Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and “serial adventurer” Christian Schauf knows what it’s like to roll with the changes. Before founding Uncharted Supply Company, he helped launch Crispin Cider, grow it, and sell it to MillerCoors; toured with his band Catchpenny, entertaining troops at some of the most dangerous military bases in Iraq; and directed a documentary movie. “He’s like the grandson of The Most Interesting Man in the World,” laughs Shawn Stigler, co-chair of Venture Best.
Uncharted’s first product, the Seventy2 survival kit, was born after Christian saw California drivers stranded by snow. He realized that “most people weren’t prepared to deal with bad weather, let alone major emergencies like an earthquake, hurricane, or terrorist attack.” And so he created the comprehensive Seventy2 survival system, named for the fact that the first 72 hours are the most critical in survival situations.
Christian started small, with 1,000 units and a successful Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. From there things moved quickly, as the Seventy2 was featured—and funded—on ABC’s Shark Tank TV show in 2017. Michael Best helped Christian with the formation of Uncharted Supply Company and with IP protection.
Now it’s time to take Uncharted to the next level. The Venture Best team is opening doors for Christian, so he can fund the next growth stages. “A big part of what I do is connect people,” says Shawn. “This is a transformative time for the company. We’ve introduced Uncharted to venture capital and venture debt folks, for example, and a PE fund.”
“Shawn’s made a lot of great introductions for us,” Christian agrees, “and it’s been a huge help.” He also appreciates Venture Best’s adaptability: “Recently we’ve had some conversations with very big brands. Anytime the plan changes, Shawn rolls with it and doesn’t miss a beat. Things are always popping up quickly, and he’s consistently responsive. That’s so valuable.”
Although he’s not sure what the future holds for Uncharted, Christian is confident the Venture Best team will steer him right. “It’s been a wild ride so far, and Michael Best has been a good partner to lean on. I’m happy to keep adventuring with them.”