When John Canter took the stage at Pitch Party Mars Hill, the room instantly felt the heat—not just from his pitch, but from his passion. With energy and conviction, John introduced EarthBae, his soon-to-launch heated apparel brand designed to keep people comfortable through variable climates and shifting seasons. Built for both indoor and outdoor lifestyles, each piece is crafted with quality fabrics and heat technology, along with thoughtful design and attention to detail, ensuring warmth when needed across the many environments people encounter throughout their day.
Meeting with John afterward offered the chance to dive deeper into his story, a journey marked not by a straight line of successes but by winding paths of acquired experience. Along the way, there have been wins, challenges to overcome, and occasional setbacks. Each offered lessons that John has learned and applied, always with the determination to keep moving forward. His path is a great reminder that some things you start don’t succeed, but they may lead you to the seed of a better opportunity.
From CFO to Founder
John isn’t new to entrepreneurship. Over the last seven to eight years, he has worked as a fractional CFO, helping clients grow businesses across different industries. Before that, he scaled a retail store and learned firsthand how seasonal inventory cycles can shape a business. Those lessons about margins, logistics, and customer connection paved the way for his next chapter.
EarthBae isn’t his first venture, but it might be the most personal. Inspired by his own need for warmth and comfort, John began developing heated vests and hoodies powered by advanced graphene technology. Unlike traditional heated apparel that relies on fragile coils, graphene offers durability, even heat distribution, and longer-lasting performance.
Community, Technology, and Resilience
The path to EarthBae has been anything but simple. From tariff delays on batteryshipments to the complexities of building a Shopify site and doing product photography as a solo founder, John has had to juggle it all. Instead of discouragement, he views each hurdle as part of the process.
What stands out is how deeply John has leaned on Asheville’s entrepreneurial community. Having called the city home for seven years, he has tapped into its supportive network of mentors, partners, and collaborators. His choice of launch venue, the Mule at Devil’s Foot, was no accident. The brewery’s co-founder, Ben Colvin, was John’s first mentee through Venture Asheville. That connection came full circle in planning this celebration.
Beyond Apparel: AI and Future Ventures
Interestingly, EarthBae isn’t John’s only project. At the same time, he is developing an AI-powered social media system designed to automate 80 percent of content creation, leaving the final 20 percent to humans for authenticity. He recently demoed it for 40 people, with four companies already expressing interest.
This dual track of cutting-edge technology and wearable innovation reveals the essence of John’s entrepreneurial spirit: curiosity, adaptability, and a readiness to test bold ideas.
Looking Ahead
As EarthBae steps into its launch, John continues refining his product line, building brand awareness, and laying the foundation for future growth. Alongside the heated apparel, he is also developing an AI-powered social media venture, showing the same spirit of curiosity and adaptability that has carried him this far.
His advice for other entrepreneurs is simple but powerful: lean into community, be transparent with manufacturers and partners, and don’t be afraid to let one idea lead to the next.
With EarthBae, John isn’t just offering warmth. He is offering a reminder of what it takes to follow inspiration wherever it leads, trusting that each twist in the path has a purpose.