Joel Appel: From State Fair Novelty Items to a Multi-Million Dollar Success and Beyond

Denver, Colorado Jun 6, 2024  – Starting out from selling strange products at state fairs, Joel Appel has become a widely recognized name in the cleaning industry. A graduate of Claremont McKenna College and Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Joel began his career at the Quaker Oats Company and later founded Orange Glo International with his parents. Today, his company, LaunchPad LLC, continues to help support new businesses and his innovative ideas.

In the early 1970s, Joel and his father, Max, were selling various unique products at the Arizona State Fair. This early experience planted the seed for what would become a successful family business. “All imaginable crazy things that my dad was convinced he could sell,” Joel recalled during a recent speech at the Athenaeum. This entrepreneurial spirit led to the creation of Orange Glo International, a company that would change the cleaning products industry with brands like Orange Glo, OxiClean, and Kaboom.

The company’s breakthrough came when the late Billy Mays started promoting OxiClean on TV. “OxiClean took off…we couldn’t keep it in stock,” Joel reminisced. Mays’ infomercials on the Home Shopping Network and QVC–described by Joel as “like state fairs on TV”–brought the products to national attention. This infomercial strategy was not just about immediate sales but building brand awareness. “The ultimate goal,” Joel explained, “is to make people familiar with the brand. Then, when they see it on the shelf in the store, they’ll be more likely to try it.”

In 2006, after a period of strategic refocusing and overcoming competitive challenges, Orange Glo International was sold to Church & Dwight for $325 million. This success allowed Joel to pursue other opportunities in product development and marketing.

In 2007, Joel founded LaunchPad LLC, a company dedicated to collaborating with inventors and entrepreneurs to introduce innovative products to the market. “He taught me that there will always be great products to sell,” Joel said, reflecting on his father’s influence. LaunchPad LLC has been involved with several successful ventures since then, including Tortle, Brainetics, FullBar, Base Education, and Sleep For Life. Joel also serves on the board of Nicodrops, Inc., and continues to drive sales and strategic growth.

LaunchPad LLC focuses on finding unique products, but avoids the cleaning industry. Some of its successful products include FullBar, a nutrition bar for hunger control, and Nicodrops, a unique, drug-free smoking alternative. 

Joel Appel’s story shows the power of effective marketing, strategic vision, and relentless innovation. From starting at a state fair booth to leading a multi-million dollar company, Joel’s journey inspires entrepreneurs to find and develop great products.

For more information, visit LaunchPad LLC at .