33 - Mission Over Money: How Kevin Broderick Built a Global Safety Brand and Exited After 15 Years

What does it take to turn a scientific concern into a household name?Join us as we sit down with Kevin Broderick, the entrepreneur behind Think Baby and Think Sport. Raised in a household of scientists and inventors, Kevin combined his background in biophysics and epidemiology with a passion for entrepreneurship to solve a massive consumer problem: toxic chemicals in everyday products.In this episode, we discuss:The Power of Experience: Why a mentor advised Kevin to work at startups, mid-sized firms, and major corporations like Dell before launching his own enterprise.The "Little Black Book": Kevin’s method of recording every idea, from digitized bathtubs to parachutes for planes, and how it shaped his thinking.Mission-Driven Growth: How focusing on the safety mission—specifically creating BPA-free baby bottles—accidentally led to building a great company.Guerilla Sales Tactics: The "West Coast Tour" where Kevin and his head of sales drove from San Diego to Vancouver, averaging 6 to 10 meetings a day to get products on shelves.Navigating the Exit: Why Kevin chose a lower acquisition offer to ensure his brand’s mission and product safety remained intact under new ownership.The Next Frontier: Kevin’s current work with Trixie (sustainable, waterless beauty) and Atomico (vitamin-infused water with a STEM-education focus)."We were on a mission... we weren't going to worry about building a great company or selling it down the road... if we stayed focused on the mission, we might accidentally build a great company."