When most people think of aromatherapy, they picture a spa, not a baseball field. However, Jared Zima, a catcher for Post University, is bringing the soothing scent of lavender to the field with his new product, Reliefwax.
Zima, a budding entrepreneur, has already garnered awards for his product. In April, he won the title of Student Entrepreneur of the Year and took home an award in the category of “Best Scalable Venture” at the Connecticut Entrepreneur Awards.
Reliefwax is a glove conditioner made with natural products, mostly sourced from Connecticut. But what is unique about Reliefwax is its scent. Zima includes essential oils in the glove conditioner.
“My mother started using aromatherapy and essential oils years ago…” said Zima, “[so] I started using aromatherapy myself, personally, for the last few years… learning about different scents and oils and how those all benefit the body.”
A big believer in mental health awareness and advocacy, Zima chose to combine his love of the game with his desire to help players who struggle with anxiety on the field, so they can keep playing the game they love.
Players use glove conditioners to maintain the leather to prevent cracking. Zima said he wanted to make a stand out product, and he only uses natural ingredients to make sure the conditioner not only helps the player, but revitalizes the glove.
Zima has always had an entrepreneurial streak. Throughout his baseball career, he learned to maintain and repair gloves. Fellow players soon asked him to fix their gloves, and Zima Glove Care was born, Zima said.
Zima felt for players who struggled with anxiety on the field, having battled anxiety himself in high school. He sought to find a way to help people, while also staying connected to his passion for glove care.
At the beginning of 2020, Zima began to lay the groundwork for Reliefwax, with the help of Post University’s Entrepreneurial Center. Despite the struggles of working through the pandemic, Zima poured himself into his work, feeling the need to be productive while in lockdown.
Brandon Monti, the coordinator for the Entrepreneurial Center at Post University, said, “[Zima] bootstrapped this, this was blood, sweat, and tears… it was, I have a concept, but I really need to scrape it and grind to get this done.”
Monti said he guided Zima through the process of setting up a company in person. When the pandemic hit, they moved to online calls. Zima worked in his kitchen to perfect a recipe for his product.
Zima
When baseball finally came back the next spring, Zima had a product ready to sell. With the help of Post’s Entrepreneurial Center team, Zima had created a product within six months.
Zima has launched a website and found vendors for his product. The success of Reliefwax has left him feeling proud, and winning at the Connecticut Entrepreneur Awards gave him the reassurance that entrepreneurship could work as a career path, Zima said.
“I am coaching right now, so I’m planning on staying in the game of baseball,” said Zima, when asked about his plans for the future. He also wants to continue to grow Reliefwax, with the hope of expanding into other products.
For more information about Reliefwax, visit reliefwax.com.
Maureen Lynch is an intern for New Haven BIZ.
