# Tempur-Pedic: Bobby Trussell (2018)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2020-07-06
- Length: 58m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018

## Summary

Bobby Trussell, a former horse racing trainer who went bankrupt in the late 1980s, pivoted to distribute Swedish memory foam products in the US, founding Tempur-Pedic. After failing to sell initial mattress overlays to chiropractors, he successfully launched by mailing free pillows to 500 practitioners and securing a major retail partnership with Brookstone. Trussell explains how he raised capital from failed investors, adapted the product for the US market by laminating foam to create thicker mattresses, and positioned the brand as a high-end luxury item to avoid discounting, eventually taking the company public in 2003.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018#t=0) Introduction: Bobby Trussell and Tempur-Pedic
- [2:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018#t=121) Trussell's Background in Horse Racing and Bankruptcy
- [15:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018#t=932) Discovering Memory Foam in Sweden
- [22:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018#t=1375) Raising Capital and Initial Distribution Failures
- [31:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018#t=1879) The Pillow Strategy and Brookstone Breakthrough
- [41:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018#t=2473) Scaling to Mattresses and Direct Response Advertising
- [47:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018#t=2842) Merging with Swedish Partners and Going Public
- [52:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018#t=3154) Legacy, Market Position, and Reflections on Luck

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Tempur-Pedic (company)
- Brookstone (company)
- Sharper Image (company)
- Sealy (company)
- Danfoam (company)
- Relax the Back (company)
- IKEA (company)
- Nion (product)
- Michael Magnuson (other)
- Doug Landvic (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Bootstrapped to 800,000 Units Sold Worldwide: The Story Behind Rockit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-04-17-bootstrapped-to-800-000-units-sold-worldwide-the-story-behind-rockit) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [Founders Feature: Lucy Dana of One Trick Pony](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-21-founders-feature-lucy-dana-of-one-trick-pony) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Hippy Feet is the coolest company you haven't heard about until now! Michael Mader, CEO](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2025-11-05-hippy-feet-is-the-coolest-company-you-havent-heard-about-until-now-michael-mader) (People of Packaging)
- [Founder Feature: Becca Wright of Piedmont Pennies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-01-17-founder-feature-becca-wright-of-piedmont-pennies) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [024: Aligning passion & business with Terry Lin of Forever Home Blankets](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-25-024-aligning-passion-business-with-terry-lin-of-forever-home-blankets) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-06-tempur-pedic-bobby-trussell-2018. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.