Today, I'm joined by Julia Nimocks, co-founder & CEO of Freaks of Nature.
Co-founded with surf champion Kelly Slater, Freaks of Nature is building performance skincare for outdoor athletes — leveraging microbiome-driven formulations for skin longevity.
In this episode, we discuss designing a technical skincare brand for the athletic consumer.
We also cover:
Why athletes are underserved in skincare
Crafting microbiome-first formulations with PhD expertise
Scaling lean with contractors over full-time employees
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Website: www.freaksofnature.com
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Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:46) Julia's background and operator journey
(01:19) From Billie to Freaks of Nature
(02:20) Why skincare for outdoor athletes made sense
(03:09) Building with the Squared Circles team
(04:11) Core product portfolio and evolution
(04:41) The white space in athletic skincare
(05:52) Microbiome-driven formulation philosophy
(06:44) Sunscreen and moisturizing serum as foundation
(08:15) Expanding into deodorant category
(10:45) Kelly Slater as co-founder and brand ambassador
(13:15) Authenticity in athlete partnerships
(15:45) Distribution strategy and retail approach
(18:15) Building lean with contractors
(20:45) Revenue per employee efficiency model
(22:21) Incentive structures and team dynamics
(24:48) Protecting scrappy startup mentality while scaling
(26:34) 2026 roadmap: product launches and team growth
(27:31) Expanding "Freak Faces" athlete ambassadors
(28:21) Where to find Freaks of Nature
(28:35) Conclusion
