Burt Shavitz Quotes

Powerful Burt Shavitz for Daily Growth

About Burt Shavitz

Burt Shavitz, born on March 8, 1927, in Queens, New York, was an American businessman and co-founder of the Burt's Bees natural products company. Shavitz grew up in a working-class Jewish family and developed a love for nature early in life, often escaping to the woods of Long Island as a child. This connection with nature would later influence his work. In the 1950s, Shavitz moved to rural Maine where he worked as a beekeeper, selling honey from the back of his station wagon. In the early 1980s, Shavitz met Roxanne Quimby, a local craftswoman who was making lip balms using beeswax from Burt's hives. Together, they transformed Burt's Bees into a thriving business, pioneering the natural and organic personal care products industry. Shavitz was known for his laid-back personality and love for solitude. He preferred simple living to the fast-paced life of the city. His lifestyle and values were reflected in the products produced by Burt's Bees, which emphasized simplicity, natural ingredients, and respect for the environment. In 2007, after a series of disagreements with Quimby, Shavitz sold his share of the company and left Maine. He passed away on July 3, 2015, in Vermont. Burt's Bees continues to be a leading brand in the natural personal care industry, a testament to the legacy left by its co-founder. Quotes attributed to Burt Shavitz reflect his simple yet profound perspective on life and nature. One of his most famous quotes is, "I like to live simply, have enough, but not too much." This philosophy was at the heart of both his personal life and his business ventures.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I'm not really interested in being rich."

The quote suggests that Burt Shavitz places less emphasis on material wealth or financial success, focusing instead on other aspects of life. It highlights a person who values experiences, relationships, and personal fulfillment over the accumulation of riches.


"The less you own, the more free you feel."

Burt Shavitz's quote emphasizes the idea that having fewer possessions contributes to a sense of freedom. By owning fewer material goods, one can reduce the burden of maintenance, financial obligations, and clutter in their life. This allows individuals to focus more on experiences, personal growth, and connections with others, ultimately enhancing their sense of liberation and independence.


"If a man can't find his way to a beautiful woman, he'll make one out of beeswax and twine."

This quote suggests that when a man is unable to find genuine love or connection with a real woman, he may instead create an illusion of a companion using inanimate objects such as beeswax and twine. It implies a longing for companionship and connection, but settling for something unreal or incomplete due to a lack of availability of authentic relationships.


"I don't like to get involved in things that I don't understand."

This quote suggests that Burt Shavitz valued self-awareness and a keen understanding of the matters he engaged with. He preferred to avoid involvement in anything complex or unfamiliar, perhaps because he believed understanding was essential for effective participation and decision-making. His approach could be seen as a commitment to mental clarity, self-preservation, and an emphasis on knowledge before action.


"Money is not the most important thing in life, but it's reasonably close to oxygen on the 'gotta have it' scale." - This quote is often attributed to Burt Shavitz, but its original source is uncertain.

This quote highlights that while money is a crucial necessity in modern society (akin to oxygen for survival), it should not be the ultimate priority or purpose in life. Instead, it suggests striking a balance between appreciating financial security and cherishing other aspects of life, such as relationships, experiences, and personal growth. It underscores the idea that one's sense of fulfillment and happiness can come from various sources beyond monetary wealth alone.


I've got a radio that occasionally I listen to. It's portable. It's got an antenna. I've put a piece of aluminum foil on it that gives me a little bit better reception. And a refrigerator.

- Burt Shavitz

Antenna, Portable, Bit, Foil

My life is the land, the dogs, the car, the motorcycle, the pond, the canoe, going to pick up mail. It's just a rural retreat that I enjoy.

- Burt Shavitz

My Life, Mail, Pond, Canoe

If I decide I want to go canoeing, I've got a canoe. If I want to take my dog with me, nobody tells me I can't do it. If I want to go skinny dipping and wash my body, I can take my clothes off.

- Burt Shavitz

Want, Go, Dipping, Canoe

Roxanne Quimby wanted money and power, and I was just a pillar on the way to that success.

- Burt Shavitz

Success, Money, Wanted, Pillar

What do I need it for, millions of dollars? It just sounds like problems with the IRS to me.

- Burt Shavitz

Need, Like, Sounds, IRS

I realized I had it made because you don't have to destroy anything to get honey. You can just use the same things over and over again, put it in a quart canning jar, and you've got $12.

- Burt Shavitz

Over, Made, Use, Quart

The magic of living life for me is, and always has been, the magic of living on the land, not in the magic of money.

- Burt Shavitz

Magic, Always, Been, Living Life

There are so many opportunities to see the sun go down in the evening and the sun come up in the morning. The colors change on the trees, on the snow. I'm surrounded by people who are friendly and helpful.

- Burt Shavitz

Change, Surrounded, Friendly, Evening

You can only punish your body so long before you're stuck with a horrendous inability to do things you'd previously been able to do.

- Burt Shavitz

Been, Before, Inability, Stuck

I had no desire to be an upward-mobile-rising yuppie with a trophy wife, a trophy house, a trophy car. I wasn't looking for any of those things. I already had what I wanted.

- Burt Shavitz

Wife, Desire, Had, No Desire

I've got everything I need: a nice piece of land with hawks and owls and incredible sunsets, and the good will of my neighbors.

- Burt Shavitz

Will, Need, Hawks, Sunsets

I'm less interested in the inside of whatever it is I own than on the outside of what it sits on.

- Burt Shavitz

Own, Less, Than, Outside

No one has ever accused me of being ambitious.

- Burt Shavitz

Me, Ambitious, Ever, Accused

Money is nothing really worth squabbling about. This is what puts people six feet under. You know, I don't need it.

- Burt Shavitz

Feet, Need, Six, Puts

You've gotta do what you like to do. If you do things you don't like to do, what sense does it make?

- Burt Shavitz

Like, Things, Does, Gotta

A good day is when no one shows up, and you don't have to go anywhere.

- Burt Shavitz

Go, Shows, Up, Anywhere

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