We are excited to introduce you to Carly Broderick.
Hi Carly! Could you tell us all about you and what inspired you to start your business?
Creating a Deodorant Brand for My Kid and Yours
If not now, then when? It’s a saying on my wall to remind me that it’s always time to take a risk or follow a dream. It ran through my mind when I founded Miles, and it will continue to be my mantra as I build the brand.
I founded Miles to fill a space that others deemed too stinky to tackle: deodorant for teen boys. The idea was born out of necessity, as COVID was leaving us stuck inside for long periods of
time, and I could tell from the smell that it was time for my son, Jack, to start wearing deodorant. He was only nine years old, but as many other mothers can tell you, it was time to start the
personal hygiene process. That began with deodorant.
When I started searching for the right deodorant for Jack, I ran into an issue: teenage boys didn’t seem to have a solid option. I was choosing between legacy brands for older men that emphasized traditional masculinity and expensive natural brands that I didn’t even know would work with my son’s body chemistry. None of the deodorants felt right, so in my min,d there was only other thing to do: create my own.
Miles came to me as I noticedreduced socialization’s impactd on my kids. COVID washard on teens, characterized by high anxiety and depression brought about by
solitude. I wanted Miles to help ease the stress of being a teen by being an inclusive, modern brand that focused on individuality rather than enforcing gender roles and expectations.
Now, there is so much space for teens to be their authentic selves, and we want to celebrate that with Miles. While my son Jack plays every sport you can think of, that’s not all teens. Miles is for everyone, whether it be the athlete, musician, actor, gamer, or whatever else they are passionate about. As a mom, that’s a brand I can really get behind.
My entire professional career has been with consumer-facing companies and industries, so I knew how to bring a product to life. After hearing friends have similar experiences in trying to find the right deodorant for their kids, I knew it was time to use my experience to create something for them. If not now, then when?
After smelling every candle imaginable, and endless testing with my family, I narrowed 15 scents down to 10 and finally to 3 with the help of my dedicated nephews. My friend’s son even helped me come up with the name “Rugged” for Miles’ spiciest scent. From there it was all about putting my plan into action with the support of wonderful friends and partners along the way. I’m confident in Miles because it fills a space that teens really need, and I’m excited for Miles to be a part of their life journey.
I love to build things from the ground up and make connections. I saw the vision for Miles and took the thousand little steps I needed to take to bring it to life. I’m proud to build a brand for an underserved market and create products that teens like my son not only need but will love as well. Miles is the new trusted brand for parents and kids”
We all have a superpower. Mine is that I bring order to chaos – starting a brand means doing it over and over again. Curveballs may come my way, but I keep bringing solutions. My suggestion for anyone out there with a desire to create something great: find your superpower and run with it. The time is now.
Tell us all about your business. What can parents/kids expect?
1. WORK. Miles’ deodorants and antiperspirants are hardworking – because puberty is no joke!!
2. DELIVER CLEAN AND NATURALLY DERIVED AND SOURCED INGREDIENTS. Us Moms want to fee great about the products our kids are using.
3. REPRESENT THE WIDE AND UNIQUE WORLD OF GENZ. Not every kid is the sporty kid. Or masculine in the traditional sense. Personal care branding and marketing needs a broader lens on who teens and tweens are today, and Miles is here to do that..
What do you love about the Twin Cities? Why is this a great community for local small businesses?
I am a born and raised Minnesotan and Twin Citean (is that a word?) and LOVE the entrepreneurial nature of this place. I always say, if you peel back the Fortune 100 layer that gets so much press, you’ll find a very active and flourishing entrepreneurial world. I am proud to say that my branding partners, manufacturing partners, PR agency and freelance partners are all MN-based!
What is the best way for the Minnesota Parent community to support your business?
Try Miles (via Amazon!), leave Miles a review (on Amazon), send me what products you want Miles to tackle next (body wash and a 3-in-1 shampoo/conditioner/body wash are in the hopper) and tell your friends!
How does your business/product inspire parents and their children?
As parents, we want our kids to be authentically themselves, appreciated for who they are and able to move throughout their days feeling accepted. Miles does a very fundamental thing – eradicating body odor and sweat (two things that amp up in our human bodies when experiencing puberty) so our kids can feel confident.
Tell us about you! Your family, why you love being a parent. What brings you joy?
Our family is very active and busy with both kids in sports, an extended family in the Twin Cities that we enjoy seeing, and lots of friends with kids the same age. At the same time, our family loves downtime together at dinnertime (we almost always eat dinner together), regular movie nights, and playing cards or board games. My daughter loves to bake so we also spend time together in the kitchen. What brings me joy is seeing these amazing people my kids are, and are becoming, with their thoughts and questions, their senses of humor (both kids I find very funny), and their developing sense of self in the world.
Tell us about your favorite places to go with your kids? Restaurants, roads trips, parks etc.
Our family cabin in Wisconsin. Our annual summer trips exploring other parts of the United States (so far we’ve hit Maine, Oregon, Washington, Cape Cod and Boston.) Grandview Lodge. Restaurants – Red Cow, Buffalo Wild Wings, Crisp & Green, Mill Valley Kitchen are a few favorites.
Let us know where our readers can find you!
