I have spent over 30 years building companies.

Along the way I have had some spectacular crashes….

But also a business exit….

Which came with all the supposed rewards and accolades; the apparent proof that I had made it.

Somewhere in the middle of all of it, I started to feel like I was running a race with no finish line.

And I started asking myself a question I had avoided: If there is no finish line, what exactly am I running towards?

Hi, I’m Brad.

I am a Loyal Husband and Father. 

I am also a Founder, Author, Adventurer, Investor and Philanthropist. I Build Businesses as a Force for Good.

Over 30 years, I have co-founded nine different companies. Some scaled into 8 and 9-figures and some went bankrupt. For many years I was the real world Santa Claus, having shipped millions of toys all around the world.

After an exit, I co-founded Pela — the world's first compostable phone case — a sustainability company that has since grown into a $100M business.

Along the way we also launched Lomi, the world's first kitchen composter, with a record-breaking $9.8M crowdfunding campaign.

I have been both the founder and the fired. I have built bootstrapped businesses and venture-backed companies. Through it all, I have had the kind of wins that are supposed to feel like arrival.

They never quite did.

That is not a complaint, it is simply an observation and it is the one that has most influenced my current trajectory.

READ MY STORY

FEATURED IN:

That feeling led me to build something different.

Full Spectrum is a guided mastermind for accomplished leaders who are ready to build wealth beyond money. We explore how to develop more meaning in our work, greater impact with our resources, and deeper connections in the relationships that matter most. We believe that financial wealth is an important ingredient for living a fulfilling life however it just cannot be the only thing.

We meet weekly.

We go deep.

Enrollment is limited and by application only.

Apply For Full Spectrum

A Playbook for Business and Life Mastery

Step into a world where play isn’t just in childhood; it’s the path for creating lasting success in life. In “Startup Santa”, Brad Pedersen, former top toy-maker and multi-time founder, brings his game-changing models that will forever reshape your business, your mindset, and your life.

Discover how Brad’s career as a real-life Santa transformed into a 9-figure venture, with insights that will leave you inspired and ready to embrace the magic of play.

Iconic toys. Impactful lessons.

STARTUP SANTA

GET YOUR FREE FIRST CHAPTER HERE!

What People Are Saying…

  • "Learn from someone I consider to be the best at living life full out! Brad Pedersen is an extraordinary individual who embraces the humility, wisdom, and courage needed to be the great leader and success he has become in business and in life.”

    Darren Hardy, Founding Publisher SUCCESS & International Bestselling Author

  • “Brad Pedersen is one of the most mission driven, category creating entrepreneurs I’ve met. Startup Santa is a legendary present founders can give themselves and their friends.”

    Christoper Lochhead 11x #1 bestselling coAuthor of Category Pirates, Play Bigger & Niche Down

  • "You need to read this book. Brad's advice has made me millions. You won't find these frameworks or approaches anywhere else. It's a book that stands above the rest."

    Dan Martell, Founder of SaaS Academy and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of Buy Back Your Time

  • I have watched Brad use a combination of imagination, discipline, and continuous learning to not only build several successful businesses but also to build up countless people. Now he is opening up his playbook so that entrepreneurs everywhere can learn and understand the building blocks of a successful life and business. Thank you, Brad!

    Misty Lown, Founder & CEO of More Than Just Great Dancing® and #1 Bestselling Author of One Small Yes

  • "Santa only delivers presents once a year but the Startup Santa has gifts that will keep on giving to you and your business for many years to come! I recommend you unwrap a copy and start reading today!"

    Joey Coleman, Wall Street Journal best selling author of Never Lose a Customer Again

  • "If you were looking for a campfire to sit around and hear sage wisdom on life and business, you'd want to pick the one wth Brad Pedersen. This book delivers that wisdom from a leader with the battle scars to prove it, but with a thoughtful tone. Grab it, find a campfire, and download the wisdom from a legend."

    Todd Herman, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of The Alter Ego Effect & Entrepreneur

  • "This is a terrific read. Some author's give advice; Brad Pedersen distills wisdom for life with his words."

    Dave Liniger Founder, Chairman of the Board and Co-founder of Remax

  • "One of the signs of a true entrepreneur is the ability to get off the canvas when you get knocked down, finish the fight and shake hands with your opponent, learn life’s lessons and get ready for the next battle. Brad is that person. I know because I put him on the canvas and watched him get up and shake my hand. He’s a friend to this day."

    Jay Foreman, Co-Founder and CEO Basic Fun

  • "Scaling even a single business into a multi-million-dollar success is a life-defining achievement—and Brad Pedersen has done it several times. In Start Up Santa, Brad shares lessons from a career of entrepreneurial ingenuity—from bootstrapping in his basement to building a toy empire and ultimately creating a sustainability-driven company. I’ve known Brad for years and always learn something when I talk to him—his hard-earned, valuable lessons in this book can help you unlock your full potential and achieve fulfillment in your life and career.”

    Robert Glazer, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of Elevate and Founder and Chairman of Acceleration Partners

  • “I am a super consumer of counseling, journaling and reading business books so I can design an exponential future. Yet, Startup Santa has taken me on a mental journey of insight and epiphanies unlike any other. I loved playing Monopoly as a kid, but I never knew why until now. I never realized the games and toys I loved as a child would be so informative of who I am and who I was meant to be, both as a consultant, author and entrepreneur. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy and go on the journey with Brad Pedersen, the Toymaker from the North“

    Eddie Yoon, Founder and best selling Author of Super Consumers & Category Pirates

  • "Many of my greatest business lessons are a result of Brad’s mistakes. It’s a fresh take in a world where every book on business feels the same. This one is different. Brad has done a masterful job of blending the power and necessity of creativity with the reality of the hard knocks you’re bound to experience when you set out to build something meaningful."

    Matthew Bertulli Co-Founder and CEO of Lomi and Pela

  • "Brad Pedersen really knows his stuff. If you have decided to be a life long learner, constantly looking to grow and improve, this is your chance to learn directly from a master toy maker!"

    Adam Contos, Retired CEO of RE/MAX and author of Start With A Win

  • “Startup Santa was a joy to read, as it rekindled fond childhood memories while sharing important lessons. I would highly recommend this book to founders seeking to learn from someone who has experienced firsthand the highs and lows of the entrepreneurial journey. Brad is one of the wisest entrepreneurs I know and I love how he uses timeless toys to share business wisdom through the power of play!”

    Kristi Herold, Founder & CEO of JAM, Best-selling Author of “It Pays to PLAY - How Play Improves Business Culture”

  • "This is a story of how everyone can use their imagination, curiosity and creativity to literally transform the world. Brad Pedersen is the real Startup Santa and will inspire you to live your best life.”

    Anthony DiMarco, Entrepreneur and High-Performance CEO Coach

  • "There are a gazillion entrepreneurship books out there, but I've never read one that so closely examines the toy industry—in all its creative joys and unrecyclable faults. Brad has shed light on a niche we all know and love, but rarely think hard about. Some of our fondest memories growing up are rooted in the toys we got for Christmas, or our birthday. But it was shocking for me to learn how many of those toys end up in a trash pit just a few months later. If you are an entrepreneur, a builder, or an investor, read this book. It will change the way you think about creating things that really, truly matter."

    Nicolas Cole, 8x Author and Cofounder of Ship 30 for 30, Category Pirates, and Digital Press

  • "There is no single incident that made Brad into the incredible leader he is today. In this story we watch the progression of someone from humble beginnings, who endures significant adversity and because of his deep commitment to family and faith, becomes a highly respected business and thought leader. Brad 's commitment to excellence, adventure and mastery shine through the pages of this uniquely written book.”

    Don Cameron Former Toy Executive Walmart

  • "Learn from Brad's mistakes so that you do not have to learn them on your own. Brad's vulnerability in this book is revealed in several helpful lessons, that if applied to your life, will help you navigate your entrepreneurial journey."

    Harold Chizick - Founder and former CEO of ChizComm

  • "Brad is one of the most dynamic and insightful entrepreneurs I have ever met. The same courage that caused him to launch new products & businesses is on display here as he honestly shares the good (and often painful) lessons he has learned along the way."

    Vijay Krishnan, former Executive at Recipe Brands Unltd, Lead Pastor @ The Well

  • "A literary masterpiece! Brad Pedersen is a thoughtful and inspiring author who shares with us important principles that are critical to building a successful life and business."

    Jody Steinhauer, President & Founder of The Bargains Group, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of Success Mindsets

  • "Brad Pedersen’s own story is unique and has many of the ups and downs that most entrepreneurs encounter when trying to build their business. Brad survived and thrived. His story tells us how with some imagination, curiosity and creativity it’s possible to be transformative. Brad Pedersen is the real Startup Santa and will inspire you to live your best life."

    Tom Kennedy, Chairman Kensington Capital Partners Limited

Philosophies That Drive Me

M3:

Discover your potential while pursuing what matters most in creating magical and meaningful memories with those who matter.

Childlike Wonder:

Maintain your curiosity, playfulness, and courage to explore. Live to die young as late as possible.

Embrace the Future:

Your best days are ahead. The day you stop believing that is the day you start dying.

WORK WITH BRAD

THREE WAYS I CAN HELP…

LIFE TO THE FULL NEWSLETTER

Every week I share one honest reflection on what it looks like to truly thrive — not just achieve— as a business leader.

No hustle culture.

No life hacks.

Just the real life questions worth sitting with.

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FULL SPECTRUM

A small, invitation-only mastermind for accomplished leaders who are ready to build wealth beyond money.

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PRIVATE ADVISORY

Occasionally, and for the right fit, I open a small number of private coaching spots. This is not something I offer widely. If you feel there is a compelling reason we should work together one-on-one, you are welcome to reach out and make the case 

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