Matthew Mills, CEO of Med-X Inc., was interviewed by Adam Torres on Mission Matters Innovation Podcast.
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In this interview, Matthew Mills talks with Mission Matters about pest control and his company’s endeavor to make a difference in the world.
What mission matters to you?
Mills says he’s driven by a mission to eradicate harmful insects—and harmful insecticides, too—from people’s homes and businesses and even in places like schools and other places the general public congregate. One of the offerings at Med-X is the Nature-Cide division, a variety of all-natural pest control solutions made with effective and environmentally-friendly essential oils. He notes that Nature-Cide is one of the fastest-growing natural products for professional-level pest control.
How did it all start?
In 1999, Mills worked in operations and in the investor relations department for a successful Dotcom company that blossomed into a Nasdaq listed company with $200 million in revenue and a $600MM market cap. He had everything, he says: money, success, and respect. But over the years, he shifted his focus toward semi-retirement to spend more time with his kids. On a trip with friends, however, he was inspired to start a business and raise some capital to get it off the ground. Eventually, he founded Med-X, and it’s been growing over the past six years. It encompasses three growing divisions: Nature-Cide, Thermal-Aid and Malibu Brands.
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Tell us about Med-X’s Thermal-Aid division.
Mills explains that Thermal-Aid focuses on hot and cold applications primarily used for rehabilitative and arthritis pain management purposes. There was a gap in the market where elders couldn’t use gel-filled packs because their temperatures could reach such extremes. After a period of intensive research, the idea came to mind of filling the packs with a corn-based material. As it turns out, its capacity for moisture control makes it a unique but ideal innovation in the rehabilitative product space. At first, he notes, reception was lacking, but over time, positive feedback grew, and now it’s a cornerstone of the division.
What’s your advice for entrepreneurs starting a business?
“I did the same thing that others do,” he says, and as a result, “I stay ready to fail and to pivot.” He notes that the Nature-Cide division struggled for its first few years, but hard work and perseverance paid off. The takeaway: “You can only achieve success if you have the power to face failures.”
To learn more, visit Med-X Inc. online.
