so customers know that they’re getting the best and most efficient forms of supplements they need to have a healthy pregnancy.

7. Erin Banta, Co-founder and CEO of Pepper Home

Pepper Home and its co-founder and CEO, Erin Banta, aim to give customers more say in their home décor designs. With Pepper Home’s made-to-order custom curtains, customers know they’re getting a quality product that isn’t mass-marketed. Instead, these pieces are accessible and sustainably made.

Pepper Home makes buying curtains easy. Just measure your window, input the measurements, and choose from a wide range of options like color and design, ring tops, rod pockets, pleats, trim, and more.

Pepper Home takes your choices and creates curtains just for you, meaning there’s no waste involved in their quick and efficient production process. This creates savings that Pepper Home passes on to their clients. It’s an innovative model for a company leading the way in customizable home design.

8. Trina Johnson, Founder and CEO of Blue Forest Farms

Through Blue Forest Farms, founder and CEO Trina Johnson has created a CBD company with a reputation for high-quality products. They do this using organic farming practices that have minimal environmental impact. They use only the most select hemp strains. Blue Forest Farms constantly strives to be transparent in their practices, so their customers know exactly what they’re getting.

Blue Forest Farms offers a wide range of CBD products, such as oils, gummies, edibles, topical creams, and more. They even sell seeds and flowers so their customers can grow and harvest their own hemp. Their products promote benefits such as calm, focus, relaxation, energy, sleep, and others.

The goal of Blue Forest Farms is to be a trustworthy partner of their clients through their commitment to customer satisfaction. They are looking to change old industry practices, which is why they are an innovator in the wellness field.

9. Ruth Stedman Marriott, CEO of A Pup Above

Ruth Stedman Marriott created A Pup Above to help people know exactly what is going into their pet’s food. She set out to use only the best ingredients, which is why A Pup Above sells only human grade dog food, providing nutritious and wholesome meals to their customers’ loving pets.

A Pup Above makes dog food with non-GMO produce and meat that contains no steroids, antibiotics, or hormones. Combined with essential vitamins and minerals and a balanced diet of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, their food gives dogs everything they need to live a healthy lifestyle.

They also employ innovative practices like transparency in their food sourcing, recycled packaging, and even donating 1% of their revenue to help regenerative agriculture practices. With their healthy food and environmentally forward practices, A Pup Above has become a positive force in the pet food industry.

10. Adam Nadelson, CEO of The IV Doc

The IV Doc, led by CEO Adam Nadelson, is a company that sets itself apart in the targeted nutrient delivery field by coming to their patients instead of making their patients come to them. They provide a convenient alternative to people looking for help with a range of ailments. After an initial telehealth consultation, The IV Doc’s mobile service will come to your home, workplace, or other location and provide IV therapy for fast and effective relief.

The IV Doc treats their customers’ wellness with a range of services that help those suffering from illness, dehydration, hangovers, jet lag, fatigue, headaches, stress, and more. They also provide a boost for people looking to increase their immunity, metabolism, athletic performance, and more with their specially-designed mix of vitamins and minerals.

11. Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS

Blake Mycoskie started the footwear company, TOMS, with a simple idea: for every pair of shoes purchased, they would donate a pair of shoes to someone in need. Today, they have expanded from selling footwear into socks, eyewear, and hats as well. Of course, TOMS is known as much for their commitment to social impact as they are for their products. They currently invest one-third of their profits for grassroots good with donations to community organizations and another means of social impact.

Footwear is their main product, and TOMS has a wide selection for women, men, and children that come in varying colors, styles, and sizes. They are made with comfort in mind. Customers can also feel good knowing TOMS strives to use sustainable cotton as well as recycled packaging.

The company is doing what founder Blake Mycoskie set out to do: making a positive impact on communities locally and internationally.

12. Saeju Jeong, Co-founder and CEO of Noom

Noom is a popular wellness app, co-founded by Saeju Jeong, that gives people the ability to take control of their own health and fitness. Users fill out a questionnaire to determine their habits and eventual goals, then they are given a personalized plan of action. Along with weight loss, Noom concentrates on improving mental wellness for their users, focusing on changing behavioral patterns.

Some of the features of Noom include tracking meals, nutrition, and exercise so users can see their progress. Noom also offers professional coaching, community support, and educational content to help keep users on track. It’s a comprehensive system designed to let people improve their lifestyle and maintain it once they have achieved their desired results.

An Eye Towards the Future

All of these founders have created businesses that are innovative in some way. They’ve looked at established industry practices and decided to try something new. That’s how successes are made. They have become an inspiration for others who are trying to improve their own lifestyles.

McClatchy newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.