Brad Pedersen is an award-winning entrepreneur, angel investor, thought leader, and sought-after business coach. In 2008, he founded and scaled Canada’s top toy company, Tech 4 Kids, and subsequently co-founded Pela, the $100m sustainable phone case startup that created an entirely new category.
In 2021, Brad and the team at Pela successfully launched a record-breaking $9.8M crowd-sourced campaign for the Lomi, the world’s first smart waste kitchen composter.
Brad has a passion for faith, fitness, adventure, and outdoor pursuits and lives in the mountains of British Columbia with his amazing wife, where they are building a beautiful life!
Time Stamped Show Notes
- 00:07 Brad expresses gratitude for being with Elliot and is eager to discuss his remarkable journey of founding a successful toy business.
- 00:32 Originally from Alberta, and with a chiropractic family background, Brad was drawn to the toy industry after reading about a child’s flying toy invention.
- 02:40 He was expected to pursue chiropractic like his family, but his early entrepreneurial activities and passion showed a different path.
- 04:45 Valuing the journey, continuous learning, and drawing inspiration from his father and a book on regrets of the dying, Brad emphasizes discipline over regret.
- 09:21 From success to bankruptcy, learning from failures, and embracing challenges for growth.
- 14:43 Integrity and confidence are key for founders; Brad’s example of overcoming a business failure with creativity and determination underscores this.
- 17:49 Prioritize values, balance life facets like family, faith, fitness, and finances, adapt with focus when needed, and listen to loved ones for balance.
- 22:13 Brad’s exit from the toy business sparked a transformation, inspiring a journey into sustainable ventures like compostable phone cases and smart waste devices, driven by the mission of making a positive impact on both people and the planet.
- 26:45 Brad initially started writing his book as a memoir but shifted his focus to offer valuable insights to founders. The book combines his experiences in the toy industry with wisdom from his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing resilience and inspiration for entrepreneurs at all stages.
Key Learning Points…
- Balance Matters: Prioritize and balance various aspects of life for fulfillment.
- Resilience Wins: Stay adaptable and resilient through setbacks.
- Purpose-Driven Impact: Align your business with values for a lasting impact.
