"I bought a plane." - Kari Warberg Block, EarthKind

Kari Warberg Block started her all-natural pest control company, EarthKind, for a simple reason: “There was not an effective solution to rodent control that was safe to use around kids and pets for our farm equipment and in our home, so I invented one.”

In 2007, she launched the company from her kitchen, where she first whipped up her homemade rodent repellant. Ten years later, she sits atop a national brand projected to pull in $10 million in revenue this year. And EarthKind products, which are registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, can be found in Lowe’s hardware stores, on retailer Target’s website and elsewhere. Going forward, Warberg Block wants to expand by talking up the company via mediums like QVC and to realize the dream of taking EarthKind international.

Business success has a brought financial independence that has opened up a world of personal possibilities, she says. Warberg Block was able to buy lakeside property near her company’s North Carolina manufacturing plant, fulfilling a lifelong dream of owning a home surrounded by nature. And she has been able to pay for far-flung family to visit her. “My biggest joy is family. Being with them is always fun, and I’m glad to spend a lot of money on that.”

Plus, Warberg Block adds, “I bought a plane,” which her husband pilots, that helps her keep a hectic and widespread calendar of meetings. “It’s an amazing luxury that helps me build the business.”