# 32 - Darrell Jobe, CEO of Vericool Part 1 of 2 growing up as a gang member

- Show: [People of Packaging](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging)
- Published: 2020-08-25
- Length: 41m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-08-25-32-darrell-jobe-ceo-of-vericool-part-1-of-2-growing-up-as-a-gang-member
- Listen: https://encase.substack.com/p/32-darrell-jobe-ceo-of-vericool-part-990

## Summary

Darrell Jobe, CEO of Vericool, recounts his journey from a chaotic childhood in Richmond, California, involving gang involvement and incarceration, to finding redemption through packaging. He details his transition from street life to sales at companies like Master Box and Cal-Box, eventually founding Vericool to create sustainable, temperature-controlled packaging solutions. Jobe highlights the company's social mission of hiring individuals with criminal records and its recent Series A funding to expand manufacturing capacity for products like the Barracooler.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-08-25-32-darrell-jobe-ceo-of-vericool-part-1-of-2-growing-up-as-a-gang-member#t=6) Introduction: Darrell Jobe and Vericool
- [3:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-08-25-32-darrell-jobe-ceo-of-vericool-part-1-of-2-growing-up-as-a-gang-member#t=188) Childhood, Gang Involvement, and Incarceration
- [12:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-08-25-32-darrell-jobe-ceo-of-vericool-part-1-of-2-growing-up-as-a-gang-member#t=752) Recovery, Plumbing, and Entry into Sales
- [23:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-08-25-32-darrell-jobe-ceo-of-vericool-part-1-of-2-growing-up-as-a-gang-member#t=1427) Sales Career at Master Box and Cal-Box
- [30:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-08-25-32-darrell-jobe-ceo-of-vericool-part-1-of-2-growing-up-as-a-gang-member#t=1807) Founding Vericool and Product Development
- [35:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-08-25-32-darrell-jobe-ceo-of-vericool-part-1-of-2-growing-up-as-a-gang-member#t=2131) Social Impact, Hiring Practices, and Expansion

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Vericool (company)
- Master Box (company)
- Amcor Sunclips (company)
- Cal-Box (company)
- Barracooler (product)
- Igloo (company)
- Mike Silva International (company)

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- [Live Episode! Walker & Company: Tristan Walker (2019)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-28-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker-2019) (How I Built This)
- [Reinventing the Pizza Bagel: Bagelverse's Jacob Cooper on Nostalgia and CPG](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-10-09-reinventing-the-pizza-bagel-bagelverses-jacob-cooper-on-nostalgia-and-cpg) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [How I Built Resilience: Father Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-11-19-how-i-built-resilience-father-gregory-boyle-of-homeboy-industries) (How I Built This)
- [Founder Fundraising Journey: Victor Guardiola, Bawi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-08-01-founder-fundraising-journey-victor-guardiola-bawi) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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