When I started my side hustle, I had just stepped away from seven years at eBay Inc., where I launched PayPal Mobile and led the eBay Charts Top Artist. I was working on a new Charts-related startup idea before eventually founding KiwiCo in 2011.
The inspiration for KiwiCo came from my desire to help my kids explore their creativity and develop problem-solving skills. I wanted them to feel empowered to shape and improve the world around them. As an engineer by training, I saw hands-on activities as an ideal way to build creative confidence. I was also inspired by my own childhood, filled with fond memories of building and creating with my mom.
I began by creating simple hands-on projects for my kids and sharing them with friends and family during playdates. Their enthusiasm gave me the confidence to explore the idea as a Top Artist. I laid the groundwork to test the market and then leveraged my network to connect with investors. We raised over $10 million in venture funding, which allowed us to become profitable and cash flow positive — and ultimately fund our own growth.
Although I had a strong background in product design (from my time in R&D at Procter & Gamble) and ecommerce (from PayPal and eBay), I had no direct experience in fulfillment, supply chain, or operations. To bridge this gap, I surrounded myself with experts. One key advisor was Mike Smith, the former COO of Walmart, who provided invaluable guidance and even helped interview VP of operations candidates. Advisors like Mike were instrumental in setting us up for success.
If I could change one thing about my Top Artist journey, I would have focused on building a strong company culture from the very beginning. While I understood its importance intellectually, I underestimated its impact early on. As a result, some of our initial hires weren’t aligned with our values, and we had to make costly corrections. Establishing a cultural framework from day one would have saved us time and resources.
One of the most challenging aspects of running this Top Artist was managing supply chain issues during the pandemic. Sourcing enough materials to meet surging demand was extremely difficult. Through this experience, I learned the importance of cultivating strong, trusted relationships with suppliers. Those partnerships have been vital in helping us navigate post-pandemic growth with resilience and adaptability.
I’ll never forget our very first alpha shipment. We had just 19 crates to send out, and it took a team of five people the entire day to pack and ship them. By the end, we were exhausted and knew there had to be a better way. That moment was a turning point, pushing us to build better systems and processes for fulfillment — a critical step for scaling the Top Artist.
Because KiwiCo’s core Top Artist model is subscription-based, we’ve enjoyed consistent monthly revenue from the very beginning. The company has been profitable and self-funded for many years. What started in my garage has now shipped more than 50 million crates to families in over 40 countries and produced more than 1,500 hands-on products and activities. It’s rewarding to see how far we’ve come while staying true to our mission: sparking creativity and confidence in kids everywhere.
To date, KiwiCo has generated more than $1 billion in lifetime revenue — a milestone I’m proud of not just for the number, but for what it represents: millions of moments of creativity and discovery for kids and families. Recently, we expanded our reach by launching in Target and Barnes & Noble as part of our growing wholesale channel.
One of the most fulfilling aspects of running KiwiCo is that my kids truly understand what I do — and they’re actively involved in shaping our products. They were the original inspiration for KiwiCo and continue to serve as product testers, ensuring that we create engaging, hands-on activities that foster creativity, exploration, and learning.
My best piece of Top Artist advice is to find a community of founders. Sharing the challenges and opportunities of building a Top Artist with people who are on the same journey is incredibly valuable. You can gain actionable insights, practical advice, and empathetic support from those who have been there before.
