Moms Turned Entrepreneurs: The Flourishing of Ladibugs, Inc.

Frustrated with the ineffectiveness of over-the-counter lice treatment, two Minnesota mothers have created their own solution under the name Ladibugs, Incorporated. 

Four weeks after struggling through head lice with their daughters, Rachel Knutson and Lisa Rudquist, both registered nurses, were talking in a parking lot about a need to take action.

“We had tried every conventional, over-the-counter treatment, but we struggled in the process of getting the insects completely eliminated,” said Knutson. “We knew there had to be a better way to treat lice and to get parents educated about such treatment.”

Ladibugs, Inc. is the result of their efforts to find a way to produce all-natural products for prevention and elimination, ones different from over-the-counter treatment in that they utilize no pesticides. 

“They say pesticides kill the bug, but in reality they only kill a handful of the population. Over-the-counter, pesticide ridden treatments are only 60% effective,” said Rudquist. “And some people who have tried these over-the-counter treatments have had their carbon monoxide detectors set off.”

For the past year, Knutson, a mother of two, and Rudquist, mother of three, have been involved in an all-natural product development safe for kids of all ages, since most over-the-counter treatments are only approved for ages four and up.

The primary treatment used by Ladibugs, Inc. is the LouseBuster, an FDA-cleared medical device that dehydrates lice and their eggs, killing them without the help of dangerous chemicals. The device, according to ladibugsinc.com, uses only controlled heated air to safely and quickly kill all stages of head lice.

Ladibugs, Inc. is the tenth company in the nation to use the machine.

The more Knutson and Rudquist learned about what is in the over-the-counter products, the more they wanted to use the pesticide-free LouseBuster, even though it required that they receive specialized training and pass an exam before they were certified to deliver its treatments.

And customers have been thrilled.

Karen Einisman of St. Louis Park, Minn. was getting ready to leave for California the next day when she found out her son had head lice. She had read about Ladibugs, Inc. in the Star Tribune.

“I had to unpack and wash everything. I called Rachel and she came right over. The treatment was 99% effective,” she claims.

Einisman is a firm advocate of nontoxic treatments. Believing pesticides are toxic and harmful, she was not interested in having the pesticides of over-the-counter treatments placed on her son’s head.

Heather Reardon of Woodbury, Minn., said she also had a great experience with Ladibugs, Inc.’s LouseBuster.

“When Rachel was using it, the lice actually fell off of my son’s head. It was a fabulous experience,” she said.

Thus far, Ladibugs, Inc. does not have an office. Knutson, Rudquist and their employees visit others’ homes to perform treatments. Their first office, in St. Louis Park, will open in July.

But what was a discussion in a school parking lot has become quite the business venture. In the first year, Ladibugs, Inc. treated roughly 600 clients, the majority of whom came from Minnetonka. Their products are now sold at many children’s hair salons, and Knutson and Rudquist are planning to spread the business nationally this coming fall.

“Our products are going to be on the shelves next to all the chemical-ridden products, even in this down economy,” Knutson said.

Life as businesswomen, in addition to the demands of being mothers, is nothing Knutson and Rudquist were not used to before as nurses.

Moreover, it is less a business for the two mothers than it is a manifestation of their desire to educate and help people in situations similar to the ones they found themselves in while treating their own daughters. Knutson and Rudquist are more interested in the service end of the business.

“The service is the whole reason for the product line,” they said. “It’s very personal and near and dear to our hearts.”

Another primary mission of Ladibugs Inc., according to its founders, is education.

“We want to help parents treat and eliminate lice without having pesticides and toxins placed on their child. And that’s completely possible,” they said.  “People just do not know about how to treat lice, and about the dangers of pesticides. We’re both nurses and we didn’t know! So our message is to get the word out. It’s really a crusade to educate people—to educate them as to why not to use the chemical-based products.”

Customer satisfaction points to their success.

Reardon said it was immeasurably calming having someone so knowledgeable treat her son.

“Having someone who knows about the problem be able to come in and identify what needs to be done, and identify that clearly, is priceless,” she said. “Rachel answered every question I had. It really gives you that peace of mind.”

Knutson and Rudquist have enjoyed working with and educating the Minnetonka school district. 

“6-12 million people are infected with head lice every year. But the Minnetonka schools don’t want to admit there’s a problem,” they said.

They have been hosting webinars within schools communities to get people educated about lice and about all-natural, effective solutions.

“No parent should have to experience what we did,” said Knutson and Rudquist.