Published: March 30, 2022 By

 Roger Hosea - DocuPotsMeet , a former Rural 欧美口爆视频 Workshop Series attendee and founder of DocuPots! are biodegradable planting pots made entirely out of paper.

Roger was born and raised in Denver, 欧美口爆视频. He graduated from 欧美口爆视频 State University with a Science and Natural Resources degree in 1982. Roger spent years working various jobs in the health and environmental industries, until eventually returning to 欧美口爆视频 in 2001 to pursue his own paper shredding business, Northeast 欧美口爆视频 Total Document Management (NECTDM).

In 2010, Roger鈥檚 wife had planted a plant in their yard. The pot she used to plant it claimed to be biodegradable, however, after nearly one year in the soil, the pot was still fully intact. Roger wanted to find a solution to this issue, so he began to experiment with the paper shreddings he had been collecting through NECTDM. This process led to the beginning of what is now DocuPots!

欧美口爆视频 DocuPots

After experimenting with his paper shreddings, Roger successfully created a pot! He and his wife tested the paper pot, and found that it was indeed biodegradable, and served as a viable alternative to plastic pots.

DocuPots are 100% biodegradable and made from recycled materials. Roger elaborates,

鈥淎 Jiffy pot, even after 5 weeks in the soil, is still a Jiffy pot! If a plant is pot-bound for too long, it鈥檚 less likely to flourish. DocuPots allow plants to grow and find their happy place! Our pots break down and allow for a better root system, so your plant can actually go into the soil. It makes for a much happier, healthier plant.鈥

DocuPotRoger found that in a greenhouse, a DocuPot can be expected to last 2-4 months, and is gone within six weeks of being planted in the ground. Learn more about DocuPots !

Experience with Rural 欧美口爆视频 Workshop Series

In 2021, Roger attended the Demystifying Entrepreneurship: Rural 欧美口爆视频 Workshop Series (RCWS) in Sterling, 欧美口爆视频. The Demystifying Entrepreneurship RCWS takes a pragmatic approach to entrepreneurship using a highly interactive setting and flexible, scalable sessions. In each workshop, small businesses, start-ups, and local governments gain the tools they need to solve business and organizational challenges through an entrepreneurial mindset.听

Roger comments on his experience,

鈥淭he instructors were great! They really got us out of our comfort zones, and it was exciting collaborating with other entrepreneurs鈥

The Demystifying Entrepreneurship Workshop Series will return this summer, for updates on specific dates and locations, check out the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship鈥檚 website.

Challenges Faced

Initially, Roger was creating the paper pots by hand. However, as he began selling the pots and demand increased, he needed to find a way to produce them at a faster rate. Roger conducted research and found a special machine that could create the pots. Obtaining this machine proved to be extremely difficult due to cost, shipping complications, and the overall size of the machine.听

After several months, Roger was able to get the machine and set it up. The machine drastically sped up the production of DocuPots.听

Advice for Current Students

Roger provides the following advice for current students,

鈥淭ry not to do everything on your own. It鈥檚 best to have a team or partner who you trust alongside you to bounce ideas off of. This way, you can figure out whether or not what you鈥檙e doing makes sense. 鈥

More Deming News

Creative Distillation Logo

Creative Distillation Episode 71 - Reversing the Arrow conference with Dev & Jennifer Jennings

Get ready for another fascinating episode of the Creative Distillation Podcast! In this episode, hosts Jeff York and Brad Werner welcome two guests: Jennifer and Dev Jennings, professors at the University of Alberta's School of Business. The conversation takes place on the front porch the Chautauqua Mission House, setting the...

Ted and Claudia - Pastificio
Meet the Founder of Pastificio, Pioneering Clean and Sustainable Food
Sristy Agrawal
The Story of Mesa Quantum and the Entrepreneur Who Defied the Odds
Sophie Schuler
Sophie Schuler's Journey in the Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Program in South Africa