Anonymous Exits, Pt. 6: From A Park in Brooklyn to a Nationwide Movement

A Founder Reflects on their journey to exit

In this instalment of our Anonymous Exits series, we speak with a founder who built a fast-growing business focused on a critical aspect of early childhood learning. The conversation spans everything from how a personal mission turned into a scaled business, to the challenges of aligning impact with scale, and what it felt like to sell the company amid challenging external conditions.

This exit represents an excellent example of securing a successful, more modest exit when conditions turn against you. 

Themes: 

• Balancing vision with finding product market fit

• Balancing impact objectives with financial objectives

• How the pandemic, an outside force, can alter many companies’ trajectories

From the dinner table to the drawing board

Us: Where did the inspiration for the company come from?

The original idea emerged from a deeply personal place. My wife, who is a career educator, (teacher turned school leader) and I have always been interested in the intersection of education, technology and behavioural change. We’d have long dinner table conversations about the structural issues within education and what challenges young people faced, often leading to Ideas for how to approach things differently.

Around 2010, the data around the sharp increase in kids’ screen time was just starting to emerge. It was clear that children were spending significantly more time on devices than previous generations. At the same time, emerging research was also revealing that  kids were spending roughly half as much time outdoors as compared to their parents’ generation. These inauspicious trends really stuck with us. Though we were not sure what that combination actually meant, we knew it wasn’t a good trajectory. Given our prior work in schools and Edtech, we also understood the undisputed data about how children learn through play. It forced us to ask the question: “Is it possible to shift family behaviour toward a more balanced existence with more outdoor play rather than even more time alone and passive on screens?"

Our answer was deceptively simple: develop a way to encourage parents to support more time outdoors, in productive play environments, with their kids. Though what it would take to enable that shift, it turns out, would require more thought. From there, the concept started to take shape.

Ideals meet iteration

Us: Did you have a clear sense of what the product would be from the beginning?

We had a strong north star for a goal, but we were fluid in terms of how we imagined the product to take shape, which allowed lots of prototyping and time for the form factor to emerge. We explored a lot of options early on: async content delivery, behavioural apps, school models, scouting formats, and curriculum and training models. We were not rigid about the kind of company we wanted to build, but were incredibly focused on choosing the path that gave us the best chance for the desired outcome. 

What we knew for sure was that we wanted to build something universal, scalable, and accessible. At the time, we were seeing programs is the U.S. that were charging families $30–$40k-per-year school for outdoor learning. We knew that wasn’t going to change the world. We sought a product that could reach all kids, not just a few.

We also wanted to balance our mission with financial sustainability. We decided that a for-profit company would best support our core goal of helping families everywhere to raise curious, resilient, and well-balanced children, while building a financially viable business

Designing for impact

Us: Was impact something you tracked formally from the beginning, or more of an assumed outcome?

A bit of both. From day one, impact was central - it was a core reason we were building this company in the first place. But we experimented with a number of target KPIs early on.

One of our core metrics was simple but powerful: time spent outdoors by families. We knew from research that engaged, interactive time between parent and child  is one of the strongest predictors of positive learning outcomes in young children. If we could get parents outside with their kids, engaging with the outside world and one another, we were already improving things.

Another measure we experimented with was the child’s attention span and their persistence. Could our curriculum and learning model help children stay focused on a task for longer than without the intervention? Could they problem-solve on their own without immediate adult intervention? We believed that these behaviours would have to lead to better learning outcomes. Years later, kids’ attention and ability to persist has become part of a broader societal conversation.

It’s easy to get caught up in the need to perfectly define and definitively quantify  metrics. But sometimes, it’s enough to know your assumptions are built on a strong foundation. We always liked to say that what we were doing was based on what the science tells us and what your grandmother knew all along.

Going from one park to millions of people

Us: With your content, training and programs, you ended up reaching millions of educators, children, and families. How did you get there?

Very methodically. We started with one neighbourhood park and about a dozen families who found the program to be transformative. From there, we tested whether we could replicate the experience in other nearby New York City parks. Each time we expanded, we would ask: is the experience consistent and of equal quality? 

Once we convinced ourselves we could replicate the experience, we built out a process to find, vet, and train educators remotely. That was a big unlock. Social media also played a major role: people loved sharing photos of their kids playing and learning outdoors. It was personal, it was joyful, and from a growth perspective, it drove word of mouth.

We combined this natural growth engine with content marketing, community development, SEO, and other novel engagement tactics. But honestly, our biggest growth engine was our community. Parents felt good about enrolling their kids and spending time with them and in community with others. Educators felt a strong sense of purpose and pride in bringing this important movement to their communities. All of this genuine conviction and emotion turned into momentum for our business.

Economic alignment as a growth strategy

Us: You mentioned economic incentives for educators - how did that work?

This was a key design decision. Early on, we debated whether we’d derive higher growth from a nonprofit or for-profit structure. Ultimately, we believed that building a sustainable economic engine would be the best way to scale our impact.

There was (and still is) a serious shortage of early childhood educators in the US, and those who are dedicated to working in the field are often underpaid. We saw a way to create a model where educators could earn real income while honing their skills, doing purposeful work, and giving back to their community. The platform and tools we gave teachers allowed them to scale up as much as they desired, and to run multiple programs to widen their impact.

So the incentives were aligned. The better the experience they delivered, the more demand there was, and the more the program grew. It truly became a virtuous cycle.

The path to acquisition

Us: Was the acquisition planned, or did it emerge opportunistically?

Given our commitment to the families we served, our investors, and to ourselves, we’d always imagined that one day, acquisition would be the most viable way for the business to sustain. After several rounds of education and social impact focused venture capital, we decided on entering into a partnership with a prominent private equity firm who, along with significant capital, brought a specific kind of expertise to our equation that we felt would help us reach even more families while we scaled globally. Once we began to ramp up, things were going great - we hit 101% of our growth plan in the first quarter.

Then Covid hit, which significantly affected our in-person delivery model. Practically overnight, we had to shut down our in-person operations. We pivoted quickly towards live online events, virtual training, and asynchronous video training to parents and teachers. 

At this time of complete uncertainty in the world, we worked tirelessly to support our community while examining viable pathways with our investors. By 2022, there was mutual interest in finding an acquirer for the company that would allow what had become a proven, leading, and innovative learning model to sustain. We began outreach, drawing on relationships we’d built over the years. Some conversations were with partners, some with new parties, and others were with folks we’d stayed close to. As we continued to explore and work our network, we got connected with our eventual acquirer.

Choosing the right buyer

Us: Were there multiple bidders in the mix?

Yes. Though as most of us can recall, post-pandemic, the world - let alone markets- were extremely cautious. That said, the business had a strong reputation, and so once we had one interested party, we soon had multiple offers on the table.

The acquirer we ultimately chose was a large, well-respected provider of childhood content, enrichment products and curriculum. Though we were just getting to know one another, the fit became immediately clear to all of us. They brought traditional strengths - print publications, distribution channels, and a large footprint in schools. We brought a pristine brand, a fast-growing digital business and a stellar team Plus, we knew how to deliver in-person experiences, had scalable virtual training systems, and a deep and growing catalog of high quality video oriented towards parents and teachers. It made so much sense that the combined entity could unlock even more value.

Inside the deal

Us: Did you lead the process yourself?

Yes. We were in lockstep with the board who supported us through the process, got some support from an M&A advisor, but as CEO, I led the conversations, from the initial outreach through every step of the negotiations. It was even more complex than I had even anticipated,  given the daily operations, supporting the team and community, the criticality of the post-pandemic timing, navigating venture and PE investor dynamics, as well as expectations from our acquirer.

Us: Were there any major sticking points?

Plenty. But the biggest lesson I took away was the importance of balancing everyone’s emotions while keeping the big picture in mind for our team and the acquiring team. We believed so deeply in what we were doing, and the viability of the model and business, and we had years of evidence to prove it. And, once we found a  strategic fit and a long-term opportunity, it allowed us to find a way to bridge the details—and, ultimately, for investors, acquirer, and acquiree to feel great about the deal.

Us: Were there earnouts or post-deal obligations?

Our deal had a lot of flexibility. We had short and long-term incentives, but it was probably less rigid than other arrangements. I stayed with the company for 18 months because of my personal commitment to everyone who had supported our deal, because I genuinely believed in the long-term opportunity for the company, and I was committed to ensuring a smooth transition. Once we were integrated, and I was asked to take on a broader role, I felt it was the right moment to step away.

Us: Did your team move over as part of the acquisition?

Yes,  the remaining team. Like many companies, we were forced to reduce the size of the team during the pandemic. That core remaining group had been through a lot over those few years, and we remained transparent with them about what was happening. Since they were so committed to the mission, it was important to us that they had clarity, stability, and an opportunity to continue the work on what we all created.

Reflections

Us: Looking back, how do you feel about the journey?

Purely grateful. Along with my co-founder, we are among the few who had an idea that burned so deeply in us, that we mustered all that it took to bring it into the world. I got to work on something I cared deeply about for over a decade, building a great business while learning more than I ever could have imagined, alongside people I admired, including my wife. And most importantly, we know we built something that made a real impact.

I still keep a book of hundreds of pages of  stories and photos from families and educators. Sometimes I flip through it just to remind myself what we created. Those stories of kids meeting their best friends, parents bonding with their children - learning about them and themselves, and giving educators a deep sense of purpose - it is all stuff I can feel proud of.

What comes next?

Us: Are you thinking about starting something new?

Yes, though I’m not rushing into anything. I’ve been spending time consulting and advising other founders, reading, tinkering, experimenting, and learning new things. After years of intense focus, it’s been refreshing to think about new businesses and help find ways to help other entrepreneurs and teams. 

I’m still deeply motivated by education, and there remains a lot of work to do to serve people. This is a a space that constantly evolves, and there’s so much left to solve. Whether it’s another working with or launching another startup, investing, or something in between, I plan to stay committed.

Us: Last question - would you work with your wife again…?

Absolutely - it was an immense advantage in so many ways as we built this business. We’d worked together briefly before starting the company, so we knew how to do it. It’s not for every couple, but we are uniquely compatible in this way. so yes, I’d do it again!

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We’re very grateful to this founder for sharing their story. If you’re building something mission-driven, or thinking about what comes after a successful exit, we hope this inspires you to think expansively about impact, scale, and resilience.