From $4K to $48M: Aaron & Lior Built a Sleep Brand

From near failure to a $48M empire: How Aaron & Lior turned a seasonal business into a sleep industry giant.

April 05, 2025

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Welcome to Money Making Story,

Today, we’re thrilled to share the story of Aaron & Lior, who used storytelling and customer feedback to build a $48 million e-commerce powerhouse.

In this discussion, we’ll delve into his:

  • Key Takeaway

  • A Weighted Idea

  • Early Success and a Harsh Reality Check

  • The Turning Point: Talking to Customers

  • 10 Principles of Kaizen

  • Steps to Success

  • Scaling Smart

  • A Multi-Million Dollar Exit

  • Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

  • A Story Worth Reading

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Key Takeaway

“Building a successful brand isn’t just about selling products—it’s about understanding customers, solving real problems, and telling a story that resonates.”

Starting a business is often a test of resilience, determination, and adaptability. For Aaron Spivak and Lior Ohayon, co-founders of Hush Blankets, the journey from bootstrapping with just $4,000 to building a multi-million-dollar business was filled with highs, lows, and unexpected breakthroughs. Their story is one of relentless innovation, customer-centric thinking, and the power of storytelling.

A Weighted Idea

Aaron Spivak was always an entrepreneur. From lemonade stands to juice shops, he was constantly searching for opportunities. But it wasn’t until he met Lior Ohayon, his eventual business partner, that they stumbled upon an idea that would change everything.

Aaron initially wanted to sell cricket-based protein, but Lior had a better idea.

"He looked at me and said, ‘That’s disgusting. But have you seen this rise in weighted blankets?’"

Curious, they searched Google Trends and saw that 300,000 people were looking for weighted blankets. That was all the validation they needed.

They had no experience in textiles or e-commerce, but that didn’t stop them. With just $4,000, they started working on their first sample while still juggling their day jobs.

Early Success and a Harsh Reality Check

Their initial launch was met with success. With a simple pre-order website and some paid Google ads, they started seeing rapid growth. Monthly revenue climbed from $30,000 to $90,000, making them believe they had struck gold. However, they soon faced a major challenge: seasonality.

It all seemed too easy—until summer hit. Weighted blankets were great for the winter, but as temperatures soared, their sales plummeted to nearly zero.

"Our bank accounts were draining, and suddenly, we were sitting on all this inventory we couldn’t sell."

Lior called Aaron, saying they needed to shut the business down.

They had made a crucial mistake—not forecasting seasonal demand.

The Turning Point: Talking to Customers

Instead of giving up, Aaron had a bold idea:

"Let’s just call every customer we’ve ever had and ask them why they stopped buying."

So they sent out an email with a Calendly link and personally called every single customer willing to talk.

The feedback was overwhelmingly consistent:

"We love the blanket… but we’re sweating like crazy."

That’s when everything clicked. Instead of guessing what product to launch next, they simply listened to their customers.

They decided to create the world’s first cooling weighted blanket.

To bring their vision to life, they needed $100,000 to manufacture their innovative new fabric, "Ice Fabric." However, they had only $4,000 left in the bank. Instead of seeking investors, they turned to Kickstarter, setting a modest goal of $25,000. The campaign exceeded all expectations, raising over $1 million in just 30 days.

10 Principles of Kaizen

Steps to Success

A Million-Dollar Kickstarter

To develop their new Hush Ice Blanket, they needed a special cooling fabric. But the minimum order cost was $100,000—money they didn’t have.

Rather than giving up equity to investors, they took a risk and launched a Kickstarter campaign.

Their goal? $25,000. What happened? They raised $1 million in 30 days.

"It became one of the top 10 Canadian Kickstarters of all time."

With proof of demand and funding secured, they were back in business.

The Power of Storytelling

After Kickstarter, they looked for the next big opportunity to gain exposure.

They pitched their story to Dragon’s Den, Canada’s version of Shark Tank.

Not only did they get featured, but they made history:

In 14 seasons, no company had ever increased their valuation live on air through negotiations. Their segment went viral on Netflix, introducing millions of people to their brand.

"That moment, I realized—storytelling is everything."

Scaling Smart

Expanding Beyond Blankets

Rather than getting distracted by trends, Aaron and Lior used a customer-first approach to decide their next moves.

Each time, they asked their audience: What do you need next?

That’s how they launched:

Hush Pillow – After thousands of customer calls, they designed a pillow that sold out in 72 hours.

Hush Ice 2.0 – A better version of their cooling blanket, driven by real feedback.

Hush Bed Sheets – A direct response to customer demand for better sleep solutions.

Their philosophy was simple: solve real problems, don’t guess trends.

"Everyone kept asking what our marketing secret was. The truth? We just listened to people."

Launching a Mattress

By 2021, they had grown past $20M in sales and were preparing to sell the company. But first, they needed one final product to push their valuation higher. They decided to enter the toughest market possible—mattresses in a box. This was a terrible industry:

High competition- Huge inventory costs- Low profit margins.

But instead of creating a generic mattress, they listened to their customers—and found an unexpected pain point.

"People told us regular mattresses were uncomfortable when making love."

So, they designed the Hush Mattress with zoned support to make it more comfortable.

The result? $1.5 million in sales at launch.

Superfans & Community

Reflecting on their journey, Aaron realized their biggest advantage wasn’t their product—it was their community. Hush customers weren’t just buying blankets—they were buying into the story.

At their first pop-up store, they had more visitors than Alo Yoga. Customers brought blankets for Aaron to sign—something unheard of in e-commerce.

"One of the executives who bought our company saw this and told me, ‘In 25 years, I’ve never seen this.’"

Their secret? Storytelling.

They didn’t just sell products. They brought customers along for the journey—from their struggles to their breakthroughs.

"Customers don’t just care about products. They care about the people behind them."

A Multi-Million Dollar Exit

By 2021, Hush Blankets had grown into a powerhouse, generating $48 million in revenue in just four years. Their innovative approach caught the attention of Sleep Country, the largest sleep company in Canada, which acquired Hush for an undisclosed sum. Their story serves as proof that with determination, customer obsession, and a willingness to adapt, it’s possible to turn a small idea into a life-changing business.

"We went from zero to $48 million in 48 months."

-Hush

Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

  1. Talk to Your Customers: Direct conversations with customers can provide invaluable insights that shape product development.

  2. Embrace Storytelling: People connect with brands that share authentic stories, not just products.

  3. Stay Resilient: Challenges and failures are inevitable, but persistence and adaptability can lead to breakthroughs.

  4. Bootstrapping Can Work: By maintaining full control over their business, Aaron and Lior built Hush on their terms.

Their journey from struggling entrepreneurs to multi-million-dollar founders is a testament to the power of resilience, creativity, and customer-driven innovation. Their message is clear:

If you have a great product and a compelling story, anything is possible in the digital age.

Aaron and Lior’s journey proves that anyone can build something huge without millions in funding.

"The internet leveled the playing field. Today, the underdogs have a real shot at winning."

Their story isn’t just about blankets or pillows—it’s about resilience, customer obsession, and the power of authenticity.

From bootstrapping with $4,000 to selling a $48M brand, Hush is proof that if you listen, adapt, and tell a great story, anything is possible.

If you’re ready to take the leap into e-commerce, start today. The journey won’t be easy, but as Bobby’s story shows, the rewards can be life-changing.

A Story Worth Reading

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