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Branch Basics Co-Founder Allison Evans shares the story behind one of today's fastest-growing human-safe cleaning brands—serving 240,000+ households and generating $50M annually.
What began as Allison's search for answers to debilitating chronic pain in college became the blueprint for a mission-driven company rooted in integrity and transparency. But at the height of early success—$2M in revenue, nine employees, and a passionate customer base—Allison and her co-founders made an unthinkable call: shutting the company down after discovering they couldn't verify a key ingredient in their hero product.
In this conversation, Allison walks through the shame, backlash, and financial fallout of that decision—while pregnant—along with the 18-month rebuild that followed. From becoming accidental chemists to restoring customer trust to scaling into 600+ Target stores, her story is a case study in resilience and values-driven leadership.
It's the founder dilemma no one talks about: when doing the right thing means risking everything.
Key Takeaways and Topics
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The chronic health crisis that sparked Allison's mission toward toxin-free living
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The early growth of Branch Basics—and the ingredient controversy that halted it
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Navigating public criticism, refunds, layoffs, and an IRS audit simultaneously
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Rebuilding from scratch: 100+ reformulation attempts and finding the right partners
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How transparency, community, and mission made a comeback possible
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The mindset shift required to lead through shame, uncertainty, and pregnancy
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The role of content and education in driving long-term customer loyalty
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Lessons on partnership, boundaries, and sustainable founder capacity
The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com
Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor, and host of The Failure Factor. For more info, visit https://meganbruneau.com
Branch Basics: https://branchbasics.com Branch Basics Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchbasics
Megan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau Megan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc
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