Beachmate Through the Eyes of Father and Founder Jeff

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Father’s Day is a day of celebrating all things wonderful, strong, caring, and nurturing - and Jeff Mellick, papa of 4 and co-founder/CEO of Beachmate, somehow manages to personify all of those things. Jeff is not only an inventor and a co-business owner with Beatrice, but also the rock that holds his family together - and so here we go… we’re celebrating Father’s Day with this special interview, straight from him!

What is your favorite feature on the Beachmate?
No doubt the shovels! I was so sick and tired of breaking everything that we used at the beach and simply couldn’t believe there was nothing better on the market. In this day and age, I still find it hard to believe that people knowingly spend money on items that don’t function and will no doubt break, not to mention the terrible waste of plastic it creates for the environment! We are excited about the future - finding the right environmental conservation charity to donate a portion of our profits to! It’s not immediately obvious, but these buckets and shovels will actually drastically lower the amount of wasted plastic left on the beach.
What are your favorite activities to do with your kids?
I love doing just about everything with my kids, but sports (baseball, softball, basketball, tennis, golf etc.) and going to the beach are at the top of the list! Now that it’s so much easier to get to the beach and nothing breaks, it’s even more fun! Also, since I no longer work on Wall Street, my kids are my alarm clock, which is amazing… most of the time.
On the golf course!
What is your favorite thing about fatherhood?
Well, it’s tough to narrow that down (it’s a very humbling experience!), but I think the laughter that kids can generate is amazing and infectious. The innocence and inspiration of looking at life through a kid’s eyes is really an amazing experience, especially now that we have 4 kids!  I have 4 sets of eyes to look through!
Describe the role you play in the Beachmate business.
At this point in the business, it is still just Beatrice and I, so we both do a little bit of everything! That said, I have focused more on the invention side of the products and let Beatrice take the idea and run with the design portion. I also deal with the financials of the business.  Given my financial background, I have spent more time on capital raising and the books. Both Beatrice and I spend a lot of time selling and telling our story, which is really the most fun. Special note: today wouldn’t be complete without sharing one more of Jeff and Beatrice’s newest innovations. Scroll to the bottom to learn more!
What’s something you wish you'd known before you became a dad?
How fast kids grow!! They grow so quickly, I constantly see my son in pants that always seem 3 inches too short! Luckily we had two girls and two boys, so the hand me down clothing line is in full effect.
Mellick kiddos are growing so quickly!
How do you inspire your kids?
Well, I am not sure I do, but I hope I inspire them one day, anyway. I hope my kids learn from our entrepreneurial spirit (starting Beachmate) but I also hope I inspire my boys on how to treat women. I take that role very seriously and try to constantly empower not only my daughters but more importantly Beatrice. She has gone from stay-at-home mom to full-time Beachmate Co-Founder and mother of 4. She is amazing and I make sure my kids know it!
What's the biggest mistake you've ever made as a parent?
It’s a tough question! Parents make mistakes all the time: we just try to avoid any big ones! Pushing too hard, not enough? Too many activities, not enough? In this hyper competitive world we live in, we just try to find the right balance for our kids to grow up and be good adults. We don’t believe in the participation trophy, we believe that life comes with good times and hard times and if you shield kids from the hard times too much they never learn how to cope. Mistakes? I make my fair share; I just try to avoid anything major!
The Beachmate family
What one message would you want to share with all new/expecting fathers out there?
Get ready, you are about to be one the two most important people in the universe to someone that will need you forever. Don’t be intimidated, but don’t underestimate what you will mean to your children. Set the right example and enforce good manners. And lastly, but maybe most importantly, laugh as much as possible with your kids.
Jeff Mellick, awesome dad of 4 and Beachmate

Thank you so much for taking the time to let us interview you, Jeff! It’s been a pleasure! And, while we’re at it, we are super excited to share just one more little tidbit in the innovation process:

As Jeff mentioned, invention and design at Beachmate are truly a team effort, and this summer is going to be extra swell with the newest addition to the Beachmate family. Without further ado, we’re proud to introduce our newest shovel design, coming standard on our summer line! From the beginning, Beachmate shovels have always been made with durability and simplicity in mind, but we're upping the ante with our newer “big sibling” shovel, made right here in the USA! This new model was created specifically to accommodate deeper holes and damper sand (and hey, it's even strong enough for dirt, grass or scooping rocks!), making it easy for older siblings and parents to join in on the fun with the littles. Your littles will feel so strong when they have the digging power of this new design at their disposal, paired with an amazing lightweight nature. With our new shovel, building sandcastles will be a breeze for everyone, reinventing family time at the beach! Seas the day with your family! It's shaping up to be a summer of perfect beach days! Check out our newest video to see it in action:

 What a Father’s Day and summer it will be!

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Beachmate is an all-in-one stackable storage system that consolidates all your beach products in one easy-to-pack bag. There is a place for everything, giving you hands-free convenience in a stylish way that you simply carry over your shoulder. The Beachmate is complete with durable buckets, shovels and a soft cooler, contained in a tote bag with plenty of storage pockets. With all of its multi-functional pieces and our unique, thoughtful design, Beachmate is the essential family beach bag that will totally change the way you beach.
Beach bag Beach bag tote Beach tote Beach tote bags Beachmate Entrepreneur Father's Day Inventor Sand bucket Sand toys Small Business

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