Introducing BUBS Naturals, a collagen protein company based out of Leucadia. BUBS collagen is everything you’d want in a collagen-based protein powder: it’s hydrolyzed and utilizes grass-fed and pasture-raised peptides. But it’s the backstory on how BUBS came to be that will make you believe in it all the more.
Sean Lake started BUBS Naturals as a way to pay tribute to his friend, Navy SEAL Glen “Bubs” Doherty. Longtime Encinitas resident, Glen “Bub” Doherty was named the Union Tribune Person of the Year, alongside Ty Woods, for their bravery in the Benghazi, Libya terror attacks. Alongside Glen’s family, Sean started the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation, which honors Glen’s memory by helping Special Ops soldiers transition to civilian life, primarily through educational scholarships and recreation.
Combining Glen’s love for living an active life and the foundation’s mission, Sean and his business partner TJ decided to launch BUBS as a way to help the cause. “By combining the idea of baking a charitable giving element into the cost of goods of a product, we have been able to launch BUBS Naturals promoting Feeling Great and Doing Good, where 10% of every sale goes directly to charity (and of course on Veterans Day we do 100% of proceeds),” says Sean.
And collagen was the way forward. ”Glen and I used to talk about the ‘fountain of youth’ and how to keep exercising and getting after it like we were in our 20s when we were turning 40! Then my wife Heather introduced me to collagen protein early last year. From my experience and the supporting medical evidence, it is a fantastic all natural single ingredient supplement that helps with hair, skin, nails, joint health, muscle recovery, gut health and more.” Plus Leucadia was the perfect place to launch their health product. As Sean explains, “BUBS is all about FEELING GREAT through healthy products and DOING GOOD by giving 10% of every sale to charity. That charitable spirit and healthy living lifestyle are abundant throughout Encinitas.”
Hailing from the Gloucester/Winchester, Massachusetts area originally, Sean was hired by Burton Snowboards to move to Encinitas as their west coast team manager, to work with local athletes like Shaun White, Dave Downing, and a few other North County stars.
When we asked Sean what made him want to run his business out of Leucadia, he said, “What kind of question is that?!” Touché. When he first moved to Leucadia in 2002, it made an immediate impression on Sean. “It was the perfect eclectic blend of people, architecture and businesses. It’s evolved since then and modernized but still has that ‘funky’ feel.”
Finally, we like to ask people where they would take out of town guests in Leucadia for eating, drinking and beach time. So what are some of Sean’s favorite places around town?
Coffee: Coffee Coffee!
Beach time: Beacons (north)
Lunch: It changes a lot, but this week it’s Nectarine Grove and always Haggos
Dinner: Fish 101!
Drinks: Regal Seagull and Papagayo
You can find BUBS at North County Natural Medicine (conveniently located on Vulcan), Seaside Market, and CrossFit Counter Culture on El Camino Real. Learn more about BUBS Natural’s at bubsnaturals.com and on Instagram at @bubsnaturals.
