Resident Feature

Meet the Goodells

Hands Full, Hearts Full

For Brian and Lindsey Goodell, the shelter-in-place orders from the spring provided not only personal challenges, such as not getting to introduce themselves to their new neighborhood, but also an opportunity to refocus their small business to adapt to our current reality and the needs of essential workers everywhere. 

Brian’s first job out of college was in real estate, but it didn’t take long for his entrepreneurial spirit to take over, and he’s been working for himself ever since. In 2017 he launched BibBoards, which “supplies brandable and customizable bib fasteners to consumers as well as races such as Run Disney and charities like St. Judes.” These fasteners make it so that you can attach your racing bib (the sheet of paper with your number/info/timer on it) to your clothing without having to use safety pins that ruin your favorite gear with holes! 

“As SIP orders popped up all over the country earlier this year and races were all canceled, the orders came to a halt as well. After a 3 week closure of our business and having to let all employees go, we found a new application for our patented invention as a PPE face mask hook to alleviate ear pain for all of our front-line heroes and community workers. This was the birth of bbSNAPS.” Within just a couple of days they were able to rehire all of their employees back and continue as an essential business. 

Lindsey is a Lafayette native who attended UC Davis, where she danced for the Sacramento Kings. She later studied at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in San Francisco to pursue her goal of working in fashion. She worked in management for several large retailers for well over a decade before deciding to stay home with their three kids full time. Now she finds herself even busier than before, running around with Tatum (9), Bryson (7), and Brooks (2). 

Brian and Lindsey first met in Walnut Creek in 2001, while out with mutual friends. When Lindsey returned to the Bay Area after living in San Diego for a few years, they reconnected at Maria Maria, in Danville, in 2009. A couple years later they grew by two, and then tied the knot on the beach in Carmel in October, 2016. Brian grew up in Pleasanton, and later moved to Danville when his parents moved into Crow Canyon Country Club. That perfect half-way spot found, the Goodell’s moved into the same neighborhood as Brian’s parents in 2012, “with Danville in the middle of Pleasanton and Lafayette, we love the community we have found to call home and raise our family in, as well as how close we both are to our families and childhood friends.”

At the end of 2019, the whole family relocated to the west side of Danville, a short walk away from Hap Magee park. “We instantly fell in love with the yard and property, filled with huge redwoods and tons of space for the kids to explore…We also loved the charm and character of our 1920’s original Danville home.” Unfortunately they moved in in the middle of winter, right before the SIP orders came in, “our family is looking forward to life getting a little more back to normal where we can meet more of our new neighbors and friends for the kids as they will be switching schools this fall.” 

Tatum and Bryson both love soccer and swimming. They’ve played with Mustang soccer for the last three years and can’t wait to play again this fall. Swimming on the Crow Canyon Country Club swim team is a favorite, especially for Tatum, where she hopes to swim more competitively. Bryson is also looking forward to playing flag football and baseball again. Lindsey says, “With all of the activities of the older two siblings, Brooks has become our car-seat baby, but loves anything that involves a ball so we will see where that leads him.” 

After learning that Brian attended Idaho State on a full-ride football scholarship, where he played wide receiver, it’s no surprise that he is just as active today! He’s played in the men’s Danville   Basketball League for over a decade. About 4 years ago he took up dirt biking and is enjoying introducing Bryson to the sport. This year Brian is getting ready to start his first season as the assistant head coach at Cal High for the boy’s varsity basketball team. Not one to let her passions subside, Lindsey also teaches dance classes at Club Sport San Ramon and loves taking the kids to Tahoe in the winter to teach them how to ski.

With faith being the backbone of the Goodell family, they attend the Valley Community Church in Pleasanton. Lindsey and Tatum volunteer in the disabilities ministry, and the whole family looks forward to their annual family vacation to Camp Sugar Pine, where they meet up with over 40 family members and spend the weekend playing outside, reconnecting with everyone, and focusing on their relationship with God. They feel incredibly blessed to have the extended family and the compassionate and thoughtful kids that they do. 

To their new westside neighbors and beyond, Brian and Lindsey would like to say, “we want to thank everyone that has supported our small business along the way and especially through these past few months. We want to encourage our community to look at ways to support small businesses and buy local. Part of the charm of Danville is all of the small businesses that fill our streets. Finding ways we can support these businesses, their families and employees will help to preserve our town and ensure that we can all come out of this stronger together.”

By Alexandra Sullivan, Resident since 2017