After napping for a few hours under a weighted blanket on a Saturday afternoon, Kathrin Hamm fell in love with the feeling of sleeping under weight. But when she started to search for high quality weighted bedding, she just couldn’t find any. So she invented one and developed a prototype, taking everything that scientists know about weighted bedding. She bunded it up with innovative textiles into one delightful experience that helps people sleep naturally and feel better. Bearaby was born! After a successful Kickstarter campaign, an unanticipated deal with West Elm, and a lot of persistence, humility, and hard work, Bearaby is now a fast-growing company with inventory flying off the shelves. Kathrin joins Socialfly co-founders Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer for a conversation about building her business and career, and describes her journey to success, including why the Bearaby name involves a hug and a song; why the addition of a complimentary skillset was a pivotal first hire; how Bearaby caught the attention of West Elm; the importance of Instagram and UGC for brand discovery; how list building, collecting emails, and the first 48 hours were crucial ingredients to victory on Kickstarter; why the core working hours at Bearaby are only between 12-3PM; moving into the market for children; and, why Kathrin sees her entrepreneurial journey as a great adventure. Plus, a surprise!
Guests
Kathrin Hamm
Hosts
Stephanie Cartin
Stephanie Cartin is a serial entrepreneur, investor, podcast host, community builder, and a champion for women founders. She created the Entreprenista League, a community for women founders, to provide resources and support necessary at all business stages. She’s also the Co-founder of Socialfly, one of the first social media marketing agencies, as well as Entreprenista Media and Pearl Influential Capital which was recently acquired by Cherub. Stephanie has shared her journey managing her health challenges with Multiple Sclerosis, Infertility, and a complicated pregnancy and is an advocate for women going through similar challenges. Her story and businesses have been featured on the Today Show, Bloomberg and Forbes. Consider Stephanie your biggest business cheerleader.
Courtney Spritzer
Courtney Spritzer is an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, podcast host, and advocate for women founders. As Co-Founder and CEO of Socialfly, a social-first digital agency launched in 2012 and acquired in 2024, she has helped shape the industry with innovative strategies. She co-founded the Entreprenista League, a community for women founders, offering essential resources and support for all stages of business growth. Courtney’s entrepreneurial journey and business insights have been highlighted in top publications like Entrepreneur.com, Bloomberg, and Forbes.
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