the shade you sit in

by Bruce Runions | Founder, PONOS

Most people only start when the sun’s already harsh.

Back then, no one talked about prevention. Men waited until the mirror argued back. I didn't have a master plan—just curiosity. Vitamin C in the morning, weights at least 3 days a week, a hot-yoga class that felt hot as hell at first. I kept doing it anyway.

Twenty-five years later, the return on those quiet repetitions shows up: in recovery time, I think in skin elasticity, and definitely in calm. At some biohacker conference, a test said my biological age was 30. I'm pretty sure they just wanted my email address. After 20 years of software conferences promising million-x ROI, getting pitched the "fountain of youth" instead felt oddly refreshing. Still, the weights and Vitamin C probably didn't hurt.

the walk-away moment

In 2018, I met a chemist in Toronto. We talked about why most men’s skincare felt like an afterthought—harsh cleansers, greasy finishes, branding that screamed instead of whispered.

We sketched formulas. We priced production. Then I did something most founders don’t do.

I walked away.

Not because it wasn’t good. Because I couldn’t do it right yet. I wasn’t going to white-label filler formulas or take investor money that demanded speed over substance. So I waited. Worked. Saved.

In 2020, I came back with my own capital, a clear philosophy, and a single rule — no shortcuts.

the discipline behind the brand

PONOS took four years to build. Twenty-five to understand.

We began with three essentials, each stripped of noise and built to perform quietly and consistently — the same way the best habits do.

Our dermatologist partners tested them. Their feedback was what I'd hoped for: “The cleanser’s gentle, the moisturizer stays matte, and the shave cream feels and smells excellent.”

That’s the proof I was after — not hype, just harmony.

what time teaches

Luxury isn’t about excess. It’s about restraint.

It’s doing less, better — and doing it for longer than anyone’s watching.

You don’t notice prevention working, only when it stops.

The same way you don’t notice a tree growing — until one day, you’re sitting beneath it, protected from the heat.

the invitation

If you’re 28 and just starting, plant the seed now.

If you’re 45 and think it’s too late, plant it anyway.

The second-best time is always today.

I built PONOS for the shade I wanted to sit in — and for anyone willing to earn theirs.

postscript

I turn 50 next week.

I still train, still use Vitamin C, still believe in slow compounding.

Because real longevity — in health, skin, or life — has no hack.

Only the work.


Read more from the founder's journal on building PONOS

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