Five years ago, I started a laundry detergent company because I wanted to surf more. That is actually how it all began.
A long story short: I always felt at peace when I went surfing. When I went into the water, everything else got quieter. At that time, I thought that if I could build a small business that sold a few bottles of detergent every week, I could make enough money to support a simple life and spend the rest of my time surfing. That was my plan.
I was not trying to build a major laundry brand. I was not imagining hundreds of thousands of bottles, a growing team or Mozi products showing up in homes around the world.
I simply wanted more freedom.
Company I Started to Surf More Made Me Surf Less
There is something pretty ironic about what happened next. I named my company Mozi Wash and it soon grew much faster than I would have ever expected.
As Mozi Wash grew, the days became longer. The decisions became more complicated. The problems became bigger and, in many cases, more expensive.
The business I had created to give myself more time in the water ended up leaving me with less time to surf than I had ever had before. For a while that was scary.
When you start a business with one vision for your life and reality begins moving in a completely different direction, it is natural to wonder whether you have lost your way.
I had built the company so I could get more time and more freedom. Then, somewhere along the way, my reason for building Mozi changed.
My Original “Why” Changed
Today, one of the most rewarding parts of Mozi is getting to work alongside people who are much smarter than I am. I get to learn and unlearn everyday from an incredible team.
Together, we have worked through formulation challenges, packaging changes, operational problems and all the unexpected decisions that come with building a growing consumer brand.
We have now made and sold hundreds of thousands of bottles of Mozi Wash.
Those bottles have ended up in laundry rooms, homes and family routines around the world. Something that started as a small idea has become a product that people trust and use as part of their everyday lives.
That is still difficult for me to fully process. Every time someone recognizes the Mozi name or stops me to say that they love the detergent, I am reminded that we have built something real. It is a testimony that I exchanged my freedom for something purposeful: making lives of others easy.
A thoughtful review from a customer now makes my entire day, just like surfing in a sea would do years ago.
Why We Built Mozi Wash Differently
Laundry detergent is not traditionally considered an exciting product. Most of the category has centered on familiar ideas, copy-cat formulations, and versions of a generic laundry smell.
We believed laundry should feel more personal. We did not see why the scent of your clothing should be treated as an afterthought. The thumbrule that we set for ourselves was that fragrance is an expression of a mood, a memory, a sense of identity.
That belief became a foundational principle at Mozi Wash: creating laundry products that clean effectively while bringing the creativity and emotional experience of fine fragrance into an everyday routine.
We wanted to do something revolutionary with the laundry; perhaps, make it a little exciting, a little special. It may be a small change, but that is how people make their lives better.
Surfing Made Me Happy. Building Mozi Became More Meaningful.
I still love surfing. It will always be where I go to reset, find perspective and reconnect with myself. I hope there will eventually be seasons of life when I can spend much more time in the water again.
Building Mozi, however, has taught me the difference between something that makes me happy and something that gives me a deeper sense of purpose and a meaningful life.
A product that people genuinely love, with a team I respect and a community that continues to support us has been infinitely more rewarding than I could have anticipated.
Mozi is no longer about me, my freedom, my surfing - or what I had initially wished for my life. It has evolved into something bigger that is making the lives of hundreds of thousands of people easy.
Poetry and laundry may not make a tango, but Mozi does make laundry beautiful and its fragrances are magical.
My Dream Did Not Disappear
When I look back, I do not think the original dream was wrong. It was simply smaller than what Mozi eventually became.
I started the company because I wanted more time for myself. Today, I am building it because I want to see what this team and community can create together.
My dream did not disappear. It just got much bigger.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why did Matt start Mozi Wash?
I originally started Mozi Wash to create a small, flexible business that would allow me to pay my bills and spend more time surfing. As the company grew, my motivation shifted toward building a meaningful product, team and customer community.
2. Who founded Mozi Wash?
Mozi Wash was founded by me, Matt. I am a lifelong surfer and I wanted to bring a more elevated, fragrance-driven experience to the laundry category.
3. What makes Mozi Wash different from traditional laundry detergent?
Mozi Wash combines effective laundry cleaning with sophisticated, intentional scents inspired by the experience of fine fragrance. The brand was created as an alternative to conventional laundry scents such as “fresh linen” and “spring breeze.”
4. Is Mozi Wash a small business?
Mozi began as a small founder-led company and continues to approach product development with an independent, hands-on mindset, even as the brand reaches more homes and customers.
