Founder Spotlight With Josh Kilmer-Purcell & Dr. Brent Ridge, Beekman 1802
Photo Credit: Beekman 1802
Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge are the Founders of Beekman 1802, a skincare brand that epitomizes the beauty of simplicity, craftsmanship, and the transformative power of nature. With a focus on artisanal goods and sustainable farming, Josh and Dr. Brent’s commitment to craftsmanship is evident in every product, whether it's their renowned goat milk skincare line or their handcrafted home goods. Embracing the philosophy of "farm-to-skin," Beekman 1802 champions the use of natural ingredients, sourced locally whenever possible, to create products that nourish the body and enhance the overall well-being of each customer.
During our interview, Josh and Dr. Brent take us through their journey of purchasing a farm in upstate New York, adopting 100 goats from their new neighbor, and then turning the land’s resources into one of the leading skin health companies in the world. Josh and Dr. Brent also shared their experience competing on The Amazing Race, how Kindness is the core DNA of their company, and their long-term vision for Beekman 1802.
Let’s jump right in!
What was the inspiration behind Beekman 1802 and how did you get started?
In 2006, the economy was fantastic and mortgages were being handed out like candy. On one of our annual apple picking trips upstate we came across a town called Sharon Springs. We decided instead of following our contemporaries and buying a vacation home on Fire Island or The Hamptons, we would purchase a farm instead.
At the time Dr. Brent was a highly regarded physician and Martha Stewart picked him up to start the health and wellness division of her company. We took the listing to Martha to get her opinion and she thought it was a great idea. We ended up cashing in our savings, took out a million dollar mortgage, and bought the 200 year old farm.
Every weekend we took the train to our farm, worked on our garden, and then one weekend we found a note from our neighbor, John. He was losing his dairy farm and asked if he could put his herd of 100 goats on our property. He closed the note with, “I’m gay” so we clearly obliged.
Fast forward to us losing our jobs in The Great Recession of 2008. We had to figure out how we were going to cover this million dollar mortgage, so we Googled, “What can we make with goat milk?” That is the origin story of Beekman 1802 and over the past 15 years we have become one of the leading skin health companies in the world focused on the skin's microbiome.
Historic Beekman 1802 Farm
Located in rural Sharon Springs, NY. They found a tightknit community and 100 goats looking for a home
What does your creative process look like when working on a new product?
Every product takes 18-24 months to develop, study, test, etc. We usually start with where we see interest and usage in the marketplace and then work to figure out how we can deliver the nutrients of the goat milk to meet those needs. The most inspiring part is when the product hits the shelf, and we’re waiting to see if we hit it out of the park.
What is one challenge you both have faced as the Founders of Beekman 1802?
Being one of the few visible gay co-founders speaking to a mass audience in places like Ulta and on QVC and HSN comes with its share of responsibilities. Also, the radical activism that worked in New York City or other major urban areas wasn’t the approach we wanted to take in Middle America. We found a form of stealth activism was more suitable for that arena.
There's a spectrum where people fall in terms of understanding and acceptance. We have to meet them where they are and then hopefully bring them along.
What is your long-term vision for Beekman 1802?
To create a company that outlives us, improves skin health, and puts a lot of Kindness into the world.
We are also expanding our reach to serve people making the conscientious decision to be vegan in all aspects of their life. We have formulated vegan goat milk using the peptides, oligosaccharides, and lipid structure found in regular goat milk, which will be available in March 2024.
If you could give one piece of advice to future LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, what would it be?
Know your audience, anticipate any sticking points ahead of time, and go in with a strategy. When we have big meetings with partners, collaborators, or big retailers, we always begin by asking how we can solve a problem for them.
From the beginning, we have always wanted everyone else to be successful, as well as ourselves.
What LGBTQ+ owned brands are your go-to's and why?
We have partnered with a canvas tote company for many years called Eric and Christopher. Also, Snif Candles is a new recent find. We always try to support queer-owned businesses, and those brands bring us joy.
Tell us about one of your core values and how you both have incorporated it into your brand.
The core DNA of our company is Kindness, and we fund research on how Kindness shows up in the workplace, create workshops teaching Kindness as a wellness practice, and support organizations that increase Kindness in their communities. This year we have an initiative focused on nurses because they have a profound ripple effect of Kindness in their communities.
How do you care for yourself, especially during this moment in history (a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being passed and increased violence against our community)?
We always try to keep an open mind and listen to all points of view. We refrain from getting into back-and-forth arguments and instead lead by example. There is a growing number of people who are blatantly anti-gay. We cannot spend time trying to change their minds as a community. We don't think that's the right thing to do, but the wrong thing is to be unkind. We’ve always believed that the fringe defines the center. So, the fringe of the right and left sides define the center for everyone else.
Who is your favorite LGBTQ+ celebrity and why?
Dan Levy, especially because of what he did with Schitt's Creek. The show is similar to our story and how we have always lived our lives. We started a business in a small town. We were trying to come back from losing everything. But we were just like every other person. It doesn't matter whether you're gay, straight, trans, bi, etc.; we're all alike. And that’s what’s so wonderful about that show. It’s not a gay show. It’s a show about people trying to make their way in the world and then the world accepting those people. In that sense, it was a utopia where everybody got along.
Can you share one fun fact about yourself?
We won The Amazing Race, season 21, and were the first gay couple to kiss on CBS!
Photo Credit: The Amazing Race
People made fun of us because we were kind, would help other teams, and wait for other teams to be done with their challenge before we went on. However, nobody formed an alliance to get rid of us. We made it all the way to the end. At the finish line, Phil asked how we did it.
Josh said, “You know what? Work hard, never quit, and help your neighbor.” This became one of our company mottos early on.
Check out Beekman 1802’s profile here.
