# Parachute Home: Ariel Kaye

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-02-05
- Length: 1h 12m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye

## Summary

Ariel Kaye, founder of Parachute Home, explains how she identified a gap in the bedding market by noticing the lack of branded, high-quality sheets in big-box stores. She details her journey from a solo founder with no manufacturing experience to launching a DTC brand, including her strategy of manufacturing in Europe and differentiating through design choices like back-envelope pillowcases. Kaye discusses the challenges of raising initial capital, the costly mistake of building a custom CMS before switching to Shopify, and her decision to prioritize brand building and profitability over rapid, VC-driven growth. The episode covers Parachute's expansion from sheets to a full home goods brand with physical stores, highlighting the importance of authentic marketing and customer trust.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=0) Introduction: Ariel Kaye and Parachute Home
- [3:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=215) Ariel Kaye's Background and Pivot to Entrepreneurship
- [13:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=787) Identifying the Market Gap in Bedding
- [22:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=1333) Sourcing European Factories and Initial Manufacturing
- [33:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=1985) Raising Capital and the Solo Founder Challenge
- [40:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=2411) Building the Website and the Shopify Pivot
- [46:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=2778) Launch Strategy, PR, and Early Sales
- [53:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=3204) Competitor Anxiety and Brand Building Philosophy
- [1:01:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=3670) Expanding to Retail and New Product Categories
- [1:04:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye#t=3872) Personal Sacrifices, Leadership, and Stepping Down

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Parachute Home (company)
- Warby Parker (company)
- Everlane (company)
- Brooklyn (company)
- Bull and Branch (company)
- Shopify (tool)
- Magento (tool)
- Pod Save America (other)
- Launchpad (other)
- Sverra (company)
- Fraté (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [023: Making Personal Connections to Customers with the Cheerbox, Tamar Lucien of Mental Happy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-18-023-making-personal-connections-to-customers-with-the-cheerbox-tamar-lucien-of-m) (Product Startup)
- [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)
- [Founder Feature: Tabi and Meena Hoshmand of Tursh](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-14-founder-feature-tabi-and-meena-hoshmand-of-tursh) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [044: Turning customizable jackets into a multi-million dollar business, Elyse Daniels of Exodus Wear](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-03-14-044-turning-customizable-jackets-into-a-multi-million-dollar-business-elyse-dani) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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