“We’re in a phase now where we have a better understanding of sustainability,” says Henry Palmer, DMSB’20. “[We] thought of it in binary terms, either we are or we aren’t. Living sustainably is a journey, and a path that we’re on. I’d rather 100 people make one change than one person make 100 changes.”
Palmer, currently residing in Newton, Massachusetts by way of the United Kingdom, has had a passion for promoting sustainability and protecting the earth’s environment for as long as he could remember. After receiving his undergraduate degree in philosophy, he transitioned into a role with Wild Idea Buffalo Company, an organization that promotes cruelty-free and grass-fed meat production to immerse himself in his devotion to protect the planet.
After working with Wild Idea Buffalo Company for five years, they ultimately partnered with Patagonia and “the timing made sense” for him to go back to school and pursue his MBA. Northeastern’s thorough MBA program and experiential learning experience caught his eye. “I wanted to go to Northeastern because of the focus and support around entrepreneurship,” Palmer says. “Northeastern actively promotes and supports entrepreneurs…and promotes education you can take action with.”
Through the MBA program at Northeastern, Palmer was able to take his previous knowledge of eCommerce and DTC sales in sustainability to the next level, by laying the framework for what eventually became Lochtree, an online marketplace for sustainable products. With the help of DMSB’s eclectic faculty, Palmer was able to run ideas by different professors for a “stress test” of Lochtree’s business plan, before officially launching by graudation in 2020.
However, graduating and launching a business in the midst of a pandemic proved to be a hardship that many, including Palmer, faced. “Being an entrepreneur can be incredibly lonely and isolating. Particularly when you begin and not much is happening…you can genuinely spend time working and have it make little impact,” Palmer says. Despite this, he credits his Northeastern experience with providing him with a sense of being as an entrepreneur to overcome these obstacles. “Northeastern provided a fantastic community you can touch base with…and by setting up events, networking opportunities, and markets. Now all of the sudden you have a community.”
Since its launch, Lochtree has rapidly grown to become a beacon in the sustainability market, with a thriving online store and prominent membership in the 1% For the Planet Organization, an alliance of sustainability businesses that donates a portion of their profits to environmental non-profits. Even with the newfound success, Palmer has his eyes set on the future of not only his business, but our planet. “We are committed to making sustainability simple for everybody…I want to build a durable, authentic sustainable brand that is going to be around for the longrun.”
Learn more about Palmer and Lochtree on Instagram @Lochtree or LinkedIn. You can reach out to Palmer via LinkedIn. You can meet Henry in person by attending this year’s NEXPO on campus.
