Marnie

Marnie is the founder of Tick Socks, an Australian brand making colorful, EPA-registered permethrin-treated socks that repel ticks. She started the company when she wanted tick protection for her newborn son without spraying bug repellent directly on his skin. Tick Socks uses Insect Shield factory-bonded technology so the protection is built into the fabric, lasts through 70 washes, and doesn't rub off onto skin.

Before starting Tick Socks, Marnie researched existing tick prevention products and found that permethrin-treated clothing was already recommended by the CDC. The existing options, though, involved spraying your own clothes, tracking how many washes had gone by, and re-applying every few weeks. She put DIY tick prep in the too-hard basket pretty quickly.

Marnie founded Tick Socks two years after that first afternoon with her newborn son. Her daughter was born around the same time. She wanted tick prevention that worked without adding to her to-do list and that looked fun enough that anyone would actually want to wear it.

Under Marnie's leadership, Tick Socks sells colorful permethrin-treated socks directly to consumers through its Shopify store. The brand has built a strong social media following, with viral TikTok videos explaining how permethrin affects the tick nervous system. Marnie personally responds to customer reviews and handles customer service herself, including processing returns and refunds directly. The business ships nationwide in the US.