![Daniel Gibney with his wife and daughters.](/web/20160918015215im_/http://www.essentialkids.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/8/b/v/0/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gr877y.png/1472960357026.jpg)
Daniel Gibney knew fatherhood would change him, but he didn't realise it would lead to a global business venture for his family.
"I was - and still am - a drummer, and when my eldest daughter Emily started coming along to listen to me play we couldn't find anything to protect her ears," Daniel says.
"That lead us to come up with an earmuff design that would work for kids, then we got requests for earmuffs for babies and the business just went from there."
![Boomer Phelps in a pair of Em's 4 Kids ear muffs at the Olympics.](/web/20160918015215im_/http://www.essentialkids.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/8/b/v/d/image.related.articleLeadwide.520x294.gr877y.png/1472960357026.jpg)
That was almost 10 years ago, and Em's 4 Kids now has offices in Australia, the US, the United Kingdom and China, and distributes to more than 50 countries.
The company produces ear muffs specially designed to protect little ears in any environment where there are loud noises.
It recently received worldwide attention when the baby son of US swimmer Michael Phelps wore a pair of Em's 4 Bubs earmuffs while watching his famous dad at the Rio Olympics. Little Boomer Phelps is an Instagram star with more than 680,000 followers, and the photograph of him wearing the earmuffs lead to a nice boost in business for Em's 4 Kids.
In addition to being kept busy as CEO of Em's 4 Kids, Daniel also loves spending time with his two daughters.
"Being a dad really is the greatest thing in the world," he says.
"I am very fortunate to have an amazing wife and two incredible daughters. When you have a bad day at work or with whatever else is going on in your life, coming home to them makes everything okay."
Daniel will be spending the Father's Day weekend enjoying a golfing getaway with his father-in-law and other family members before returning on Sunday to spend time with his girls.
When it comes to his daughters, there is one thing Daniel is especially thankful for.
"Both my daughters have rhythm. I'm not sure how I would have coped if I had children without rhythm " he laughs.
"Both my wife and I are musical and thankfully our daughters seem to have taken after us in that way."
Em's 4 Kids will be at the Essential Baby and Toddler Show from 23-25 September at the Royal Hall of Industries and Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. Click here to get your tickets to the show.