71-Year-Old Radiologist Launches Banana Skewer Business

At 71 years old, Richard Brown, a former nuclear medicine physician and university professor, has embarked on a new entrepreneurial venture, Poka Snack, which focuses on a unique banana skewer product. Brown, who formally retired from the University of Michigan in 2020, has continued to engage in professional activities, including a role in university leadership and a position at a venture-backed health care startup, before pivoting to product entrepreneurship. He expressed his enthusiasm for this latest endeavor, stating, “I think I never want to retire. Why would you do that? You spent all this time learning something—and things get easier for you when you get older in some ways because you’re a little bit wiser.”

Poka Snack is designed to simplify the process of freezing and consuming fruit, with a particular emphasis on bananas. Brown launched the product on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter earlier this year, where it has successfully garnered over 90% of its initial $4,000 funding goal. Concurrently, he has cultivated a significant online presence, amassing more than 14,000 followers on TikTok. Brown views this business not merely as a frozen skewer enterprise but as an avenue for personal growth, encouraging him to explore unfamiliar territories and harness the energy associated with initiating new projects. He likens the experience to being a college student again, characterized by a sense of adrenaline and a drive to achieve.

Brown's academic and medical career spans several decades. He earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan's medical school in 1980. For the subsequent twenty years, he practiced medicine in private settings. In 2004, he returned to the University of Michigan, taking on a professorship. During his tenure there, he also held the position of director for clinical nuclear medicine and molecular imaging within the university's division of nuclear medicine. His retirement from the University of Michigan occurred in 2020. Despite the option to conclude his professional life after a long and successful career, Brown chose to immediately pursue new opportunities. The Monday following his retirement, he commenced a new role as the first vice chair, indicating a consistent drive for new challenges and learning experiences throughout his post-retirement years.