Meet Cody Kemby | Founding Kook

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cody Kemby and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cody, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started this business out of necessity. I was surfing every day and working a full-time job, coming out of the water with sunscreen still visibly on my face. No matter how hard I scrubbed, it wouldn’t come off. After getting reprimanded multiple times by my wife, I decided to come up with a solution. I tested it over and over, made batch after batch until I found something that fit what I was looking for. It had to be all natural, simple ingredients, and effective. I started using it myself for several months before a friend tried it and asked why I hadn’t put it on the market.
The bigger thing for me was realizing that mineral sunscreen has a real problem. It’s better for your skin and the ocean, but it’s so hard to take off that people just don’t use it. I have friends and family who won’t touch the stuff because of that. I wanted to make something that encourages people to make the switch to mineral sunscreen so we can stop putting toxic chemicals in the water and on our skin. If I can help even a small number of people make that switch, then this product is worth putting out there. So far, reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m stoked that I’m able to put a product out there that people seem to love and is playing a part in saving our oceans.

What should our readers know about your business?
Kook-Off is a first-of-its-kind product specifically designed to remove mineral sunscreen. That’s what sets us apart. Nobody else is focused entirely on solving this one problem. Mineral sunscreen is better for your skin and the ocean, but it’s so difficult to remove that people either go back to chemical sunscreens or stop wearing sunscreen altogether. I wanted to fix that.
From the beginning, it’s been important to me that everything I put out has clean ingredients, is good for people, and is good for the environment. That’s a core part of the brand, not a marketing angle. There are times when it would be easier or more profitable to cut corners on ingredients or packaging, and people will encourage you to think about margins over product quality. But I believe customers see through that. If you build something with real integrity, people notice, and that’s what leads to long-term success.
Getting here wasn’t easy. I’m completely bootstrapped, self-funded from day one. There was a lot of time and money spent putting this together, and wearing every hat in the business is always a challenge. Being resourceful has been essential. I’ve leaned on tools like AI to help manage operations, which has been a real advantage as a one-person company. You have to find ways to punch above your weight, and being willing to learn and adopt new tools has helped me do that.
Having the support of my family and friends helped me push through the moments where you’re not sure if what you’re doing makes sense or if the market is going to respond. The market did respond. We’re selling on Amazon and our own website, getting into surf shops across the nation, and reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. I’m especially proud that we raised $3,800 under the Kook-Off brand for the Ben Carlson Foundation, which funds lifeguards and helps save lives in a sport I love. Being part of that community taught me that you don’t just talk about caring for the ocean. You walk the walk. That’s shaped how I run this brand and always will.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting San Clemente for the week, we’re starting with a surf day. Hopefully a swell is running and we’re heading to Trestles. I’d start the morning with a coffee at Sur Coffee, then we’d grab the e-bikes and ride down to the trail. Depending on the conditions, we’d surf Lowers, Middles, or Church and spend the morning in the water.
After we get out, we’re heading to Primo’s Tacos for lunch. If we’re too tired from the morning session to paddle back out in the afternoon, we’d hit the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course and walk nine holes.
If it’s summer and the days are long, we’d ride down to the pier for sunset, grab a beer at Fisherman’s, and watch the sun go down. And if it’s a weekend night, we’re ending up at Gibroni’s for pizza and live music. That’s a perfect San Clemente day.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to give a huge shoutout to the SBDC of Orange County. They’ve been a driving force behind Kook-Off’s growth. They set me up with mentors who have helped me get my business off the ground and stay profitable. Specifically, Frank Plasso and Barrett Seymour have been instrumental in keeping me focused, helping me figure out what matters and what doesn’t, and pushing me toward real goals in my retail expansion and selling online through Amazon.
I also want to recognize the Ben Carlson Foundation. They gave me the opportunity to paddle from Catalina to Newport Beach to help raise money for lifeguards and ocean safety. That experience shaped how I think about community and what this brand stands for.
And of course, my family and friends who have supported and encouraged me through this entire process. None of this happens without them.

Website: https://www.kook-off.com

Instagram: @kookoffskincare

Other: tiktok: @kookoffskincare