In his new book, King of Pops co-founder Steven Carse shares how work and fun go hand-in-hand!
For Steven Carse, co-founder of Atlanta popsicle brand King of Pops—whose frozen treats are sold in carts and retailers in Buckhead and throughout Atlanta—2025 brought two business milestones to celebrate: the ice pop brand’s 15th anniversary and the launch of his book, Work Is Fun, a reflection on the King of Pops story and advice on making work more meaningful.
What was the inspiration behind your book?
I’ve been obsessed with the idea of having fun at work since I was young. I put my writing dreams on hold and took a job in the insurance industry. That’s when I told myself that work wasn’t supposed to be fun. [After the 2008 recession hit], I got laid off, and after spending years talking about starting a popsicle company inspired by my travels in Latin America, I finally took the entrepreneurial plunge. King of Pops took off, but something unexpected happened: I realized I didn’t have to separate work from fun. I could actually enjoy what I did every day, not just in the margins of my life. Now, 15 years later, as my role within King of Pops has shifted, I’ve realized something even bigger: I could have had fun at that insurance job, too; I just wasn’t approaching it the right way.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
This book is part story about how we built King of Pops and what makes it special, but more than that, it’s a handbook for anyone looking to find joy in their work, no matter where they are in their careers. The truth is you don’t have to start a business to make work fun. You just have to change the way you approach it. You’re selling a portion of your company with the acquisition of P10 Foods by Rainforest Distribution.
What does that mean for your customers?
This deal immediately expands our distribution into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast not just for our pops, but also for our future “cartrepreneurs,” our franchisees, and we’re doing it with a partner who truly understands our business. For customers, that means easier access to King of Pops, whether it’s at their favorite local store, at a festival or from one of our franchisees. It also gives us more room to focus on what we love: making ridiculously good pops and dreaming up new flavors.
What’s next for King of Pops?
First up, our King of Pops Road Trip campaign is rolling out, and it’s gonna be a blast. Think of it like a delicious scavenger hunt: Collect all the special edition pop sticks, and you could win big. Of course, we’ve always got new flavors in the works: more super-thoughtful ingredients, more awesome partnerships and more ways to surprise your taste buds.
KING OF POPS
kingofpops.com
@kingofpops
BY Claire Ruhlin
