Michael Cammarata

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Michael Cammarata
BornDecember 26, 1985
Long Island, New York
Known forCEO of Neptune Wellness Solutions | Co-founder of Schmidt's Naturals

Michael Cammarata (born December 26, 1985)[1][2] is an American entrepreneur, investor, and wellness industry executive. He is president and CEO of Neptune Wellness Solutions,[3] a Canadian/American wellness company [4] and the co-founder and former CEO of Schmidt’s Naturals,[5] an all-natural personal care company acquired by Unilever in 2017.[6] Cammarata also operates the venture capital fund Random Occurrence.[7]

Early life[]

A native of Long Island, New York,[1] Cammarata was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child and had difficulties in school.[8] In elementary school, he spent many hours playing StarCraft on his home computer and developed an aptitude for gaming, computers, and the internet.[8][6] At the age of 13, he started his first business, a web hosting company, EzzHosting,[1] on a dedicated server he purchased with $2,000 he earned from his older brother.[6][8] The company’s sites served 5 million unique monthly viewers; That year, Cammarata made his first million dollars.[1]

Cammarata developed one of the first internet message boards, Ultraboard, also known as UB and UB2K.[9][10][11] Ultraboard first launched in 1996 and was one of the first message boards to use PHP. It was also used by the popular video game Counter-Strike.[8]

Cammarata released the first video game music video, which was one of the most downloaded files on GameSpy[8] in 2001; Diablo II/Gangsters Paradise music video and Starcraft/Limp Bizkit music video by GamingMV[12]

At 15, Cammarata launched a second business, an online advertising network.[6] He gave away websites for free to sell internet ads. He was involved in Cox Interactive (digital ad sales) and AdCritic.com, which became part of Ad Age.[8] By age 20, he had generated $85 million in revenue.[8] He chose to forgo college[6] to focus on his businesses.

Career[]

Big Time Rush[]

In 2009, Cammarata transitioned from technology into the music industry, managing the teen boy band Big Time Rush.[8] The group’s first album, BTR, debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 in October 2010.[13][14] The band’s musicians were simultaneously featured in a hit television series, which ran from 2009-2013 on Nickelodeon.[15] Cammarata managed the band through his company CMI Entertainment group.[16] In 2012, CMI announced the production of the animated film The Great Migration starring lead singer Kendall Schmidt.[16][17]

Cammarata was an associate producer for the reality television series Knockout from 2014-2016.[18]

Schmidt’s Naturals[]

In 2013, Cammarata started an investment fund, Random Occurrence (originally KM Organics Fund).[1][7] As a band manager, Cammarata had observed a desire among fans for all-natural personal care products.[6][19][20] The following year, Cammarata set out to begin investing in the natural products space. In 2014 he met Jamie Schmidt, a creator of natural deodorant products based in Portland, Oregon, and invested in her.[7][19][21][22][23]

In January 2015, Cammarata and Schmidt officially incorporated Schmidt’s Deodorant Company, LLC (SDC) and launched the company as co-founders and co-ceos.[1][21] Over the next few years, Cammarata worked closely with Schmidt, growing SDC from 4 employees[22] in a 1,200-square-foot kitchen to a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.[24] Cammarata drove the product's rebranding, manufacturing, digital marketing, and expansion into retailers, including Target, Walgreens, Kroger, and Whole Foods, while Schmidt focused on the product.[19][22][24] In early 2017, Cammarata and Schmidt were finalists in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 Awards for the Pacific Northwest Region.[25]

By 2017, Schmidt’s Deodorant Company had 160 employees,[22] and sold its products in over 14,000 stores in 30 countries worldwide. Later that year, SDC rebranded as Schmidt’s Naturals and was acquired by British-Dutch consumer products conglomerate Unilever in a 9-figure exit.[20]

Post-acquisition, Cammarata stayed on as global CEO of Schmidt’s, stewarding the brand’s growth of 300% before the end of 2018.[22] During his tenure, he introduced a sensitive-skin version of the deodorant in partnership with pop star Justin Bieber called “Here + Now” [26] and a Lily of the Valley-scented deodorant with environmentalist Jane Goodall.[27]

Neptune Wellness Solutions[]

In July 2019, Cammarata joined Neptune Wellness Solutions, the publicly traded American/Canadian cannabinoid extraction and integrated wellness company, as President and CEO.[28] Shortly after joining Neptune, Cammarata helped Neptune raise $41 million through a private stock placement with new and existing institutional investors.[29]

In February 2020, Cammarata launched Neptune’s first two consumer wellness brands, Forest Remedies and Ocean Remedies.[30][31] In honor of the brand launch, Cammarata rang the NASDAQ exchange’s closing bell on February 20, 2020.[32]

In April 2020, Cammarata submitted to the U.S. FDA registration to commercialize hand-sanitizers in the wake of Covid-19.[33][34] In May, they announced the distribution of contactless thermometers, in June, pulse oximeters, and in August, disinfectant wipes.[33]

In April, Cammarata again partnered with friend and conservationist Jane Goodall to develop a new line of plant-based products, including essential oils.[35][36]

In December, Cammarata launched the companies third consumer brand, Mood Ring, in Canada.[37]

Personal life[]

Cammarata lives in Jupiter, Florida.[38] He has a Siberian Husky named Rico.[39]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Michael Cammarata, CEO and Entrepreneur, On His Journey to Acquisition, Despite Dyslexia". Men's Journal. 2019-12-19. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  2. ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  3. ^ Inc, Neptune Wellness Solutions. "Neptune Appoints Michael Cammarata as Chief Executive Officer". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  4. ^ "NEPT Stock Price | Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. Stock Quote (U.S.: Nasdaq)". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  5. ^ "Neptune Appoints Schmidt's Naturals Co-Founder Michael Cammarata CEO As CPG Executive And Investor Interest In The Cannabis Segment Swells". Beauty Independent. 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "I Made My First Million at 13. Here's My No. 1 Rule for Investing". Money. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  7. ^ a b c Raphael, Rina (2017-08-02). "Forget Avocado Toast: Millennials Are Flocking To Natural Deodorant". Fast Company. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Cremades, Alejandro. "He Was Expected To Fail Because Of His Dyslexia. He Then Made His First $1 Million At 13 And By Age 20 He Was Making Over $100 Million". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  9. ^ "Michael Cammarata - Named Among the Finalists for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 Award". www.accesswire.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  10. ^ "UltraBoard 2000". 2000-05-11. Archived from the original on 2000-05-11. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  11. ^ "UltraBoard 2000 Official WebSite". 2001-06-07. Archived from the original on 2001-06-07. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  12. ^ "~~~~~ Welcome to GamingMV dot com, Your source for Gaming Music Videos ~~~~~". 2001-02-23. Archived from the original on 2001-02-23. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  13. ^ "Big Time Rush". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  14. ^ Staff, Entrepreneur (2018-04-17). "The Unlikely Inspiration That Led This Entrepreneur From Boy Band Manager to Beauty Brand Co-Founder". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  15. ^ dailymotion.com. "Big Time Rush Full Episodes videoları". Dailymotion (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  16. ^ a b "Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Big Time Rush Members to Star in Animated Film (Exclusive) | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  17. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (2013-11-26). "Big Time Rush Singer Kendall Schmidt's Solo Transition Gets Feature Documentary". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  18. ^ "Michael Cammarata - Filmography | IMDbPro". pro.imdb.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  19. ^ a b c Sandler, Emma. "How Schmidt's Naturals Made Deodorant In A Jar Fashionable". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  20. ^ a b Ang, Katerina. "Americans are so obsessed with how they smell that Unilever just bought this hipster deodorant brand". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  21. ^ a b Oct 12, April Berthene |; 2018 (2018-10-12). "The secret ingredients to Schmidt's natural deodorant's success". Digital Commerce 360. Retrieved 2021-01-02.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ a b c d e "8 months in, indie brand Schmidt's Naturals is adjusting to life at Unilever". Glossy. 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  23. ^ "An All-Natural Portland Deodorant Brand Goes Big". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  24. ^ a b Chhabra, Esha. "How This Oregon Brand Went From A Small Business To A Global Powerhouse In Wellness". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  25. ^ Giegerich, Andy (Apr 26, 2017). "6 Portland entrepreneurs vie for top EY regional award". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  26. ^ "Justin Bieber Has a Brand New Beauty Gig — and It's Not What You'd Expect". Us Weekly. 2019-05-21. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  27. ^ "Schmidt's Naturals, Jane Goodall Institute partner on deodorants". Drug Store News. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  28. ^ Kilgore, Tomi. "Neptune Wellness CEO Jim Hamilton steps down, succeeded by Michael Cammarata". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  29. ^ Linnane, Ciara. "Cannabis extraction company Neptune Wellness raises $41 million". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  30. ^ "Neptune Wellness Solutions preps to become the first consumer packaged goods CBD company". Glossy. 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  31. ^ Roche, Eddie (2020-09-02). "Forest Remedies is the All-natural CBD Line to Get Excited About". Daily Front Row. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  32. ^ "Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. Rings The Nasdaq Stock Market Closing Bell". Nasdaq.com. January 2, 2021.
  33. ^ a b "Neptune Wellness: Is this Hemp Stock a Strong Buy? Algotrading". Cannin - Cannabis & Hemp Investment Group. 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  34. ^ "(2021) ᐉ Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:NEPT) Introduces Six Scented Varieties In Plant-Based Hand Sanitizers For Launch In July ᐉ CBD Trips". CBD Trips. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  35. ^ Apr 28, Georgina Caldwell |; America, 2020 | North; Products; Wellness; Environmental, Wellness; Finance, Wellness; Marketing, Wellness; Products |, Wellness (2020-04-28). "Neptune Wellness partners with Dr Jane Goodall to co-develop Forest Remedies line". Global Cosmetics News. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  36. ^ Ruffner, Zoe (14 October 2020). "Jane Goodall on the Simple Steps We Should All Take to Save the Planet". Vogue. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  37. ^ MarketScreener. "Virtual Conference Marks Launch of Mood Ring™ Cannabis Products in British Columbia". www.marketscreener.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  38. ^ "Michael Cammarata". LinkedIn. January 2, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  39. ^ Bruneau, Megan. "He Was Told He'd 'Never Amount To Anything' Due To Dyslexia. By Thirteen He'd Made His First Million". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
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