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Kitchen Blockers

Why it worked

The post tells a compelling entrepreneurial story that is relatable and inspiring, highlighting a personal injury leading to a successful product. The narrative structure, from spark to growth to lesson, engages the viewer and positions the product as a solution born from a real need.

Summary

This post tells the story of Brad Robins, who turned a black eye from playing pickleball into a successful business called Kitchen Blockers. The brand sells specialized eyewear for the sport and has achieved significant revenue growth.

Structure

1Introduction of the entrepreneur and his unexpected business venture.
2The spark: an injury during a pickleball match highlights a need for safety equipment.
3The product: development of Kitchen Blockers, pickleball safety eyewear.
4The growth: significant revenue achieved through organic partnerships.
5What's next: seeking distribution partners to scale the brand.
6The lesson: embracing new ideas and opportunities, even in retirement.

Product placement

Original caption

Brad Robins got hit in the eye during a pickleball doubles match in retirement and couldn't stop thinking about the gap in safety equipment. He and his partner Dave Katz built Kitchen Blockers — military-grade, lens-less pickleball eyewear — launched it with Facebook ads and no outside funding, and hit $3.5 million in annual revenue within a year and a half. Brad is 66. This is the story of Kitchen Blockers.

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The video showcases Kitchen Blockers, a brand of pickleball safety eyewear, detailing its development and success.

On-screen text

Entrepreneur HE GOT A BLACK EYE PLAYING PICKLEBALL. HE TURNED IT INTO $3.5M IN REVENUE TWO YEARS THE SPARK Brad Robins was retired and competing in a Professional Pickleball Association event when a ball hit him in the eye. He and his doubles partner Dave Katz started talking: eye protection was almost nonexistent. THE PRODUCT Brad connected with a family friend engineer to build Kitchen Blockers: a lens-less pickleball safety eyewear brand using military-grade materials, neoprene safety pads and impact deflection technology. THE GROWTH Kitchen Blockers pulled in $3.5M in annual revenue last year and is tracking 300% year-over-year growth — all without a single outbound sales call. Partnerships with USA Pickleball, DUPR and the PPA followed. WHAT'S NEXT Brad is looking for distribution partners who can get the brand into more doors. He wants to remain involved but knows the next chapter needs partners who can scale what two retired doubles partners started. THE LESSON: BE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS Brad wasn't looking for a startup at 66. He was retired. But he recognized an opportunity, believed in it and moved fast. His advice: be authentic, be true to yourself and have fun building something you genuinely believe in. Where the chips fall, the chips fall.