Posted By: Truly Free Home
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Posted On: 7/3/2025
We couldn’t be prouder to announce that Stephen Ezell, our Founder and CEO, was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Michigan and Northwest Ohio Award winner by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US).
Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive awards program for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. For 40 years, EY US has celebrated ambitious entrepreneurs who are transforming industries, impacting communities, and creating long-term value.
Ezell was chosen by an independent panel of past winners, top CEOs, and business leaders.
Judges assessed candidates on:
Long-term value creation
Entrepreneurial spirit
Purpose-driven commitment
Significant growth and impact
"I'm incredibly honored and deeply grateful for this recognition," Stephen said.
"Building Truly Free Home into the success it is today hasn't been easy, but it's been fueled by a mission I believe in with all my heart: protecting families, reducing our environmental impact, and proving that small, purpose-driven cleaning brands and businesses can challenge—and outperform—the big-box giants.”
To date, Truly Free Home’s formulas have freed over 468,000 homes from harmful chemicals and eliminated more than 13.9 million single-use plastics from the environment.
Ezell added: “As we look ahead, I'm excited to expand our impact by continuing to develop products that make our customers' lives healthier and easier, and by helping other entrepreneurs thrive through our newest project, Truly Free, a decentralized marketplace where everyone wins. This award isn't just a milestone, it's a launchpad for what's next, and a reminder that doing good and doing business can go hand in hand."
Stephen is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 National Awards, which will be announced in November. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in June 2026.
Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes many different types of business leaders for their ingenuity, courage, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Past winners include:
James Park of Fitbit
Reed Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn
Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company
Jodi Berg of Vitamix
Arthur Blank of The Home Depot
Kendra Scott of Kendra Scott LLC
Eric Yuan of Zoom
Since 2008, Stephen has been on a mission to create safe, non-toxic, refillable cleaning products that actually work—without the harsh chemicals harming our families and the planet.
It all started when his newborn son broke out in a horrible rash and he learned something inside his home was making his son sick: laundry detergent.
Today, as one of the leading purpose-driven cleaning brands, Truly Free Home is renowned for its plant-based, non-toxic laundry and cleaning supplies. Truly Free Home does more than help families enjoy sparkling & safe homes—it’s making a healthier, greener world possible.
Just as powerful, Truly Free Home supports global give-back projects. Our Dryer Angels, for example, are a symbol of resilience and hope—they’re hand-sewn by women overcoming adversity and gaining sustainable employment.
100% of proceeds from Dryer Angels support Meridian Lee, empowering women out of human trafficking, and CCCD, providing education, housing, and employment for the deaf community in Jamaica.
When you choose plant-based cleaning products from Truly Free Home, you’re helping make the world a better place. Thank you!
We actively support multiple safe-houses and orphanages in Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. We provide over 200 children with food, education, clothing, shelter and ultimately hope for a bright future.
