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
The chronic health crisis that sparked Allison's mission toward toxin-free living
The early growth of Branch Basics—and the ingredient controversy that halted it
Navigating public criticism, refunds, layoffs, and an IRS audit simultaneously
Rebuilding from scratch: 100+ reformulation attempts and finding the right partners
How transparency, community, and mission made a comeback possible
The mindset shift required to lead through shame, uncertainty, and pregnancy
The role of content and education in driving long-term customer loyalty
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
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