Season 2: Episode 93: The Business of Play: How Nic Breedlove Turned an Overlooked Industry Into Opportunity

Most people are chasing crowded markets, trendy ideas, and “sexy” businesses and getting nowhere.

Then there’s Nic Breedlove.

Nic is the CEO of NVB Playgrounds, a company that’s quietly building high-quality, community-focused play spaces across the country and turning a niche most people overlook into a real business opportunity.

In this episode, we dig into what it actually looks like to build something from scratch in an industry you didn’t come from, without a roadmap, and without anyone handing you the playbook.

We talk about scaling in a low-margin business, standing out in a space most people ignore, and why some of the best opportunities aren’t the ones everyone’s talking about.

Nic also shares the behind-the-scenes realities- the challenges, pivots, and moments where things went sideways…but ended up leading to growth.

What you’ll learn:

How to build a business with zero background or blueprint

Why “boring” industries can be the most profitable

How to scale in a low-margin space without burning out

The role of creativity, design, and innovation in standing out

Why resilience matters more than strategy early on