Interview with Mr. Ellie Pooh's CEO Dr. Karl Wald
Hello Dr. Wald, that’s for joining us today. So tell me … how did you ever end up having a business selling elephant pooh paper?
Well, I was between jobs, so I thought I would take a little adventure to Sri Lanka where I ended up shadowing an elephant vet and teaching English in the evenings to local villagers living in areas where there was a lot of contact with elephants. It was on this trip, where I met Thusitha Ranasinghe who was turning poo into paper. After many nights of hot curry and warm beer a plan developed that would attempt to appease the raging human/elephant conflict in Sri Lanka. Project Peace Paper was born.
It sounds like you care a lot about the artisans. How many do you now employ, and could you share with us a little bit about their lives and how it’s changed since you created your company?
Our books and gifts all display local artisan work on each item. We want to hire more than just paper makers, we want to hire local artisans too. The more people we hire, the more protection we will have for the elephants. If you hire 10 people in a village, it won't make a difference, but if you hire 1,000 people in a village, it will create real value for the elephants. If you get rid of the elephants, you will lose your industry.
I understand you are a for-profit company. Why did you go that route rather than a non-profit?
There are non-profits throughout Asia, they haven't been able to stop the wanton killing of these noble beasts. We want to create value for them, we think the most efficient way would be to promote and eco-type of captialisim in these villages. When people ask to give donations, we ask them to go to their local Zoo and ask for Mr. Ellie Pooh products and bye bye bye and use use use our paper.
Who are your customers in the states? Zoos, fairs, artisans? Where can I go and find pooh paper?
Zoos, Fair Trade Stores, Green Stores, Museums and more, take a look online for our updated locations.
Do you use captive elephants to make your paper, or wild ones?
Ah, very good question. Most of our poo comes from one major elephant orphange in Sri Lanka. However, artisan work is done both next to the orphanage and in local villages in the heart of the human/elephant conflict. A small amount of poo comes from the wild...don't want to take away from the natural ecosystem too much.
An elephant poohs about 150-200lbs every day. That’s a lot of pooh!
How much paper does one day’s, um, product make?
An evening with an elephant can produce a few hundred books and gift items.
Are there other types of pooh paper out there, like rhino pooh or hippopotamus pooh? Can one make toilet pooh paper?
Since the elephant poo paper has come about there have been plenty of gimmicks and such. The pachyderm is unique though.....they have a poor inefficient digestive system which leaves an endproduct that is basically raw cellulose with very little poo part, mostly fiber. An elephant does in it stocmach naturally what a paper mill would do with energy and harsh chemicals. Elephant dung paper will always be king when it comes to poo products, even though a rhino and hippo might work too.
When you first told your family what you were going to do for the rest of your life – what was their reaction?
Pop: What, your a doctor and your going to spend the rest of your life selling poopy paper??
Karl: Selling poopy paper, yes, but moreover saving elephants, a mission we are quite proud of.
What was the single biggest challenge and/or mistake you had when initially starting up this business?
We came at this business with passion, we should have come with passion and a business plan!
What’s the next step – where do you see yourself in 3, 5 or 10 years?
Another great question...Mr. Ellie Pooh wants to create demand for his paper and then franchise out paper facilities everywhere where there are wild elephants. Africa, Indonesia, Thialand, and India to name a few. Our driving force are the dwindling number of elephants worldwide.
Can people buy your pooh paper online?
They certainly can, www.mrelliepooh.com
We encourage people to go to there local stores that carry our products. That can be seen online too. I will save you a few bucks per item and we won't have to pay for shipping.
You have one question you can ask me, what is it?
None, I am good.
Dr. Karl Wald, biochemist by trade, animal lover by passion. Karl resides in Brooklyn, NY currently spends most of his time living and dreaming of ways to spread the poo and save the elephants. Check us out at www.mrelliepooh.com
Dave Blake, the interviewer, is a serial
entrepreneur with a long history of helping consult small
companies.
He's had a thriving photography studio for the last several
years called www.daveblakephotography.com. He
currently is working on several new ideas while actively
consulting several startup companies. Dave has a passion
helping business owners realizing their dream of creating their
life's dream. You can read more about his services at http://www.dmbenterpriseconsulting.com
