Ethan McQuarrie, an entrepreneurship student splitting his time between the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), took notice of the rapidly evolving men’s hygiene market with an increasing demand for natural and sustainable products. So, he decided to take it on with his startup, OCOVES.
“I see brands like Axe and Old Spice starting to fade, and brands like Dr. Squatch, Harry’s, and Duke Cannon starting to rise,” he said.
With OCOVES, McQuarrie is following those rising brands by offering men what he proudly describes as a premium, all-natural alternative to the chemical-heavy grooming products that have dominated the market for years.
Despite launching OCOVES just earlier this year, McQuarrie has already seen an overwhelmingly positive reception. “Every entrepreneur, me included, has that scare; is my product going to work? Is it just a ‘shower idea’,” he said. But the feedback he has gotten has hushed these thoughts – “The response was great. People were saying, ‘This is a totally different type of experience than the traditional cologne I use, it smells fresh and it lasts all day.’”
That response largely came from shoppers at farmers’ markets, which have played a crucial role in these early stages of OCOVES. These markets have allowed McQuarrie to engage directly with customers. “There’s something powerful about selling in person,” he said. “It gives me the opportunity to tell people my pitch, how it was created as a research project, how I’m a student at the University of Utah and have won a couple of competitions and I have more coming up.” He also is working on building loyalty with these customers, offering a newsletter and personal calls to ensure their product experience has been great.
OCOVES is a premium, all-natural men’s hygiene brand.
Of course, launching a business hasn’t been without its challenges. “Taking the idea from paper to product was tough,” McQuarrie said. His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs? Network. He emphasizes the power of building relationships and the immense opportunities that come with them.
McQuarrie attributes much of OCOVES’ initial success to the resources available at both the University of Utah and SLCC. The contagious nature of being a student surrounded by other motivated students has been a huge motivation for him to innovate his brand, as has his family.
Among other impactful support at the University of Utah, OCOVES received a startup grant from the Get Seeded program at the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute to grow his business.
As a result, OCOVES has continued to gain traction and now McQuarrie is turning his attention to building a stronger online presence — a challenge distinct from his success in face-to-face sales. He is working on finding innovative ways to convey something like scent or feel through a screen, something he finds more difficult than the in-person sales experience.
Beyond building up OCOVES’ online presence, McQuarrie has big plans for the next five years. He envisions expanding OCOVES’ product line beyond hydrating colognes to include a full suite of men’s grooming essentials, such as body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. “My goal is to have OCOVES on the shelves of major retailers like Target and Walmart,” he said.
Running a startup has had a profound impact on both McQuarrie’s personal and academic journey. “Entrepreneurship is like a game of chess,” he said and described always having to think several moves ahead, constantly planning and adapting. Fueled by a clear vision for the future — one where he can provide for his family and continue innovating — McQuarrie remains committed to growing OCOVES into a recognizable name in the men’s hygiene industry.
Learn more about OCOVES at ocoves.com.
Ocove founder Ethan McQuarrie is an entrepreneur student at the University of Utah.
