Squirrel's Nut Butter CEO and Founder, Chris Thornley, shares his incredible journey. From his ultrarunning career to soloing the Grand Canyon and building a successful business, Chris’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and following your passion.

From Fifth Grade to Ultra Distances

Chris Thornley's running journey began in the fifth grade in Cool, California. At Georgetown Elementary, he participated in the 50 Mile Club, a program that encouraged students to run 50 miles during the school year.

11-year-old Chris saw the 50-mile goal as merely a starting point and decided to 10x it, running 500 miles in a single school year.

He isn’t shy to admit that he was never the fastest; however, he loved being outside, and running fulfilled that passion.

In high school, Chris participated in both track and cross country. While most of his peers got their running fix during practice, Chris often spent hours running alone through the woods after practice.

For him, it wasn’t so much a commitment as it was a passion (or insanity, depending on who you are).

His dedication paid off when he ran his first sub-3-hour marathon and completed the American River 50 miler during his senior year of high school. During his freshman year at Humboldt State, he ran the famous Boston Marathon before taking a break from running. His early racing career laid a solid foundation for his unknown future in ultrarunning.

A Decade of Ultrarunning

After a hiatus from running, Chris returned to the sport with a new challenge: long-distance ultrarunning. He participated in the Waldo 100K in Oregon after his brother, Craig Thornley, co-created the fantastic course and event.

Waldo was his longest race to date, and he continued to do it for ten consecutive years.

Living in Flagstaff, Arizona, Chris had the opportunity to train in one of the Seven Wonders of the World: the Grand Canyon. The unique terrain and his love for the canyon made it easier for him to prepare for his first 100-mile race, the Javelina 100. In 2006, he was fortunate enough to run Western States 100.

Over the years, Chris completed six 100-mile races, including Angeles Crest and Bear 100, before taking a step back from competitive running in 2009.

But, as you can guess, his adventures did not stop there. 

The Next Adventure - Soloing the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon

In 2010, Chris decided he had spent enough time running throughout the Grand Canyon and undertook his first solo journey (29 days) down the Colorado River.

To date, he has completed a total of eight solo winter trips and plans to complete his eighth journey this January. His journeys through the canyon were incredible, spiritual, and in some ways, life-changing. We could write a book on Chris’s stories of the canyon, but we simply cannot do them justice in such few words. Instead, ask him to tell you a few stories when you run into him, and we will leave you with a fun fact for now.

More people have visited the International Space Station than have soloed the Grand Canyon.

Chris credits his trips down the Grand Canyon to his business success. These solo trips taught him valuable lessons about self-reliance and trusting his instincts.

Chris’s innate ability to take risks, trust himself, and push through some of the most challenging adventures transferred well into the next phase of his life, one that he never even saw coming.

The Start of Squirrel's Nut Butter

Squirrel's Nut Butter (SNB) began almost serendipitously, sparked by a personal challenge that became a unique business opportunity. Co-founder Stacy faced a problem when her daughter developed severe eczema. Her daughter's skin was extremely sensitive and prone to allergic reactions, making over-the-counter solutions ineffective.

Determined to find a homemade solution, Stacy set to work to create a natural remedy in her kitchen.

After months of experimentation, she discovered a winning formula: coconut oil, cocoa butter, beeswax, and Vitamin E oil.

Simultaneously, Chris owned a tree service, and one of his climbers, nicknamed Squirrel, found himself in a pickle when he ran out of his usual chamois cream before a long bike ride in Sedona, Arizona. Squirrel found the homemade remedy in his medicine cabinet, used it as an anti-chafe solution during his ride, and stayed chafe-free.

Now, we will assume that you can guess how Chris came up with the name “Squirrel’s Nut Butter”.

The next breakthrough was when ultra runner Matt Keyes tested the salve during the Western States 100 and reported his least amount of chafing, despite having run the race nine times before.

His endorsement confirmed the product's potential, and Squirrel's Nut Butter was born.

Business Lessons Learned

When asked about the lessons he's learned through his adventures, Chris emphasizes the importance of self-belief and trusting one's gut.

The same principles that guided him through the canyon are the ones that have guided him in running SNB.

He takes pride in keeping the business local to Flagstaff (his home of over 30 years) and ensuring the highest quality product by hand pouring each and every one! Chris combats the challenges of handcrafting every product and keeping the business local by remembering the true reason he created SNB.

Staying Motivated and Making a Difference

Chris's motivation stems from his passion for natural skin care and desire to make a difference. He understands that skin is the body's largest organ and what you put on it matters.

One of his most touching testimonials comes from Brian Reynolds, a double amputee who Chris met at the 2018 Chicago Marathon.

Brian began using SNB after the race and reported the best stump health he had experienced since his amputations. Stories like Brian's reinforce Chris's commitment to making a difference in people's lives.

On the toughest days, he remembers his ultimate goal which is to provide amputees in third-world countries with SNB to improve overall quality of life.

Chris takes pride in helping the ultrarunning community stay lubed while running races; however, he realizes that this is really just a first-world problem, and his true legacy can lie in making a difference for people who need it the most.

Chris admits to being a bit obsessive, but his dedication is driven by a genuine belief in the product's quality and the potential to make even the slightest difference around the world.