Every successful entrepreneur’s story features moments of uncertainty, resilience, and pivotal decisions.
Aaron Spivak, co-founder of Hush, transformed a seasonal weighted blanket startup into a $50 million business. His journey, shared on the Turning Pro podcast, offers actionable lessons for founders and entrepreneurs striving to scale their businesses while navigating challenges.
In this article, we explore the insights Aaron shared, from leveraging customer feedback to the importance of self-awareness in leadership.
Aaron’s entrepreneurial journey began in Toronto, where he balanced a 20-year hockey career with an innate passion for problem-solving. At 18, he co-founded a juice company with his mother and brother to address the lack of healthy food options for hockey players. What started as a single juice shop in a basement grew into a chain of 10 locations.
However, Aaron realized the limitations of physical retail expansion. Each new location required reinvesting all profits, slowing scalability. This led him to explore online opportunities, where businesses could scale without the burden of capital-intensive physical growth.
Hush began with a simple yet impactful concept: weighted blankets designed to improve sleep through deep pressure stimulation. The company quickly grew, reaching $100,000 in monthly revenue within its first few months. But the rapid rise wasn’t sustainable. Sales plummeted to nearly zero, pushing Aaron and his co-founder to consider liquidating their inventory.
Instead of giving up, Aaron decided to call 2,000 customers directly. What he learned changed everything. Customers loved the blankets but found them too hot for use in warmer months. This feedback inspired the creation of a cooling weighted blanket—a game-changing innovation in the industry.
With limited funds, Aaron turned to Kickstarter to develop the cooling weighted blanket. The campaign raised $1.5 million in just 30 days, becoming Canada’s most successful textile campaign and one of its top 10 crowdfunding successes. This pivotal moment propelled Hush into a $10 million business, securing its place as a market leader.
The success of the cooling weighted blanket also led to new product lines, including sheets and pillows, further diversifying Hush’s offerings. Eventually, Aaron sold the company, cementing its legacy as an innovative leader in the sleep industry.
Instead of guessing what went wrong, Aaron asked his customers directly. Their input revealed the product’s flaw and the opportunity to create a solution that met their needs. Founders should view customer feedback not as criticism but as a roadmap for improvement.
Aaron stresses that true delegation isn’t just about assigning tasks—it’s about finding the right people for the right roles. “The best form of delegation is putting the right person in the right seat so that you never have to think about it again,” he explains.
One of Aaron’s superpowers is his ability to break down seemingly overwhelming challenges into manageable steps. Whether it’s scaling a business or setting personal goals, simplicity often holds the key to progress.
Entrepreneurship is a lonely road. Aaron credits therapy and coaching for helping him maintain clarity, improve relationships, and strengthen his leadership. Whether through therapy, mentorship, or self-reflection, founders must prioritize personal growth.
Understanding cash flow and financial health is non-negotiable. Aaron describes his near-obsessive focus on knowing “every dollar” as foundational to his success. “That’s the blood flow, the energy of your business,” he emphasizes.
Aaron’s approach to goal-setting and visualization is deliberate and detailed. He writes down specific goals and visualizes the end result, creating a mental roadmap that aligns actions with desired outcomes.
The defining moment in Hush’s journey came when the company was on the verge of collapse. By listening to customers and addressing their concerns, Aaron transformed a failing product into a revolutionary one. That willingness to pivot not only saved the business but also set it on a trajectory for exponential growth.
Entrepreneurship isn’t easy, but Aaron believes in the power of persistence, adaptability, and community. He encourages founders to:
“Energy, momentum, and focus are everything,” Aaron says. “If you’re excited about your work, that energy will flow to your team and customers.”
Aaron Spivak’s story is a masterclass in resilience, customer-centric innovation, and the relentless pursuit of improvement. From starting a juice business at 18 to selling Hush for $50 million, his journey underscores the importance of adaptability, leadership, and a clear vision.
For entrepreneurs and founders, Aaron’s experiences offer not just inspiration but also practical strategies to navigate challenges and achieve success.
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